WATCH: Caley Thistle fan performs self-written cup final song
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A lifelong Caley Thistle fan has written and performed his latest song ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final.
Season ticket holder Sandy Sutherland uploaded a clip of his track ‘Against all odds (A little while longer)’ to his Facebook this week saying: “From dared, to politely requested, to heavily demanded. Another cup final song is written and out. Done as promised and tried to deliver. This one is for fans who have believed in us beating the odds over all those years, hope that shows. Just an old guitar, a rough voice and a heap of Caley [Thistle] merch. Uncomissioned but original.”
The 31-year-old, from Inverness, started playing guitar and writing his own songs while he was still in high school.
Sandy’s inspiration for the song comes through his love of his local team, and the success of writing and performing a track the last time that Caley Thistle reached the Scottish Cup final in 2015, where they beat Falkirk 2-1.
“What inspired me to write for the final was the personal challenge of doing it again more than anything," he said.
“I wrote one for the final in 2015 and was lucky enough to get to record it as part of a band.
“We got the chance to play the song for BBC, STV and in the Caley Club the night before the final.
"It's something we often look back on with a real sense of pride given that we won it.”
Sandy has received positive feedback for the track which he had the opportunity to perform on fan podcast The Wyness Shuffle, before uploading an acoustic version of the song onto his Facebook.
He has also been invited to perform the track on the day of the final at The Ferry in Glasgow, which will be hosting a pre-match party for Caley Thistle fans before the game kicks off.
“I got the opportunity to perform it for the folks on The Wyness Shuffle and made an acoustic version of it for social media which has got great reviews among fans, I'm relieved for that.
“I had been asked to do it at the pre match party at The Ferry on the day of the final but it’s looking unlikely, if I can get down there sharp on the day though who knows?”
Accepting that Caley Thistle are massive underdogs going into the game, Sandy is quietly optimistic looking back at the three previous occasions they have beaten Celtic in the Scottish Cup, but knows the occasion itself will be memorable either way.
“It's going to be a real mammoth task. Celtic are playing some of the best football I've ever seen them produce as a team.
“But it's a free hit for us, there's no pressure on us to win it but plenty on them to go get that treble and we've been here enough times against Celtic before to know it's possible.
“For me its about spending a day with family and friends and enjoying the occasion, big games have a great way of drawing folks together, that's what it's all about, first and foremost.”
