Rule change robs Mitov's parents of cup final trip

ABERDEEN goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov has expressed his disappointment after his family were denied to chance to watch him play in the Scottish Cup final because of red tape.

- By Scott Burns

This Saturday at Hampden will be the biggest game of the 28-year-old Bulgarian's life, but he won't be able to share it with his nearest and dearest.

New travel rules meant that his mum and dad didn't have enough time to get a visa to visit from Bulgaria.

And now they will need to make do with television coverage of this weekend's showpiece against Celtic.

Mitov, above, said: "I don't have anyone coming over to the final because unfortunately my mum and dad can't make it due to the new rules with visas into the UK.

"It's very frustrating because potentially it's one of the biggest games of my life and my family are not able to be here.

"We didn’t know the rules changed in April, so you have to apply a lot further in advance and they don't have enough time to do it."

His parents did make it over to Scotland to see their son at Christmas - and unfortunately saw him concede four times in a league defeat at Kilmarnock - but they have yet to him play at Pittodrie.