'Togetherness was our strength', manager says after minnows Darvel beat Aberdeen

Darvel manager Mick Kennedy Credit: ITV News

It is being called the biggest upset in the 150-year history of the Scottish Cup.

Darvel FC, a sixth-tier tier side in the Scottish football league, beat Premiership giants and two time European trophy winners Aberdeen.

The team of part-timers from Ayrshire took the lead in the 19th minute thanks to the work of Jordan Kilpatrick, who normally works as a plumber.

And thanks to some heroics from full-time school teacher and part-time goalkeeper Chris Truesdale, they held on to achieve one of the greatest ever cup victories.

Five leagues separate the two sides, but it was Aberdeen who looked the poorer outfit as they struggled to build any kind of momentum.

With the country watching on television, 'the marvel in Darvel', as it is now being referred to, was etched into Scottish Cup history.

Unusually, Darvel manager Mick Kennedy allowed his rousing pre-match speech to be recorded. It has now been shared around the world.

When asked what inspired the speech, he told ITV News: "I suppose I believed that our biggest strength was our togetherness."

He added that the unlikeliness of Darvel's win was "one of the romances of football".

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Chris Truesdale admitted he struggled to focus while in his teaching role just hours before the game.

The Lenzie Academy employee said: “It was really difficult in school before the game. Thankfully I managed to get away a bit early but it was really difficult to concentrate.”

The Ayrshire town boasts a population of just under 4,000. It's the birthplace of the man who discovered Penicillin, Sir Alexander Fleming, and can now claim the biggest shock in Scottish Cup history.

And, for Aberdeen, who are currently dropping like a stone in the Premiership after notching just a single win in eight matches after the World Cup break, further pressure has been placed on manager Jim Goodwin to turn their season around.

Darvel will go on to face third-tier side Falkirk in the next round of the Scottish Cup.


Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.