Davie Hay won it all in Scottish football to become a legend with Celtic - but he admits it was the hurt of having lost that left him dancing on tables after Livingston’s League Cup triumph 17 years ago.

Five league titles, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup as a player with the Hoops, followed by a league championship and Scottish Cup as manager, not to mention league titles in charge of Motherwell and Lillestrom, Hay knew what it was like to celebrate success long before being tempted into taking the reins at Livi in 2000.

Yet, there were also plenty of disappointments. The European Cup final loss to Feyenoord in 1970 hurt hard, and after a couple of Scottish Cup finals and four consecutive League Cup finals, the ‘Quality Street Gang’ graduate suffered his fair share of bodyblows with silverware within touching distance.

Maybe it was also the prospect of it being his last hurrah at Hampden, or the camaraderie of a backroom team that included Paul Hegarty, Billy Kirkwood and Allan Preston, or the welcome relief from the dark days of administration, but Hay was eager for the moment not to pass the Lions by in 2004.

He said: “Having been fortunate to be in lots of finals and win, I also knew what it was like to lose, whether that was with Celtic or whoever.

“So, I always knew how to enjoy success when it came.

“That was part of it, not so much for myself but for the players, who might never have achieved something like that before. And for some of the backroom staff as well.

"I said, ‘let’s enjoy this’ - and we really enjoyed it, believe me! It was merited.

“I ended up on top of a table back at the stadium. What I always say is to enjoy winning a cup final.

“There’s a nice photo of the backroom team going round the park doing our lap of honour - and most of the crowd had left! But we were determined to savour it.

“I had an exceptional backroom staff at the time, we all got on well and worked well together, and we had an exceptional group of players.

“Unfortunately, things didn’t work out afterwards but that can happen in football.

“But I have fond, fond memories of my time at Livingston and that was the pinnacle of my time there.”

Amidst boardroom shenanigans, Hay was subsequently ousted in favour of coach Allan Preston at the end of the season, but did go back in an advisory role in 2008. 

There is sadness but no resentment at how it ended and he would love for his old club to get their hands back on the League Cup trophy this afternoon with victory against St Johnstone.

He added: “I think it’s a 50-50 call on who wins. St Johnstone are in a bit of form at the moment and Livingston look to have tailed off a wee bit. But that’s how tight it is.

“David Martindale has done very well and I do hope they win it because of my connection with the club. But, I think it could go either way.

“When you win cup finals, you go down in the history books and for a club like Livingston it is massive.

“Sometimes you don’t get a chance to repeat it - but they’ve got a chance this weekend to repeat it.

“I’m sure both teams will go into it knowing they’ve got a chance of winning, and who starts the brightest might be an indicator of who’s going to go on to win it.

“I definitely think it will be tight - but I do wish Livingston well because I have great memories of my time there. I hope they go on to lift the trophy.”