Bairn Again Lee Wants New High

Jan 6 2008 By Gordon Waddell

Falkirk V Aberdeen Saturday, Kick-Off 3.00

LEE MILLER has spent five years trying to match the Scottish Cup high Falkirk gave him - now he's hoping going back there can give him a fresh fix.

The Dons striker was part of one of the great Bairns upsets, battering Hearts 4-0 at Brockville in 2003.

And the biggest buzz of his life lasted another week as Miller jetted straight to Liverpool and on to the Everton training ground with Wayne Rooney.

But he reckons he has waited long enough to add to his catalogue of cup heroics. The 24-year-old said: "That game is still my abiding memory of the Scottish Cup - it was everything that's good about the competition.

"The atmosphere, the result, the high of what happened.

"But it's five years ago now - it's time for some fresh memories.

"I'd played against Dundee at 18 the year before against guys like Temuri Ketsbaia, Fabian Caballero and Juan Sara and we took them to a replay which was a great experience.

"And I even went to the semi-finals with Hearts when I was on loan there but we lost to Celtic at Hampden.

"However, nothing stands out like the Hearts game with Falkirk. It was unbelievable - we just blew them away.

"My only regret is I didn't score. Collin Samuel got a hat-trick and Owen Coyle netted the other.

"I hit the bar and came close a couple of other times but what a game that was.

"And it really set me up - myself and Sammy left for a trial at Everton straight after that and I ended up sharing a training pitch with Rooney. He was just breaking through at the time and was phenomenal.

"I remember people were slaughtering his finishing ability - they'd obviously never watched him train.

"We spent four days there, doing a lot of crossing and finishing and he was pinging everything into the corners.

"That gave me a real taste for what was needed." What's needed now though is a cup run for Miller's current club.

Dons' third place in the league last season was rightly hailed as progress. The run in Europe that has taken them to Bayern Munich's doorstep and the charge to the CIS Cup semis are another two signs things are heading in the right direction.

But Miller knows nothing says success like silverware.

He said: "We need trophies here, no question. This is still a huge club.

"Europe has been great this season and the next round will take care of itself. The CIS has also been a success so that means we should be aiming for a run in the Scottish Cup as well.

"Ultimately we have to be all about getting into finals and actually winning them.

"But first we have a tough match to get through in the fourth round.

"Falkirk have done so well, they're playing some great football, scoring plenty and we need to watch.

"Plus it's an away game and as we've been saying all season we need to buck up our ideas on our travels."