LIAM Burns has called on his Musselburgh Athletic side to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and bring cup glory to the town.
Supporters looking around Olivebank are greeted by photographs celebrating cup triumphs of yesteryear.
As recently as 2019/20, the Honest Toun side was celebrating a cup double in lifting the Alex Jack Cup and the South and East of Scotland Cup Winners Shield to secure a debut in the Scottish Cup, while the club has twice in recent years reached the final of the Scottish Junior Cup.
A 2-1 win over Glenrothes on Saturday saw Musselburgh through to the second round of the League Cup, where they will face Bo’ness Athletic.
Burns challenged his team to keep on progressing and to potentially lift silverware at the end of the season.
He said: “We had the club fundraiser on Saturday and everybody there – the players, staff, committee and supporters – it is days like that where you realise what a big club it is.
“There are so many people that it means a lot to.
“We need to try to do our best to get as far as we can.
“I did not take the job to do OK and finish OK in the league and get a decent cup run. It is not what I am about.
“We need to be aiming for the absolute highest. We are aiming to go as far as we can and to try to win it.
“You see the photographs round Olivebank, the cup runs and everything else.
“We want to go one step further and our team goes and does it.”
READ MORE: George Hunter and Bob Wilson aiming high with Musselburgh Athletic
Recent signing George Hunter had put Musselburgh in front during the first half in Fife.
However, the East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) Premier Division side were pegged back after the break and it took a 93rd-minute strike from Nathan Evans to send them into the next round.
Burns, who took over from Joe Hamill earlier this season, was pleased to be in the next round of the competition.
He said: “We had a slightly earlier kick-off and you saw results come through.
“There were a few cup shocks and a few so-called favourites who just got by and scraped through.
“Every time you are in the cup, you want to make sure you are not one of those teams and you do what you need to do to get into the next round.
“We want to progress as far as we can and I am delighted to get the win against a good side.”
READ MORE: Liam Burns working to improve Musselburgh this season and next
The cup victory came seven days after Musselburgh had dropped three points to relegation-battling Hill of Beath Hawthorn.
Burns was pleased to see his side back in winning form and challenged them to take that into Saturday’s trip to Blackburn United.
The manager said: “I am trying to win every game.
“Winning just breeds more winning and confidence.”
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