Aberdeen U20s are in action on Sunday in the SFA Youth Cup against Hibernian. The 3rd Round match will take place at Pittodrie with a 1pm KO. The young Dons are likely to be led out by Scott McKenna. He today previewed the game on www.afc.co.uk

“From the teams point of view we have made a good start to the season. We were top of the league until last week. For me personally I had to wait for my chance because there were a number of overage boys playing initially and then I was away on International duty but I played in the win against Rangers and have played every game since then apart from when I was away on international duty when we beat St Mirren.

“I feel I have done well enough since coming back in. There have been a couple of games where we have lost too many goals because of individual errors, myself included, but other than that it has been quite a good start to the campaign.

“Paul Sheerin has come in and done a good job. His man management skills are very good. He understands that when working with younger players, we will make mistakes and it is just a case of being patient till we get things right, firstly on the training pitch and then in games.

“Although the Development League is not always about winning the League, it is good to get into the habit of winning matches, learning how to see games out and having a winning mentality. Of course it would be nice to stay up near the top all season and seeing what happens near the end.  Our team though will change of the course of the year. Some players we push up into the first team squad and others might go out on loan in January but if that happens it then allows some of the younger boys to come in and get a chance to show what they can do. That is how I got my chance two seasons ago when I played a number of games towards the end of the season whilst I was still at school.

“A few younger boys who can still play for the U17s have already done well this season. Daniel Harvie has done very well the past couple of games at left back and Frank Ross and Jamie Henry have also impressed.  
“We would like to do well in the Youth Cup.

“Everyone in the U20 squad knows how important a competition it is and the history involved. Our kitman is always telling us about it! He tells us all about the Aberdeen team that won it in 2000. There are also photos of all the Aberdeen teams who have won the cup down the years in Teddy Scott’s room.

“I know we have reached a lot of quarter finals and semi-finals in recent years but most of the boys in the youth team dressing room have not really played in this competition much because Kilmarnock knocked us out in the first round last year. So this year it would be nice to go on a run, go as far as we can and hopefully win it.

“The competition also has a quite different feel to it now because we are just up against U20 players, as opposed to the Development League where you have no idea who you will be up against. One week I was playing against Jon Daly, another Lee Miller and then the week after that I was playing against someone my own age or younger so it can be a big jump. It is great experience playing against senior pros so I do think the overage rule is correct but it is nice the Youth Cup still has the age restriction.

“We know Hibs will be strong. They always have very good youth teams and with their first team not having a game this weekend they are likely to field a very strong line-up. Although we beat them comfortably in our opening Development League game, we had a strong side out that day and that result really means nothing. We know Sunday will be a very close game and we will have to be at our best to get through.  

“I have been on the bench a couple of times but this is the first time I will have the chance to play a competitive game at Pittodrie so it will be a big day for me and the rest of the boys, most of whom have also never played there. It will be a great experience and hopefully there will be a good crowd. I watched the Youth cup game a few years back against Celtic when they beat us but I remember the crowd were great that day and really helped the players.”

As well as captaining the young Dons, Scott has also been captain of his country recently. At the start of the month he led the Scots in a three game qualifying tournament in Lithuania. He was also today named in the U19 squad for a friendly against The Netherlands along with Craig Storie and Scott Wright.

“When I am away with Scotland I am learning from people there as well as continuously learning from people here so it can only help my development. It is a real honour to play for Scotland and an even greater honour to be captain. It is great to be captain of so many talented players, many of whom are playing regularly for their first team ever week or involved in the first team squads of some very big clubs.”
 
Please be advised of the following international team selections which have recently been received:
PLAYER NAME(S): Scott McKenna, Craig Storie & Scott Wright
COUNTRY: Scotland
AGE GROUP: U19
MATCH/CAMP:  U19 International Challenge Match v The Netherlands
DATE: 14th November 2014
VENUE: The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk
 
Youth Cup Stats
Aberdeen start their quest for a fourth win in the SFA Youth Cup on Sunday having won the cup in 1985, 1986 and 2001. The most memorable win was in 1985 when Aberdeen produced arguably the great comeback seen by an Aberdeen side at Pittodrie. The side that night included Joe Miller, Paul Wright, David Robertson and the late Steve Gray.
1985 WINNERS : Aberdeen defeat Celtic 5-3 after being 3-0 down in one of the greatest games ever seen at Pittodrie. Before the match the senior side had been presented with the Scottish Premier Division trophy.
1986 WINNERS : Aberdeen defeat Queen of the South 2-0 at Palmerston to retain the trophy.
2001 WINNERS : Aberdeen defeat Celtic again 2-0 as Drew Javrie's team produce an outstanding performance – Fergus Tiernan and Ross O'Donoghue scoring at Hampden
2003 LAST FINAL : Celtic defeat Aberdeen 3-1 after extra time at McDiarmid Park. Richard Foster's equaliser taking the match into extra time.