Darvel owner: Cup shock win a dream come true

Image caption,

Mr Gall (centre) celebrated with players and staff after the match

Darvel’s shock win over Aberdeen was a “dream come true”, according to the award-winning piemaker who owns the club.

But John Gall is keeping his feet on the ground after arguably the biggest upset in Scottish Cup history.

He still had to lock up the club’s ground, Recreation Park, after the BBC cameras left.

And he will spend Tuesday celebrating his grandson’s birthday ahead of the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards.

The businessman also told BBC Scotland that his players will not get a bonus for the big win – they will be rewarded at the end of their cup run.

The West of Scotland Premier League leaders knocked out seven-time winners Aberdeen thanks to a first-half goal by Jordan Kirkpatrick.

The historic win sparked jubilant scenes among the 3,500 crowd who can now look forward to a last 16 tie against Falkirk.

Mr Gall told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “Some things don’t change even after you have beat one of the biggest clubs in the country.

“Two or three of us still had to stay behind and lock the gates last night after the BBC cameras were all away.

“That’s when it comes back to ‘Did we really beat Aberdeen? Have we still to lock the gates at night?'”.

Mr Gall headed home after midnight and had “300 text messages to go through”.

He said he had not had the chance yet to watch the match and was instead preparing to drop off his grandson Leo’s first birthday present.

Media caption,

Highlights: Darvel 1-0 Aberdeen

Reflecting on the East Ayrshire club’s epic cup run and the fact they are the competition’s top goal scorers, he said: “It’s just a dream come true.

“We’ve had favourable draws and we thought ‘Well Aberdeen, that’s us met our match now’

“But now we have the tickets to sell all over again and we are going to keep the game at Darvel.

“There is no way we are moving this game out of Darvel. Everybody knows where Darvel is now on the map.”

Mr Gall also joked local school children should be given the day off as a reward for their “fantastic support” on Monday night.

He added: “Sir Alexander Fleming was born in Darvel and he discovered penicillin.

“That’s the most famous thing Darvel has ever produced, as such.

“But now it’s the football team that is making all the headlines and it’s very good.”

Image source, SNS Image caption,

Mr Gall’s company Brownings has won multiple awards for its pies

Mr Gall also said he had worked out a bonus scheme with the club’s captain which meant the players would get “nothing” for knocking out their SPL opposition.

He added: “They will get a good bonus in the round that we exit and any cut of TV fees, if we happened to be on it, as well.

“That’s the arrangement we have had for two years with them and they are happy with that.”

Mr Gall also praised Darvel manager Mick Kennedy’s stirring pre-match team talk, which was captured by BBC Scotland cameras inside the home dressing room.

Kennedy told the players: “I read up that the average man lives to about 77. Forty million minutes in his life.

“I am asking youse to give your absolute upmost for the next 90. Ninety minutes out of 40 million. That’s all I am asking for.”

As the players and staff looked on in silence, Kennedy urged them to “be prepared to give everything”.

He concluded: “When you need to find that extra yard, that extra bit of oxygen then look round about you.

“Look to your brothers. Look to your families. And let’s look to the next round. Let’s go!”

Mr Gall will later attend the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, where his company Brownings last year scooped the world’s best Scotch pie title.