QUEEN of the SOUTH boss Allan Johnston last night told how thieves soured his Ramsdens Cup joy by stealing his car — with his MEDAL in it..reports the Scottish SUN
The Doonhamers gaffer celebrated guiding his Second Division champs to a stunning penalty shootout win over First Division leaders Partick Thistle in Sunday’s final.
But his heart sank when he woke up the following morning to discover his club motor had been nicked from his driveway as he slept.
Former Scotland winger Magic was even more gutted when he realised that he had left his first-ever cup winner’s gong inside.
And the scunnered Queens chief — a loser in the 1996 Scottish Cup Final with Hearts and 2007 League Cup with Kilmarnock, as well as a play-off final with Sunderland in 1998 — is desperate to get it back.
Johnston, 39, sighed: “Unfortunately, I don’t have my winner’s medal any more. My car was stolen from outside my house in Bothwell through the night after the game.
“My medal was still inside and there’s been no sign of it or the car since.
“There was a lot of other stuff in there — my boots, my bag, my computer for the game and the video stuff.
“All of that was still inside so it’s pretty disappointing and I’m just hoping it turns up.
“After the game we went back to a hotel with all the players and everyone else at the club to celebrate.
“We then headed home and parked the car in the driveway and left the stuff there.
“After that, we went up to Glasgow for a couple of hours and the car was still there in the driveway when I got back.
“But the next morning I looked outside and thought to myself: ‘Where’s the car?’
“I thought the missus must have moved it but she hadn’t — it had been stolen.
“It was a bit of a shock after being on a high from winning the cup and it’s obviously disappointing, but what can you do?
“The car was a silver club Kia with club sponsorship stickers on it but I think because it’s been dark whoever has taken it hasn’t realised it had all that at the time.
“So hopefully we will get it back along with the medal and the other stuff.
“That was my first cup winner’s medal and if I don’t get it back then hopefully I’ll be able to get another one.”
Meanwhile, Queen of the South’s double-winning heroes will take the Ramsdens Cup on a lap of honour around Palmerston after Saturday’s league clash with Stranraer.
Fans will get the chance to be photographed with the silverware and the players before the trophy is sent back to the SFL for engraving.
It will then be presented to them again along with the Second Division trophy after the home clash with East Fife on Saturday, April 27.