THERE are many enduring images seared into the hearts and minds of Motherwell supporters from the weekend of May 18, 1991.

Pictorial snapshots that cause the heart to flutter with the power of a thousand butterflies flapping in unison are plentiful, visual aides triggering the memories of what was perhaps the greatest day in the lives of all who witnessed it.

Perhaps it was the late Phil O’Donnell lunging to score his first goal in claret and amber in that final 27 years ago, maybe it’s the sight of the great Davie Cooper whirling a Motherwell scarf above his beaming face. Or even the vision of Tommy McLean and Stevie Kirk with over 30,000 fans providing the perfect backdrop to their portrait with the Scottish Cup.

All good, but none encapsulate the moment quite like the shot taken the following day. An open top bus packed with heroes among working class men, the vehicle containing the team and the Scottish Cup can be seen snaking through packed streets of Well wishers, with the imposing and overbearing vision of Ravenscraig steelworks in the background.

Read more: Motherwell hero Steve Kirk grateful to be here for chance to witness Hampden history​

A lifeline for literally thousands in the area, the crippling fear of its potential closure was numbed for a moment in time. It would go by in a flash of claret and amber anaesthetic, yet catching a glimpse of that famous piece of silverware proudly being paraded through the Lanarkshire town offered relief and a rare glimpse of joy in the midst of unrelenting uncertainty. That bus was a beacon of hope.

Twenty seven years on, the landscape has changed but the pride has not diminished. Ravenscraig was demolished in 1992 and only in the last few years has housing, a college and a sport centre – which is used by the club –  popped up on the otherwise barren ground.

Despite that, a steelworks still exists in the town and acts as a source of inspiration for the current generation. Ahead of today’s Scottish Cup final with Celtic, Motherwell captain Carl McHugh and a few of his players paid a visit to the Liberty Steel plant.

“It was a real eye-opener. We really enjoyed just getting to speak with the guys who worked down there,” he explained.

“It’s a big part of the town and its heritage. It’s important that the club moving forward remembers that.

“You see what it did to the town, all these people losing their jobs. If we could bring that wee bit of success back here it would be great for everyone. It’s definitely suffered some tough times.

“I’ve seen the highlights of the game in 1991.

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“I’m actually doing a journalism course and I was interviewing Aldo [Alan MacDonald, Motherwell kitman] for a little interview to speak about it. He’s been a Motherwell fan all his life and he was born into it.

“I was speaking to him and he said what the impact of it was and what it was like. It just makes you think how much it would mean to us as players. But we are players and managers, we pass through the club and come and go. It’s people like Aldo and others around the club.

“It would be really special for me if you could it for them. The club is their life, it would be so special.”

At the age of just 25 McHugh has the chance to be only the third captain to lift the Scottish Cup for Motherwell, the last being Tom Boyd of course back in 1991. The term legend is banded about willy nilly these days. Someone who scores a goal in a local derby, to a player who banged in 20 goals before a big-money move away to Brentford.

It really does not compare to the true standing Stephen Robinson’s players will forever be held if they can overcome the odds at Hampden Park later this afternoon. Kirk, Boyd, Cooper, O’Donnell... Names Motherwell supporters have been brought up with. As the team left Fir Park yesterday en route to their team hotel in Turnberry, hundreds lined the streets along Fir Park Street willing this crop to become icons for this generation.

Read more: Motherwell hero Steve Kirk grateful to be here for chance to witness Hampden history​

“When I moved to the club it was something you began to realise... those players who played in that final will be legends at this club forever more and rightly so,” said McHugh. “If we were to go out and do it and win the final we would go down in the same folklore as they have and it would be massive for all the players and our families. It would be huge for us and something we’re striving to do and we believe we’ve got a great chance.

“[Do I visualise myself lifting the trophy?] I do, yeah. It’s good. You have your dreams, of course, and it’s good to visualise yourself doing it. I fully belief we have a really good chance of winning this game on Saturday and we’re all doing it. We’re all dreaming of it.”

If Motherwell do come up short today, it certainly won’t be down to a lack of effort. Stephen Robinson has created a side in the town’s image, Forged on hard toil and graft, the Steelmen have taken points off Celtic twice this season, not to mention run them hard in November’s League Cup final. En route to Hampden today, they have blown away all Premiership opposition. Firstly Hamilton Academical, then Dundee and lastly Aberdeen.

No fear exists among this group, just sheer determination. “We’ve played in big games this season and it’s always been about the game plan and focusing on what we are going to do,” said McHugh. “It’s been the same this week.

“We definitely don’t want to experience that [feeling after losing a final] again but we’ve also had positive experiences at Hampden this season don’t forget, against Rangers and Aberdeen in both semi-finals [this is Motherwell’s fifth visit to the national stadium this season].

“We’ve got that to look back on and we’re 100 per cent going to face Celtic with the total belief we can win the game. It was really disappointing to lose the League Cup final but it’s testament to the boys at the club we’ve bounced back.

“We finished the league season quite well and making another final is terrific.”

He added: “I think it’s been made out that we are big, bad Motherwell and we just kick people off the pitch. I don’t think that’s the case.”

No matter how it’s done, the response to victory will be the same. Twenty seven years on, this steel town yearns for new heroes.

Don’t bet against them showing their mettle.