NACHO Novo wants to bury the memory of missing out on two cup finals with Rangers last season by helping the Ibrox club beat St Mirren and land the Home-coming Scottish Cup.

Novo was suspended for his team's nail-biting win over Dundee United in the League Cup Final at Hampden last March.

And then he was banned for the Scottish Cup showdown with Queen of the South in May after picking up a red card in the final league game with Aberdeen at Pittodrie just days before.

The little Spaniard has revealed he is desperate to put those disappointments behind him by helping Walter Smith's men lift silverware at the National Stadium and the SPL title in the 2008/09 campaign.

Ahead of the semi-final showdown with the Buddies on Saturday he said: "Last season I missed out on the two finals and that was hard, but it is always a good atmosphere at Hampden and I'm looking forward to going back this weekend.

"I want to put it all right this season and although the League Cup Final was disappointing, at that stage I was only just back from injury and working hard to get fit.

"I feel better now and just want to be involved in every game at this stage of the season. I'm working hard to get back to the level I was at before the injury.

"It came just after the Falkirk semi-final and I want to get back there as soon as possible. I felt fast and fit then and that's what I'm aiming for again."

Novo added: "In football, you have ups and downs, good memories and bad ones, but you keep the bad memories away from your thoughts and try to work hard to get more good memories.

"That is how we are all thinking. The last cup final is in the past now and we have to make sure it is forgotten about as we prepare for this semi-final.

"We have to try and kick on and replace that memory with a better one by doing other things.

"But we don't just have one semi-final to think about, we have so many finals. All the games between now and the end of the season and like cup finals for us.

"Of course I want to add to the cups, but this season we need to win the league too. We have missed out on one trophy already this season and we are focused so the same thing doesn't happen again."

Rangers have the chance this to bring their total of Scottish Cup triumphs to 23. If they triumph they will move to just one away from the number Old Firm rivals Celtic have won.

Novo admitted the emphasis put on cup competitions here is different to his homeland. Speaking in the Rangers News, he stated: "It is definitely different here than it is in Spain. The Copa del Rey doesn't have the same history.

"A lot of the clubs are not so focused on it. They think more about being safe or about challenging for the Uefa Cup.

"They use it as a way to give young players a chance. You see it with Real Madrid and other big clubs that they will play a lot of their young players unless they get to the final.

"So it is different from here because in Scotland there is a lot of history to the competition and it is an important trophy.

"I have learned the history here and know what it means to the club and to the fans.

"All trophies are important for this club and I hope we can get it again this season. To do that first we must win this game."