Scottish Cup: Celtic tie gives Brechin respite from league woes - chairman

Chairman Ken Ferguson has praised the Brechin players' attitude during a difficult season

Brechin City chairman Ken Ferguson says Saturday's Scottish Cup meeting away to Celtic can offer the Glebe Park side "some relief".

City are 16 points adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Championship after 21 games.

More than 1,000 Brechin fans are expected at Celtic Park.

"When the draw was made, everybody was extremely happy to see that come out," Ferguson told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.

"We've obviously waited a long time to get a big game, shall we say, from the Scottish Cup.

"The cup's going to bring some relief from the challenges that we're facing in the Championship.

Scottish Cup holders Celtic are eight points clear at the top of the Premiership

"We're playing good football, we've got some excellent players but we're getting beat by the odd goal most weeks and everybody knows our league position so there's a massive challenge to face there."

Brechin's last match against Celtic was a 7-0 League Cup defeat in Glasgow in 1985.

"We're not counting our pennies yet but a game like this will obviously put us in a far stronger financial footing," Ferguson explained.

"Clubs like us at our level have to constantly try and balance our ambition and keep the books in check so a game like this comes along and it obviously pays off some of the financial damage we've maybe done in previous years.

"Of course you dream. To get a replay would be absolutely fantastic. Any success at all on Saturday would be a massive achievement, obviously, for our guys to go out and play against the full-timers at Celtic.

"They're all looking forward to it, they're a great bunch of boys. We're not having a great season but their heads have never gone down. They're battling away every single week and I'm sure they're all greatly looking forward to getting on the park on Saturday."

Ferguson would like to see his former manager Michael O'Neill in charge of Scotland

Meanwhile, Ferguson says Michael O'Neill "would take it in his stride" if he became Scotland manager.

O'Neill's first managerial job was at Brechin and the Northern Ireland boss will hold talks with the Scottish FA this week, with the Scots looking to replace Gordon Strachan as national team manager.

"Personally, I'd like to see Michael in the job," Ferguson added. "I think he'll bring some great strengths to it. He's a very likeable individual and obviously can handle press and media very well.

"I think he'd be an asset to the Scottish game."