BAYNE OF MY LIFE! Graham is sick of waiting to make Hampden debut.

Byline: GORDON WADDELL

GRAHAM BAYNE won't just see light at the end of the Hampden tunnel when he emerges from the dressing-room today.

He'll see glory beckoning him out as a reward for a decade of journeyman graft.

The closest the 29-year-old has come to the national stadium in a six-club career has been a reserve game in its shadows at Lesser Hampden.

But when he sets foot on its lush turf the shaven-headed Dunfermline striker will know he's earned the right to be there.

Bayne said: "I'd be first to admit I'm not the most gifted player in Scotland but I work hard at my game and getting to a semi feels like a reward for that.

Love

"I played four seasons in the SPL with Inverness which I really enjoyed and I've never played lower than the First Division.

"But spells like the one I had at Arbroath and on loan at Raith were the making of me.

It has been hard work but I love the game.

"The fact I've never played at Hampden makes this something to look forward to.

"I've been there a lot as a Scotland fan and I went with my dad as a Hibs supporter. I was on the terraces for the Skol Cup Final in 1991.

"But as a player I arrived at Inverness just after they had been to Hampden, left Dundee just before they went - so I've just never been in the right place at the right time. I've never even played against Queen's Park in my career.

"The nearest I came to the national stadium was a reserve game for Dundee at Lesser Hampden - where Hugh Robertson scored the best goal I've ever seen.

"I kind of agree with what people are saying about the game being at Hampden - that it'll look sparse with more empty seats than filled ones, that it would have been better at a smaller venue and sold out, that the final should be the game at Hampden.

"But from a selfish point of view I'm happy!" Bayne signed for the right club if it was a crack at Hampden he was looking for, given Dunfermline's record of two major finals in the past three years.

He grinned: "Their record is incredible. Scott Wilson said recently there's something about this club and the cup, that it's some kind of destiny for us.

"He's been here a few years, he should know - and he'll be thinking about winning it before he heads off to Australia. But it would be the highlight of my career as well if we made it." Most thought Bayne was taking a step backwards when he quit the Highlands for Division One last summer.

He believes though you can hardly see the join between the two in terms of standards.

Graham said: "I didn't see it as a backwards step. Coming back to this division you remember how hard it is.

"Of course I was sold on Dunfermline as promotion contenders. But if you ask fans of Dundee, Partick Thistle and St Johnstone, they'll all say their team can win the division.

"It's so competitive and the reward for going up is why it's like that. Having said that, just one up and down for the SPL is poor.

"To play so hard over so many games and to lose out by a point would be harsh. The leagues should have more teams. The appearance of Gretna and Queen of the South in recent cup finals prove First Division sides can hold their own.

"There's not much difference between bottom six in the SPL and most of the First Division.

"A bigger league would add excitement, take away the fear of relegation SPL teams have.

"This Sunday gives us a chance to prove that."