Kevin McNaughton reckons Dundee North End have free hit against Airdrieonians in the Scottish Cup

Kevin McNaughton reckons Dundee North End have a free hit when they take on Airdrie in Sunday's Scottish Cup clash.

The Dundee junior champions have already surpassed expectations by getting to the second round of the competition proper, taking out Tayport, Tranent and Highland League Inverurie Locos to get to this stage. Co-manager McNaughton reckons the pressure is off and there is no expectation on his side when Championship strugglers Airdrie visit North End Park in their second round tie.

The former Scotland and Aberdeen star has seen it all before but this week has been a bit different with everyone connected to his ambitious junior club. McNaughton said: “We won the league last season which gets us into the Scottish Cup which is the first time for the club. We've done well. We've obviously had a couple of teams who are ranked higher than us but we've managed to get results.

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“This is obviously that step further with Airdrie being three or four leagues above us. It's a free hit for us really.”

McNaughton, who is joint manager with Lewis Toshney, hopes the fact that Dundee and Dundee United are playing on Saturday will add a few more to their gate and he has promised they won’t be disappointed. “We play some decent football,” he stated. “I know Airdrie are the same. I've watched quite a lot of their games.

“They do actually play a half decent brand of football. They've struggled at both ends of the park really from what I've seen. We'll go about the job the same way we've been going about it all season. We do try to play from the back and things like that.”

McNaughton reckons North End are already winners regardless of what happens against the Diamonds. He said: “It's a boost for the club financially as well. We'll hopefully get a decent crowd.

“The club runs off the fans that come in and the hospitality and things like that. We're not blessed with mass riches and they don't really pull too many crowds so obviously that will be a massive boost for us in terms of bringing in better players.

“It's also good for the guys who work behind the scenes. There are guys who have been here at the club for years so they've never experienced the sort of furore that's been going on with the press and everybody is getting a bit excited about it. I've been there before. “It's for them really.”

McNaughton’s biggest problem this week has been trying to make time for football. He explained: “I’m a trainee assistant practitioner so I’m back at college. I’m a step down from a nurse. I’m in the acute frailty ward in Ninewells which is for the elderly.

“I do admissions which are quite fast-paced and I do a lot of testing on elderly patients. It’s a long way from football but I enjoy it. I was at college Monday, I had an essay due on Tuesday, I had 12 hour shifts Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I didn’t really get a break.

“It takes its toll especially these 12 hour shifts but I enjoy working in the hospital.”

Now he hopes North End can get through another round and cause another Scottish Cup upset by discharging Airdrie.