McInnes urges Morton players to shine against Rangers

The 44-year-old played against the Gers just once in his time with the Ton, and he went out believing he could compete with the likes of Paul Gascoigne and Alexei Mikhailichenko.

It was off the back of his performance in that 3-0 loss at Ibrox in 1995 that Gazza told Walter Smith to sign McInnes, and he went on to make the move to Govan later in the season.

And he feels Jim Duffy’s charges must go into next week’s match without fear and seize the opportunity to show a nationwide television audience what they are capable of. Speaking exclusively to the Tele, Aberdeen boss McInnes said:

“When we played Rangers with Morton we weren’t going for a day out. We had a good team.

“We went into the game really confident. We were taking on an unbelievable array of talent, a very formidable side, and nobody gave us a chance.

“But in our own mind we were very sure of ourselves, very confident we could go there and give them a game and get a result.

“We gave a good account of ourselves, but Rangers were too strong for us on the day and there was no disgrace in that.

“I got into a running battle with Gascoigne that day, and when I signed for Rangers not long after, Gazza came up to me on my first day.

“He said that straight after the game he recommended to Walter Smith they should definitely sign the boy McInnes because I kept coming back for more and gave as good as I got. You should always back yourself. I would go into these games feeling confident in myself of going and playing on that stage.

“It’s great for any young player, or any player, to go and showcase yourself, and I’m sure Jim [Duffy] will be saying exactly the same to his boys.

“You can’t doubt yourself and I think those young players at Morton should go into this game believing they are good enough to go and get a result.

“But I’m sure that will come from Jim, that will come from their manager – he’ll be reinforcing that.

“Rangers will be favourites and if they play to form and their best players play at their level it will be difficult for Morton to get the result. But I’ve seen Morton a few times this season and they are a good side themselves.

“And you have got to plant the seed that it’s not going to be their day as a Morton player; you’ve got to make sure they don’t get it all their own way.

“The start is very important. In the last game at Cappielow, Rangers got off to a good start [scoring] early doors.

“But Morton did create chances so they should take the confidence from that — if they can limit Rangers from enjoying the game too much, they are capable of creating chances.”

Ton last beat the Gers at Cappielow back in April 1988, and although the then-16-year-old McInnes wasn’t involved on the park, he remembers the afternoon very well.

He explained: “I made my debut the week or two after that game, but I was just a YTS on the groundstaff at the time and I was on duty that day.

“One of my duties was to clear up the away dressing room after the game, and we couldn’t get in for ages because of the rollocking Graeme Souness was giving the Rangers players.

“I remember the tea and everything being kicked over as well, but I remember that game clearly as well.

“We won 3-2 and it was a red-hot day and it was a really good performance from the boys on the day. Wee Jim Hunter was outstanding that day for Morton at sweeper.

“There was a real 50-50 challenge with Graham Roberts on the halfway line and he smashed him and won it.

“It was a big moment — Morton didn’t get pushed about that day.

“In a game like that your keeper has got to do well and you’ve got to ride your luck at times, but it doesn’t matter how lucky you are or how good your keeper is, if you don’t go in with any sort of belief then you’ll lose the game.

“So that shows what can be done.

"It was a team that was relegated and a lot of the players were part-time, but they still managed to beat a strong Rangers team, so it can be done.”