Jason Holt hopes pain of final defeats can spur Livingston to Betfred Cup glory

Jason Holt will aim to use the pain of previous cup final appearances to fire Livingston to Betfred Cup glory.

Holt featured in the 2013 final as Hearts lost to St Mirren and played the full game as Rangers went down to Hibernian in the 2016 Scottish Cup final.

The midfielder has tasted Challenge Cup success with Rangers and was a Hearts player when they beat Hibernian in the 2012 Scottish Cup final, but was not in the matchday squad.

He is now determined to make his mark on the big occasion and ensure he is smiling after his latest major cup final experience when Livi take on St Johnstone on Sunday.

“It might help a little,” he said of his previous experience. “Obviously I will try and use my experience but I just remember the feeling of being on the wrong side of the final and how much that hurt.

“I just want to use that to drive me on and make sure that I’m on the right side this time.”

The 28-year-old added: “Sometimes they don’t come around too often. You might only get to one cup final in your career, some players don’t get to any.

“My message would be to embrace it but don’t let it pass you by.”

Holt joined Livingston last summer after his Ibrox career officially ended following loan spells with Fleetwood and St Johnstone.

Cup finals were not on his mind as he signed on but he quickly realised he was part of something special.

“I knew the squad was capable of doing good things and getting another strong league finish but I probably never thought of a cup final,” he said.

“But once you get to the quarter-finals and progress, you think ‘why not?’ And here we are. And you really just want to make the most of it.

“It’s a great place to come into your work and that’s credit to the backroom staff and the people who work for the club.

“If you speak to any player in the squad, they really enjoy being here, whether you are in the team or not.

“Since I came in there has been nothing but positivity. Obviously at the start of the season we weren’t on a great run but we stayed upbeat through the whole thing and that certainly helped us.”