THEY have both worn the Auchinleck Talbot captain's armband with pride and no little distinction, but former playing legend Billy Young reckons he and current club skipper James Latta have a lot more in common.

Sunday's eagerly-awaited Dyslexia Scotland Junior Cup Final clash with Musselburgh Athletic has presented Young with the opportunity to cast his eye over the side that Latta will lead out at Rugby Park.

And he firmly believes there is no shortage of similarities with the team he captained to five magnificent Scottish triumphs from 1986-92.

The 55-year-old, who also captained Junior Scotland on six of the 11 occasions he played for his country, makes no secret of the fact he desperately wants Latta to equal his haul of five winner's gongs along with team-mates Bryan Young and Colin Spence.

He said: "There are so many common threads in the two teams I don't know where to start.

"For starters there is the strong spine formed by a nucleus of guys who have grown up together and developed as players with the club.

"I had the likes of George Gemmell, Ross Findlay, Sam McCulloch, Kenny Paterson and Tam McDonald as team-mates while now there are James, Colin Spence, Bryan Young and Steven White.

"And it's not down to coincidence that Tommy Sloan has been around all this time in the manager's chair just as Willie Knox was at the helm to oversee the bringing together and emergence of the 1980s side."

Often to be found at Beechwood Park terracing cheering on Talbot when commitments permit, Young sees further similarities in the playing style adopted by Latta & Co.

He added: "I was part of an Auchinleck dressing room where the team collective was always considered more important than individual players and that same strand appears to be every bit as prevalent."

Looking ahead to the final, Young added: "They say no great team lasts forever but this Talbot side, particularly James, Spenny and Butch, are showing no signs of taking a final curtain.

"To win the cup in 2006 and three times since and still be going strong is remarkable and I hope they make history on Sunday."