David McCracken little imagined two years ago he could be preparing himself for the possibility of lifting the Scottish Cup.
As the Falkirk skipper recalled, the summer of 2013 found him seriously contemplating the prospect of having to work outside the game for a living.
“That’s probably the first time in my career where I felt really vulnerable,” he said.
“Any time I have been out of contract or coming up to the end of a deal, I have always had something kind of in place.
“There have always been clubs talking to me and there’s been an ongoing process.
“In 2013 I had agreed the contract with St Johnstone but then I had to have a knee operation and the offer was whipped away.
“It came totally out of the blue and it left me in a really bad position.
“Like everyone else, I have bills to pay and the family to feed, so it was a worrying time.”
The 33-year-old, though, had two things in his favour.
“I was selling Herbalife supplements which helped and the Falkirk manager of the time, Gary Holt, was good enough to invite me in to get some treatment,” he said.
“It was great because to really get back to full fitness, you do need full-time treatment.
“Now we are in 2015 and here I am captain, with a chance to lift the trophy.
“It is something I had never actually thought about up until a couple of weeks ago.
“I was doing a bit on the radio and somebody mentioned it and I thought: ‘I’m actually going to be the one going up’.
“It will be unbelievable if that happens but I’m not one of these people who is constantly thinking about it.
“For now I am just happy to be settled and healthy.”
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