Profile: New Saints’ Irn-Bru Cup Round Two opponents Queens Park
Welsh Premier League champions will entertain fourth-tier Scottish side Queens Park at Park Hall in Round Two of the Irn-Bru Cup.
The Glaswegian outfit will make the 531.4 miles round trip to Oswestry, as they aim to get past the next round of the competition.
Nicknamed The Spiders, Queens Park are a club steeped in history in Scottish football.
The history of Queens Park
When The New Saints comes up against Queens Park, they’ll be playing the oldest side outside England and Wales. The club was formed in 1867.
They’ve also got history in both the English FA Cup and the Scottish Cup. Queen’s Park is the only Scottish side to play in the English FA Cup final, playing in the final twice, losing both finals consecutively.
They can, however, boast that other than Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers, that they’re ten-time winners of the Scottish Cup, with only the Hoops and Gers winning more.
Who’s the manager?
49-year-old Gus MacPherson is the man at the helm at Hampden Park. He’s been in charge of the club for four years.
He’s managed three clubs in his managerial career, with his longest spell being at St Mirren, where he transitioned from a player into a manager, spending seven years at St Mirren Park.
MacPherson has previously managed in the top flight, having lead St Mirren to the Scottish Premier League back in 2006, when they won the Scottish First Division title.
His other success includes actually winning the Irn Bro Cup. On their way to First Division success, they also won the Challenge Cup, beating Hamilton Academical.
Any players to keep an eye out for?
Goals have been shared around this season by Queens Park, with five players all on the scoresheet, scoring seven times.
They have a fairly youthful squad. Dean Kindlan is their oldest player and he’s only 30-years-old.
Gus McPherson is certainly giving the youngsters a chance.
Scott Gibson (Defender)
The 24-year-old defender is the joint top goal scorer this season, showing Queens Park could be a handful from set pieces.
Gibson has been at the club for seven years. He’s already got the same amount of goals in his whole career, in just six games this season.
Kurtis Roberts (Midfielder)
The 24-year-old attacker is the second in line in the top goalscorer charts.
Roberts plays in centre midfield. Most of his experience has been in the USA, playing in a football scholarship in Kentucky. His last club before signing with Queens Park was with Yoker Juniors.
Smart Osadolor (Attacker)
Osadolor, a 26-year-old attacker from Nigeria.
He’s a summer signing from Clyde, where he scored four goals last season. Before that, he scored a total of sixteen goals with Annan Athletic.
He’s been involved in Scottish football since 2010, having been on the books with Patrick Thistle’s academy squad.
