GRAEME Souness bears no animosity towards tomorrow's Worthington Cup final opponents Spurs despite being shown the door by the club early in his career.

"They were my first football club, I have great memories from my time at Tottenham," said the Rovers boss.

"It was the first professional club, first everything, I learnt a wee bit about the business from my four years there.

"I drove them mad but I largely enjoyed my time there and of course I will always have a feeling for them.

"They felt I wasn't good enough at the time but I always knew I would be a footballer. You just have a belief in yourself.

"I was a pain in the head during my time there, always knocking on the manager's door wanting to know why I wasn't in the team but I was only 17.

"You learn to cope with rejection in football and I went on to Middlesbrough.

"You cope with it through your life and it shapes you as a person. It was the first of a few and there are probably a few more ahead.

"Nobody's career runs smoothly, somewhere you get a kick and it is how you deal with it."

Souness is aware of how much of a threat Glenn Hoddle's team are but the Rovers boss knows his players will give it their all tomorrow.

"Glenn Hoddle has signed Teddy Sheringham and Gus Poyet who are vastly experienced players," he said. The two internationals have been instrumental in the free flowing style that helped thrash Chelsea 5-1 in the semi final and he added: "It is the type of football you have to play at Tottenham.

"That has got them into the cup final and they are comfortable in the Premier League so it will be seen as a good year for them.

"The Worthington Cup has been maligned but it is the people who get knocked out who usually criticise it.

"We had a good performance against Arsenal, people say they didn't have their strongest team out but then we didn't have out strongest team out.

"We were expected to win in the semi final against Sheffield Wednesday and that was more pressure.

"When you get to the later stages it becomes more important and even more so when you get to the final. How many people can say they have played in a cup final? It is only a small percentage who get to play in a cup final.

"I think if you get to any cup final it is an achievement. All cup finals are great.

"There is an obvious excitement in the town. The club enjoyed success seven or eight years ago but they have not been to a cup final in years.

"It is special day and it is a day out for the town. There is a positive feeling and I hope we can show we are a good team and get the result for them."

He believes cup glory could be the key to ensuring Rovers go on and maintain their Premier League status.

"We have played some very good football this season and not taken the points we should have taken," he said. "It must have been more than bad luck but if we keep out heads we can still finish in a healthy position. There is not a great deal between the bottom and tenth place."