It’s that time of the year when any self respecting columnist turns to the ‘Team of the Season So Far’ hardy annual, and I am no different!

It has been a really enjoyable, but strange campaign so far. I have thoroughly enjoyed much of the football on show and there have been strong showings by a number of teams, but in sitting down to compile my side, I felt there were fewer stand-out individual performers than in previous years.

Plenty candidates for a number of positions certainly, but for others it took a fair bit of consideration before making my selections.

Choosing my goalkeeper was easy, with the excellent DANNY WARD an automatic choice. He has been a brilliant find, and while his stay at Pittodrie has come to an end, he will be fondly remembered by Dons fans.

MIKAEL LUSTIG remains a class act and is my right-back with BRIAN EASTON of St Johnstone on the left, a solid defender who offers a threat going forward. The central defence took a bit of thought, but in the end I plumped for ASH TAYLOR – despite one or two wobbles – and ANDREW DAVIES, a big part of Ross County’s impressive campaign so far.

My sitters in midfield are the outstanding JACKSON IRVINE, a player I have always enjoyed watching since seeing him in a Youth Cup Final a few years back, and the much improved NIR BITTON, now a deserved first-choice pick for Celtic.

The front four was easy, and is dominated by the Dons, with three of our outstanding performers this season cast-iron picks.

NIALL McGINN and JONNY HAYES are vital to how we play, and when fully fit and on-form, are almost unstoppable. Like most of our side they suffered during the poor run, but they have bounced back incredibly well, are playing with confidence and attacking verve, and are a constant menace to opposition defences.

Having gone for the in-vogue 4-2-3-1 formation, I would put LEIGH GRIFFITHS in the ‘number ten’ position, but he would have freedom to roam as he does for Celtic, for whom he has been one of the outstanding talents across the game over the past months.

Leading the line would be ADAM ROONEY. In his two years with the club, the Irishman has already written his name indelibly in our history with his League Cup Final penalty shoot-out winner, and his consistency in finding the net is right up there with my favourite Dons centre-forwards of the past, sharing as he does that ruthless nature in front of goal possessed by the likes of Joe Harper, Frank McDougall and Duncan Shearer.

So, my team of the season so far is…

DANNY WARD
MIKAEL LUSTIG   ASH TAYLOR   ANDREW DAVIES   BRIAN EASTON
JACKSON IRVINE   NIR BITTON
NIALL MCGINN   LEIGH GRIFFITHS   JONNY HAYES
ADAM ROONEY

It will be interesting to see how many have retained their places when I draw up the end of season XI.
There are a few candidates to manage the side, but I can’t look past the St Johnstone boss TOMMY WRIGHT whose down-to-earth, sensible approach to management has been rewarded with an excellent first half to the campaign.