I'm scared stiff Gazza will make me look a plonker;; Says Clyde kid KENNY GILLIES.
Kenny Gillies broke into a cold sweat as he watched Partick Thistle's Billy McDonald see red and suffer a humiliating nutmeg from the taunting Paul Gascoigne.The 21-year-old Clyde midfielder knows he could be next on Rangers superstar Gazza's list of victims and he winced as the seething McDonald was sent off for aiming a wild, swiping kick at the pounds 4.3million Geordie.
Kenny can't wait to face Gascoigne in Thursday night's live Sky Tennents Scottish Cup showdown at Broadwood - and he's desperate to avoid the red cards that have dogged his career.
He sighed: "I was sent off against Stirling Albion in my home debut for St Mirren and that was a killer.
"Then I saw red again in my third game for Clyde against St Johnstone earlier this season so I'm praying nothing like that happens again - it was a nightmare.
"I know his elbow could come up again and I MUST keep my temper in check.
"I sat watching Sportscene on Saturday night and I really felt for Billy McDonald as he walked off.
"A shiver went down my spine and it started to sink in who I'd be playing against.
"Now I'm just scared stiff that Gazza leaves me looking like a PLONKER in front of millions on the telly!"
Gillies used to spend Sunday afternoons waiting for Football Italia to beam him Gascoigne's latest adventures with Lazio.
Now he has to put the shackles on him to give Alex Smith's shock squad a fighting chance.
The kid freed by the Buddies last summer has grabbed his chance to resurrect his career at Clyde and he smiled: "You look at those goals against the Jags and you know just how special Gascoigne is.
"He's always been one of my favourites and I'm desperate to face him."
The Bully Wee will scoop a pounds 100,000 windfall from the glamour tie - cash that will help keep them full-time next season after a disappointing Second Division campaign.
Kenny, who checked into Broadwood on a downer, knows just how vital that dough is and he said: "We've been inconsistent in the league and who knows what that would have meant at the end of the season without this tie.
"But I came here just to play football again - it was hard at St Mirren because there was always that comparison with my younger brother Ricky.
"At the end I was banging my head against a brick wall and when I look back I wasted TWO YEARS there."
Now like midfield sidekick Tommy Harrison he's found a new lease of life beside old master Charlie Nicholas and he admitted: "It's been hard to keep my mind off Rangers.
"I don't know if we'll man-mark Gaz, all I know is that if you stand off him he'll MURDER you.
"But really if you man-mark him then you must have someone on Laudrup, Charlie Miller - where do you stop?
"We've won our own `Cup Final' against Dundee and we'll concentrate on keeping our pride intact in this one."
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Author: | King, Iain |
| Publication: | Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Feb 11, 1996 |
| Words: | 507 |
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