Question time with Kenny MacAskill
Wednesday 25th January 2012
Question Time with Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill
The Cabinet Secretary for Justice was delighted to answer questions on this season’s Scottish Communities League Cup and his own personal memories of football including who his hero is from the near 70 year history of the competition.
This season's Scottish Communities League Cup has captured a lot of headlines because of a number of shocks throughout the competition with two SFL First Division sides, Falkirk and Ayr United, in the semi-finals and a second division side, East Fife, in the Quarter Finals. In your opinion, does this enhance or diminish the competition?
This is what the Cup competition is all about and the fans love nothing better than to see teams from the lower divisions put one over on their SPL counterparts. It makes for a greater spectacle and it is brilliant that the fans of two teams from outside the SPL will see their teams walking out on to the pitch for Hampden semi-finals. Both Ayr United and Falkirk have had fantastic cup runs this year and deserve their places. They’ve been a credit to the competition and their fans will back them all the way.
Has there been a particular tie in the competition so far that that has caught your eye?
I enjoyed attending Annan Athletic v Dunfermline Athletic in the First Round. It was the first game of the season, a nice day and the smell of cut grass added to the anticipation ahead of the game. The sun was shining and it was a good game which Dunfermline edged. The friendliness and genuine love of the game was evident amongst all.
What games have you attended in this season's competition and have they been good games?
Annan Athletic v Dunfermline Athletic, St. Johnstone v Livingston and Airdrie v Dundee United. Each one offered goals, excitement and enjoyment.
Do you think this year’s competition has promoted a message of Respect – Responsibility – Tolerance?
Every League Cup game I’ve watched this season – both on the park or on TV – has been played in the right spirit. We’ve seen some excellent team and individual performances, plenty of goals and some shock results as well. Fans have been talking about this year’s cup for all the right reasons and we’d all like to see that continue.
In recent issues of the Scottish Communities League Cup, the First Minister Alex Salmond gave his views on how he would like the 2011/ 2012 Scottish Communities League Cup to be remembered and your colleague Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport gave her views - is there anything you would like to add to those?
It’s been a very open and entertaining competition this year. Regardless of how they fare in the semi- finals against bigger teams, Falkirk and Ayr United fans both had big wins to remember – Falkirk defeating Rangers at home and Ayr winning away at St. Mirren. In the Semi-Finals, Falkirk will give it everything against Celtic and Ayr-Kilmarnock derbies are always competitive. Let’s hope that an open and entertaining competition is brought to an end with a final played and won in that same spirit.
The First Minister picked out Willie Bauld of Hearts as his hero from the history of the Scottish League Cup and Shona Robison picked out Dundee United's Paul Hegarty as hers. Do you have a particular hero or fond recollection of the tournament when you were a young football fan?
As a Hibs fan, it can only be Jimmy O’Rourke. He was a fantastic player for Hibs for over a decade and sealed his place as a club hero when he scored in the 1972 League Cup Final win over Celtic.
