Hampden will forever hold special memories.
And St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson hopes the positive vibes from last season’s historic cup double success remain at the national stadium on Saturday evening.
Saints are in with a fighting chance of retaining their League Cup crown but will need to overcome Celtic to reach the showdown final.
“There should be a feel good factor walking into the dressing room, when you can remember some of the good times and use it as a positive,” Davidson said.
“Obviously we have played there before and played well on the pitch, so we are not going into an unknown. It is not an unknown to us.
“We are very comfortable there and we need to make sure we use that as a positive and make sure we have that belief, confidence and courage to do the right things.”
While last season’s scenes will never be forgotten, Davidson realises there is also little time for looking back in football.
The double showed just what Saints are capable of on the grandest stage but the Perth boss said: “I am not really one of those types of managers or people who looks back on games. I am always looking forward and thinking, what can we do.
“I might talk to them about what they did but it is a new group of players. Two or three have been brought in, two or three have gone.
“To me it is a new challenge. That is what I look for rather than looking behind us, I always look forward.”
Davidson has got his team selection spot on in previous trips to the national stadium and he emphasised his starting side will be based on form and not experience.
“I just pick the best starting XI available to me,” he said.
“This year already I’ve had teenagers playing against Galatasaray, had young players involved in a lot of big games.
“For me, it’s about who is playing best, who is on form. That’s the team I pick, rather than going on experience or age.”
The Perth club’s success in the south end of Glasgow arrived without spectators perched in the stands. The scene will be very different this time around.
“Let’s hope we get a really good game and a really good atmosphere,” Davidson said.
“My message might be – try and shut the crowd out and play like we did in the last four games at Hampden when there was nobody there. Play the match like you see it and have the confidence that you know you can do it.
“To be honest, I’ll probably tell them to shut the noise out and don’t listen to the crowd. As a player, you don’t actually hear it during games as much.
“I remember I used to try to block everything out, as a player, stay fully focused on the game and not worry about what the crowd were doing. You are trying to win the game.”
Davidson added: “The players need to not just enjoy the occasion. They need to be focused on what our job is, rather than enjoy the surrounding and the fans.
“That’s it for me. We’re there to win. Whether you enjoy the crowd or the occasion, I don’t really care. I want to win and go get to the final.”
