MOTHERWELL fans aren’t the only ones who have been watching replays of their glory runs to Hampden from a couple of years back, with the Fir Park players also getting to enjoy the footage as they gear up for another tilt at reaching the national stadium.

Manager Stephen Robinson has dug out the videos of his side overcoming the likes of Rangers and perhaps more pertinently, Hearts, to make both cup finals in season 2017/18. The purpose is to remind the players still around from that time what they are capable of, and to let the new arrivals know what can be achieved.

Tonight, they will welcome the Tynecastle men to Lanarkshire on cup duty once more, and Robinson is hoping for a replay of their heroics from that season to remember.

“The boys who were here two years ago know what the cups can do for you in terms of raising your profile, the club’s and our finances,” Robinson said. “This is a big game for us that has come early in the season, but if we win then we are in the quarter-finals and only one game away from Hampden.

“We showed the new boys a video of - more importantly - the games that got us to Hampden. When you get to the national stadium it takes care of itself in terms of the occasion. What gets you there is winning against top teams and winning in tough grounds.

“We beat Hearts on the way to the Scottish Cup final a few years ago. We have done well since I have been here and made two finals and a quarter final. This is a big hurdle for us.

“People say Hearts haven’t started the season well but if you look at the strength they have, the money they have spent on players, it is a tough task. But we are confident, and we are up for it.”

Robinson may not be placing too much stock in the slow start to the campaign that Hearts have endured, but he knows that striking an early blow at Fir Park may dent their already fragile confidence further.

“It is vital to get a good start as you get the crowd behind you and you build in confidence and belief,” he said.

“What we didn’t do against Celtic [on Saturday] was hold that lead, and it was a poor goal with a number of individual errors. If we start bright and get people behind us it could be a good night.

“I don’t know about Craig [Levein] getting some stick as I don’t read that stuff. Hearts are a huge club with a good squad, and they have signed good players.

“In football one minute you are great and the next you are the worst in the world, so one game changes perception on everything. We have to concentrate on ourselves.

“We are at home and we are confident playing here. We will try and take the game to Hearts.”

Robinson is hoping that red-hot Liam Donnelly – who has scored six goals in five games since his conversion to a midfielder at the start of the season – will be fit to take part tonight, having only returned to training yesterday after picking up a knock against Celtic.

Another of his players, Liam Grimshaw, has been enjoying the chance to relive some happy cup memories, as he looks to create more for the club and for the town.

“For teams like Motherwell, stuff like that doesn’t come around every year, so you have to enjoy it when it does,” Grimshaw said. “That’s what we’ll be striving to do again this year.

“I got goosebumps watching it all back again, I’ve got some great memories and we did it the hard way.

“It was massive for the club and for the town in general.

“Those are really special memories and hopefully we can do it again.”