Hutton brings Scots back into League Cup history

Tomorrow, Alan Hutton will get his first chance to play in a cup final. Though he was on the squad at Rangers that won the Scottish Cup in 2003 and the Scottish league cup in 2003 and 2005, he didn’t play or even sit on the bench in any of those finals. Now, at 23, he will have a chance to play giant-killer, as Tottenham take on Chelsea in the league cup final down in England.

It’s been two years since the last Scottish internationals took the field in a league cup final, and those were Gary Teale and Lee McCulloch, who played (as a starter and sub respectively) in Wigan’s 2006 final loss to Manchester United. Before that, you have to go back to 2002 to find a Scot, as Neil Sullivan was in goal for Spurs in their final defeat to Blackburn.

It has been 7 years since a Scottish player took home a winner’s medal in the league cup. Gary McAllister, a Scotland international midfielder with 57 caps and 5 goals before he moved into management, came onto the pitch as a substitute for none other than Steven Gerrard in Liverpool’s win on penalties over Birmingham City. McAllister was first to line up for penalties, and nailed his home past Birmingham keeper Ian Bennett, and Liverpool eventually won the shootout 5-4.

I have two reasons to support Tottenham, one being Hutton and the other being the opinion that though the Big Four may dominate the Premier League, they should keep their grubby hands off of the domestic cups. I’m happiest when the mid-table teams win the cups, an increasingly rare occasion. Come on you Spurs.