Dan had watching brief on cup wins

DANIEL CHURCH has watched plenty of cup wins unfold from close up having spent more of his life in the Celtic set-up than not.

Now he’s desperate to be right in the thick of it as Alloa look to topple fellow League One promotion rivals Falkirk.

Church was part of the Wasps side drawn against the Hoops last season and has found himself a regular in Brian Rice’s defence.

The 22-year-old, who spent 13 years at Celtic, said: “Especially under Brendan Rodgers when the first team were doing so well, they were in final after final, we would always get a ticket to every game.

“Watching it from afar was good but you don’t feel as if you are really a part of it much, because you are just watching.

“But to be on that pitch and contributing, if we can get a run going, would feel 10 times better. It’d feel like you’ve really contributed a bit and played a part in it, for sure.

“Last year, being at Celtic for years, then leaving and playing against them was a good experience because I have trained with a lot of people I was playing against.

“I grew up in the same team as Stephen Welsh, we played together all the way up, then playing against him was strange – but good.”

Falkirk will have to get by without defensive stalwart Coll Donaldson for the second time in four games due to suspension.

And boss John McGlynn says it is up to whoever is drafted in to keep the 27-year-old sidelined for longer.

He said: “It is an opportunity for somebody to come in and grab that jersey and that’s what you look for – competition for jerseys, somebody coming in saying, ‘Right, it’s up to Coll to get this jersey back, I’m not going to let it go so easily’.”