Chris Millar won a Scottish Cup with St Johnstone, but says Sunday’s Lowland League Cup win at East Kilbride was every bit as important.
The midfielder captained the Kilby side that put Bo’ness United to the sword 4-2 at Ainslie Park in Edinburgh on Sunday to lift their first silverware in three years, with goals from Joao Victoria, Liam Watt, Cami Elliott and Neil McLaughlin.
Millar, 39, says he told younger players in the dressing room to savour the occasion of a cup final, because you never know how many chances will come in a career.
He said: “It doesn’t matter what level you’re winning things at, whether it’s the Scottish Cup final or the Lowland League Cup final – a final is a final.
“When you work hard throughout the season you want something to show for your efforts at the end.
“I was saying to the younger boys in the squad that you’ve got to enjoy these moments, because no matter what level you play at, you don’t come across these moments too often.
“You’ve got to savour them as much as possible – and we certainly did that on Sunday, with a wee sore head on Monday morning!” Millar added: “I’ve won a few things in my career, but no matter what level it is, it’s just as important.
“It was a great day and it was brilliant to celebrate it with the boys and the family.
“It was brilliant for the club and it was great to end the season on a high.”
Millar was pleased with the role he played in the cup win, and praised his team-mates.
He said: “It was a tough game, Bo’ness were good, they’ve got some good players and knocked the ball about well, but I just felt we had a bit more cutting edge about us, at the end of the day.
“There’s always going to be points in the game when you’re under the cosh a wee bit and they’re on top, but with boys like Neilly McLaughlin, Joao Victoria and Cami up top, they were the match-winners and I think they were the difference at the end of the day.
“With the league we’re a wee bit disappointed that we didn’t finish higher [than fourth] or push Bonnyrigg Rose right to the end.
“But it’s always great to get silverware and have something to show for all the work that was put in over the season.”
Millar, 39, announced on social media on Tuesday night that he had left East Kilbride following the cup win.
He had previously stated that he hoped to play on for another year, but that won't be happening at K-Park. Millar has, however, recently opened his own gym, The Fitness Factory, in Port Glasgow.
Millar had hoped to help Kilby to the Lowland League title, and says that will still be the aim for the club.
He said: "We didn’t manage to do that this year. I think the start of the season killed us, with injuries and cup scheduling, and we just didn’t have a big enough squad.
“We then went on a great run, but fair play to Bonnyrigg, who did brilliant and deserved to win the league.
“Next season it will be ‘same again’ and the club will be keen to win it.
“When you go to East Kilbride the main objective is to win the league and try and get to the next level."
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