We don't need to be reminded of what happened that Sunday afternoon in March and it should have no bearing on tomorrow's game. However, in Ross County we can perhaps find a team who empathise with us a wee bit as they are the side who lost the other cup final last season, going down to Dundee United in the Scottish Cup. They never really gave themselves a chance that afternoon and can have few complaints about losing, but they - like us - wasted their once in a generation shot at glory.
The League Cup is often not treated properly by some of the SPL teams, who often field weakened sides. It's an attitude I don't agree with. Cup competitions are the best chance of success for most of the sides in the top flight and while the League Cup may not have the kudos of the Scottish Cup, it is a national cup and would provide a joyous occasion if it was won - as we nearly managed last season. Besides, we've shown in the past we aren't exactly great at seeing off lower league teams - Gretna, East Fife and Dunfermline spring to mind - so we can't afford to play a weakened team!
This is an instant chance to recover from Sunday's defeat to Celtic and one we have to take. The injuries are beginning to clear up - as evidence by Craig Dargo starting at the weekend - while Paul McGowan and Michael Higdon are both available again. The pair will almost certainly start, with Dargo likely to be on the bench is he is still not fully fit. He could be joined there by Paul McQuade and Gareth Wardlaw, who are both supposedly nearing fitness. However, Steven Thomson and David Barron are still out so, aside from chances to the formation and in the striking department, it will be a pretty similar team to the one that lost at Parkhead. One change could see Marc McAusland replace David van Zanten, a change that took place at half time on Sunday. If it did, it would be Cheesy's first start, so little was he used in his first spell with the club.
Before Danny Lennon was given the Saints job, a lot of people were keen on County boss Derek Adams being given the gig. It would have been a good appointment as he has worked wonders at Dingwall. He guided them to the second division title in 2008 and they are now established in the first division once again, with promotion to the SPL now the next aim. There's also the small matter of last season's cup run that included a magical win at Hampden over Celtic. Adams is one of the most highly rated managers in Scotland at the moment and it's surely only a matter of time until he's in the top flight, be it with County or someone else. The fact Victoria Park is far from meeting SPL criteria means it's more likely to be the latter.
Andy Barrowman would probably have been the man to watch out for tomorrow night if he wasn't injured. Certain players seem to operate better at certain clubs and Barrowman and County seem to be one of those examples. He wasn't very good at Kilmarnock, Queen of the South or Inverness Caley Thistle. However, at Victoria Park he is almost unstoppable. He scored plenty of goals when they won the second division and now he's back on the Black Isle after his spell at Inverness he seems set to do the same again in the first division. His absence means the strike force will probably consist of two of Steven Craig, Michael Gardyne, Garry Wood and Paul di Giacomo.
As are County's three former Saints players. Richard Brittain seems like a different man since he left us two years ago, scoring goals aplenty from midfield. Perhaps his crossing has improved too. Paul Lawson, who was pretty poor with us (to put it mildly) in 2007 when we borrowed him from Celtic, is also handy at scoring goals and is pretty highly rated. And there's now also Mark Corcoran, who recently signed from Partick Thistle. Coco helped us to the league and League Challenge Cup double in 2005/06 - which also included his sensational display against Motherwell - and was with us for two years in the SPL before going to Firhill via Hamilton. On his day he was unstoppable and as we're one of his former clubs I wouldn't be surprised if he turns it on tomorrow!