1991 - a look back through Claret and Amber glasses

It's time to look back at our last Scottish Cup run ending with that epic win over Dundee United on 18th May 1991 - 20 years on...

The 1991 Cup run was a cup run that never should have been; having to play the holders in the Third Round, Promotion favourites in the next two rounds and then Celtic in the Semi Final.

The Third Round draw paired Motherwell with holders Aberdeen at Pittodrie, in a tie not many Well fans thought we would win.

The game was decided by an inspired substitution from Tommy McLean then when he sent on Stevie Kirk for Ian Ferguson late in the game. Rather than follow McLean’s instructions to head for the back post Kirk took a short lay off from a Davie Cooper free kick. He hit it with his left foot, not the better of the two, and it headed for the bottom corner, we held our breath…

Despite Theo Snelders getting a hand to it the ball did nestle in the bottom corner of his net. The celebrations were wild, I ended up with a bruise on my shins from the seats in front of me.

Next up, a home tie against Falkirk side who were heading for the First Division title. Motherwell set out to show the upstarts who were the SPL side and established a quick one nil lead when Nick Cusack slammed home a cross from Cooper.

But Falkirk were resilient and Sammy McGivern equalised as he slammed a low shot past Ally Maxwell and it was game on. Early in the second half Motherwell took the lead again through a rare thing, a goal from Joe McLeod – his only telling contribution during his spell at the club.

Falkirk found another equaliser through Derek McWilliams but goals from Kirk and Cusack sealed the tie for Well.

It was another First Division side in the next round, with Morton drawn to travel to Fir Park. There is not much that will live long in the memory from the goalless draw at Fir Park.

The replay had everything with Tom Boyd scoring in the first half for Well and former Motherwell man John Gahagan equalising in the second period.

This set up a period of extra time that could still not separate the teams which forced the game to penalties. Motherwell were perfect through four while Morton had missed one through Pickering. This set the stage for Colin O’Neill to take the decisive penalty.

He blasted the ball low past Davie Wylie and sparked one of the finest celebrations ever from a Motherwell player. This consisted of a head spring, cartwheel and then a bit of a samba dance, not one I have ever tried to copy!

The next challenge was a semi final with Celtic, and once again the first game at Hampden wasn’t all that memorable, with another tie ending goalless.

As usual the cliché about not getting a second chance against the Old Firm was trotted out. This certainly looked to be the case as Celtic came out all guns blazing in the replay, and scored early through a Tom Boyd own goal.

Despite an equaliser from Dougie Arnott we still went in a goal down at half time with Anton Rogan scoring from another corner that had caused all sorts of panic in the Well rearguard.

The first goal of the second half was crucial, if we could get it there would definitely be a way back, Arnott provided it, with all things, a looping header from 18 yards out.

This seemed to lift the whole Well side and inspired O’Neill to provide one of the most memorable goals in the club’s history. He picked up a simple Kirk flick about 40 yards out, took a step and blasted a shot soaring into Pat Bonnar’s top left hand corner.

The game was rounded off by another goal from Stevie Kirk, and this was the moment that I certainly realised we were heading to the Cup Final and sparked major celebrations at the final whistle.

Motherwell started the Final against Dundee United a bit nervously with Cooper even managing to give the ball away with his first touch! Motherwell though opened the scoring against the run of play, Ian Ferguson planting a towering header past the helpless Alan Main.

Keeper Ally Maxwell was injured early in the second half, and was soon beaten by a low shot from David Bowman. Motherwell responded brilliantly and goals from Ian Angus and Phil O’Donnell looked to have put the Claret and Amber ribbons on the Cup, but of course that is not the Motherwell way either.

Goals from John O’Neill and Darren Jackson forced the game into extra time. I remember thinking at the time, as I wiped away a tear, that the game was over. With Maxwell injured and United with the momentum there was no was we could win the trophy now.

We under estimated the power of Super Stevie Kirk! He continued his streak of scoring in every round by heading home a Cooper corner as United whinged about a foul on Alan Main that ref David Syme was never going to give.

We headed straight back to Fir Park to see the Cup paraded by the side in the Main Stand, before heading back to Greenacres for a street party. This ended when the highlights came on the TV and we had an opportunity to live it all over again.