VERY few have suffered cup heartache quite like Liam Craig. 

The St Johnstone midfielder missed out on the Perth side’s 2014 Scottish Cup triumph after moving to Easter Road the previous summer. 

And he would then go on to miss David Gray’s Hampden heroics when Alan Stubbs guided Hibernian to glory in 2016 by beating Rangers. His absence this time was down to a transfer return to McDiarmid Park. 

Furthermore, Craig has the unwanted record of losing six last four ties during his career, which have come during stints with Saints, Falkirk and Hibernian. 

It would be easy for someone with Craig’s semi-final track record to give up hope of possibly landing silverware during their careers - but that is certainly not the case for the 34-year-old. 

The former Ipswich Town man could line-up for Callum Davidson’s St Johnstone as the Perth outfit go up against Jack Ross’ talented Hibees in the Betfred Cup semis. 

Craig’s experience could prove vital in proceedings and despite missing out on two finals in the past the central midfielder is adamant that he has no regrets about his career to date. 

“The hardest one of all the semi-finals I‘ve lost (six) was the first one – the penalty shoot-out defeat in the Scottish Cup to Rangers in 2008,” he told Herald and Times Sport. 

“Some people go their whole careers without playing one semi-final – even those who go on to bigger and better things. 

“We’ve got a young, talented squad but you have to recognise these opportunities might not come along again. 

“Personally, I’d love to get to my first final. I left St Johnstone and then they won it and it was the same for Hibs. 

“Hampden is special. When you are growing up and see cup finals played there you want to play there one day. I love going there. And I would love to play a cup final there.” 

Craig watched both St Johnstone and Hibs’ cup feats from the comfort of his own living room as he did not feel comfortable being in amongst the fans on either occasion.  

Play-off preparations hampered his plans of attending Celtic Park in 2014 and after suffering relegation with the green side of the capital he thought he better steer clear of Hampden in 2016. 

He explained: “In terms of getting relegated it was a huge disappointment and we all have to take responsibility for that. But I loved playing for Hibs and I don’t regret going there because I met a lot of good people there.  

“I was fortunate enough to score the winner in a derby, I scored the only hat-trick of my career for the club at Easter Road as well.  

“So I haven’t regretted anything. Looking back now, my career has got stronger off the back of it. Coming back to St Johnstone and keeping playing at this level, I’ve proved I can do it.  

“That’s one of the biggest things I’ve done in my career, to have the mentality to come back and prove people wrong is something I’m proud of.” 

Craig continued: “To be fair to Tommy Wright, he was the only one willing to give me the opportunity and I think I’ve shown I still had a lot to offer.   

“If it hadn’t been for that, I honestly don’t know what would have happened. That’s why my relationship with the club, with Tommy and with Callum was so important.  

“I had a solid offer from Guiseley in the Conference, it was part-time football and I was close to doing it. I travelled down to meet them, it was the only concrete offer I had. There had been some obscure offers from abroad too.  

“The Guiseley offer was very good, I was thinking we have bills to pay and it was my wife who talked me out of it. When I turned that down I really didn’t know where I was going to go.  

“I couldn’t even get a training session at most clubs, but I played golf with Tommy and he was honest with me.  

“He told me nothing would happen for a month because nobody would want to pay me when there’s no football on.  

“The opportunity to come back to St Johnstone then came up, I came back and sometimes you do just find a club that is a perfect match for you. The club have given a lot to me and I’d like to think I’ve given a lot back to the club.”  

Craig is unsure why there were no other offers on the table following his Hibs exit, but he feels the experience of relegation has made him appreciate the latter stages of his career more. 

“Getting relegated, it’s not nice having that on your CV,” he explained. “I still felt and I had the belief that I’d plenty to offer. But you’ve got to have someone who’ll put their trust and belief in you.  

“It was a difficult time. There were a lot of phone calls and texts when I thought something was maybe going to happen but it didn’t. Because other players were going into clubs and managers were poking at other players.  

“So it was difficult. That’s when you’ve got to be mentally strong and you need those good people round about you to guide you and fortunately I had that. Off the back of that experience at Hibs, that made me stronger to move forward.” 

Ahead of tomorrow's game Craig has hailed the current team spirit in the St Johnstone dressing room and he says the unity reminds him of Saints’ First Division winning side of 2009. 

He added: “What is great about the squad now is that you have a group of players who are all about a similar age. They have come into the team at the same time probably similar to when I was that age. 

“I was coming through with the likes of Andy Jackson and Steven Anderson, even though he looked about ten years older!  

“Chrissy Millar too. You were at that age where you would socialise. It is obviously hard just now but last season the boys are out playing golf together and out for meals together.  

“We have got that spirit and that has shown in games this season. It is our opportunity now to go and create bit of history for St Johnstone.”