Scottish Cup: Falkirk's Craig McGuffie is out to recreate another wonder-strike against his boyhood club - but he'll settle a tap-in against Ayr

McGuffie, 25, came through the ranks at Ayr United’s academy and went on play to 77 times for the Somerset Park outfit, scoring on five occasions.

Hailing from Troon, the Ayrshire ace kicked off his time at the club as a 14-year-old and spent five years at Ayr before moving on to Greenock Morton.

"It was brilliant, I have nothing but good things to say about my time there,” he told the Falkirk Herald. “I got my chance through Ian McCall. I came through the academy, I signed when I was maybe 14 so it means a lot to me the club and it will be strange playing them but all my energy is going into a Falkirk win.

"I’ve got a few pals who are Ayr fans, it’s probably my local team as I’m from Troon. My family will support who I play for."

Coincidentally, the quarter-final tie has even more in common for ‘twinkle toes’ as he looks to add to his collection of eye-catching goals.

McGuffie netted a stunning hat-trick against Peterhead last Saturday on league duty, after coming on as a substitute with just 18 minutes to go, and his first goal that came from the half-line is one that he describes as his “best goal of his career.”

And it was six years to the day that he scored another screamer that previously ranked as his best goal – and it came against Hibs in a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie back in 2017 for Ayr United – with the strike winning the goal of the competition award.

He explained: “It is funny because my mum said on Saturday after I scored my hat-trick that it was six years to the day since I scored against Hibs so it was obviously a lucky day for me.

"Funnily enough that was with Ayr, who we are obviously playing on Monday so it was crazy. I remember going up on the bus not sure if I was going to start but then the gaffer told me I was a bit nervous as I was only 19 and it was probably the biggest game I had played in. It was crazy, I can’t believe I scored.

"I think we were getting popped all over the park and we were 2-0 down already. It got played up to Gary Harkins so it was a good influence on me at the time and he laid it off to me and I’m about 30 yards out and I just decided why not? Hit it.

"Lucky enough it went in the top corner so it was brilliant. I got sent a trophy for it, it was big for me because it gave me confidence I can do that in the bigger games.

"I went to the PFA awards and I was up for goal of the year in Scotland but Moussa Dembele won it that year, Celtic had a good team goal. I won the goal of the Scottish Cup so that was good.

“There is a wee shrine at my mum and dad’s house so the trophy is there.”

Ahead of tomorrow tonight’s match at the Falkirk Stadium, McGuffie is hoping to play a part in getting the Bairns to Hampden, saying he’ll take any goal that comes his way, even if it isn’t another ‘twinkle toes’ special.

“That would be good (to score another wonder-strike),” he said. “It will be a tough game but we’ve been on good form, Tuesday was a tough one against Dunfermline, but we’ve been on good form. We’re feeling confident.

“I’m milking the goal for as long as I can. I’m trying to get the name out there and say I score goals like (one from over half way line against Peterhead) that all the time. That was definitely the best.

"My phone had blown up to be honest. My girlfriend said I didn’t even speak to her on Saturday night, I was sitting on my phone waiting for the highlights to go up to midnight.

"I’ve been known to score a few good goals and folk have been saying I don’t score tap-ins, so I need to start adding a few more of them and get my numbers up.”