My Scottish Cup memories: James Dunne

As we embark on another Scottish Cup adventure this weekend, it seemed an appropriate time to take a trip down memory lane and re-live our 2014 heroics.

Captain Dave Mackay hoisted the famous trophy high into the sky in the east end of Glasgow after a special 2-0 final victory against Dundee United.

Steven Anderson and Steven MacLean were the scorers on that famous day in May but, of course, it was a full team effort to send the 15,000 Saints supporters in attendance crashing from their seats in celebration.

Playing a pivotal role in the middle of the park throughout the cup campaign – after joining on loan from Stevenage in the January – was James Dunne.

“I wasn’t playing at Stevenage and was asked if I fancied going up to Scotland,” James recalls. “And for me, it was a chance to play a good standard of football against some very good teams.

“As soon as I spoke to Tommy [Wright], I wanted to come up straight away. I remember watching Saints play in Europe so I knew it was a good move for me and, really, it was a no-brainer.

“I remember my first game for the club was against Celtic in Glasgow and I hadn’t played for quite a while. I knew it was going to be tough on the legs.

“I didn’t think I played that well in the match and was doubting myself a little bit. When you go on loan, you want to make a good first impression. But the gaffer spoke to me and told me not to take it to heart.”

The Scottish Cup 2014 journey gathered momentum at Station Park where James netted a peach in a 4-0 win against Forfar Athletic. We had already dispatched Livingston in round four.

James said: “I came off the bench against Forfar and scored with my second or third touch. It wasn’t a bad finish, to be fair. That settled me down and I was up and running.

“I then remember the quarter-final against Raith Rovers at their place and we struggled for parts of that game. Nigel [Hasselbaink] helped change the game for us. You could just feel at the club that we could do something special.

“By now, my fitness was back, I was feeling good and everyone at the club had made me feel really welcome. My family were coming to the games and they were made to feel welcome too.

“When I first arrived, I saw the team spirit and how the gaffer had the group together. The training was always fun and even little things help like, if you were the worst trainer, you had to buy cakes for the lads.”

The semi-final win against Aberdeen at Ibrox remains clear in the mind of James before the build-up to the final then took over.

“There was the suit measuring and that was a good laugh,” James smiled. “Then we had the hotel stay in Dunkeld with some clay-pigeon shooting.

“It was a nice time leading into such a big game for the club, especially when we were going for that first piece of major silverware. It took our mind off things, we were able to chill out and lift the team spirit even further.”

On the game itself, a wonderful Steven Anderson header had us in front on the stroke of half-time before Steven MacLean wrapped up the win in the closing stages with a determined finish from inside the box.

James had operated nicely in the middle of the park alongside Chris Millar and still remembers the moment the final whistle sounded.

“They hit the post in the first half but we got the crucial goal just before half-time,” James explained. “Dundee United came at us in the second half and there was that free-kick which hit the bar and bounced down.

“When Alan [Mannus] managed to get a hold of the ball, I suddenly felt that we were winning this. Macca then went and got the second goal to give us a cushion.

“I was celebrating like I’d scored the goal when he tucked it in. I was going mental and, for 30 seconds or so, your mind just goes.

“But then you realise there are still 15 minutes or so to play and you need to calm down, get into position and see the game out. From there, I thought we held them off very well. I didn’t think they troubled us a lot.

“The celebrations in the changing room were brilliant. It was the first time I had won something. Just brilliant.”

All of these years on, the achievement and the memories that came with our Scottish Cup win in 2014 sit at the very top of James’ footballing career.

“I had been involved in playoff matches down south, but this whole experience was just so good,” he said. “I still talk to the boys now about it and it is the best moment in my career, without doubt.”