Liam Scales aiming for Scottish Cup progress

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Celtic F.C.

·16 January 2026

Liam Scales aiming for Scottish Cup progress

Romance and Rugby Park may be the epitome of strange bedfellows, but with the Scottish Cup upon us once more, the well-worn ‘Romance of the cup’ expression will be rolled out again.

And, with good reason as West of Scotland Premier League side Auchinleck Talbot make the short trip to Kilmarnock’s home to take on Celtic this Sunday evening when the clubs battle for progress towards raising the oldest trophy in world football.

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In the world of David and Goliaths, though, the Goliaths usually win, but just three years ago in January, 2023 another sixth-tier West of Scotland League side from Ayrshire welcomed Aberdeen and pulled off a shock 1-0 win.

That was Darvel, and if Celtic needed any reminder of that , they need look no further than our own Liam Scales who was on loan with the Dons at the time and played in the game.

The Hoops defender said: “It was the first thing that came into my head when I saw the draw.

“I’ve spoken about it to the lads as well, you can’t get complacent, but I don’t think really that complacency was the issue that night, they really wanted it a lot.

‘We have to approach this game knowing that this is massive for their players, so we have to be right on it.’

“You have to realise that this is a massive tie for them, it’s a massive tie for us obviously, but they are going to play like this is a cup final for them, and we have to be the same.”

The Irishman added: “When you’re at this club, you realise that if you don’t win trophies, it’s not considered successful, and that’s fair.

“Throughout the history of the club and how things have been, we want to maintain that history of success.

“It’s the first chance for us to play in the cup again since the cup final of last year, so we’re looking forward to getting back in the competition.”

Of course, Auchinleck Talbot have switched the tie from their own 4,000 capacity Beechwood Park to Rugby Park, while Darvel’s historic win was played at their own Recreation Park.

Scales said of the venue switch: “I wouldn’t think too much into it, regardless of it being there or in Auchinleck, it’s an away tie for us.

“But it’s also an away tie for them in a sense so it might be a bit of a leveller with less of an advantage to them, but we’re approaching it the exact same.

“It’s just about respecting them and playing in the exact same way as we play in a European game or a cup final, that’s it, it’s as basic as it is, it’s about respect and not thinking you can cruise games, and we’re looking forward to it.”