After last night’s cup drama, it is a big few days for the Development squad as they have a Reserve Cup semi-final against Motherwell (Monday 24th February at Broadwood), while the U18s also have a semi-final to look forward to, against Rangers in the SFA Youth Cup (Friday 21st February at Cove).

Having lost in the final and then the semis in recent seasons in this competition, there is a real belief that Barry Robson’s talented squad, who remain unbeaten this season, can go that one stage further this year.

We previewed the game with young midfielder Max Barry who has been in fantastic form and is an ever present this term, after a frustrating time last year.

“In my first year as a full-time professional it was very hard to start with because I got injured for seven months. It was so tough seeing the boys going out to train while I was just sitting in the changing room not able to do anything.

“Thankfully, that is all behind me and I am not feeling anything from my injury. So this is my first season that I have really got going and it has gone really well from both a personal and team point of view.

“As a group, we haven’t talked too much about what we want to achieve as we don’t want to get carried away. We just want to take each day as it comes. There is a chance that we can win the SFA Youth Cup and the Club Academy Scotland U18 League, so we just need to play every game like it is our last.

“The semi-final in the Youth Cup last year against Rangers was my first game back from my injury. I came on towards the end of the game. To be fair, Rangers were good on the day, they were the better side. It is good to get to another semi-final after that experience. We want to put it right and beat them this year and reach the final. It wouldn’t be full at Hampden but there would be Aberdeen fans there so to get a run out on the pitch would be so good.

“There is a real strong group this season. There is a good atmosphere. We are all close and it makes us play better on and off the pitch. We have all known each other for quite a few years. Most of the boys knew each other before we went full-time and a lot of us went to school together.

“I was eight when I joined Aberdeen so have been here for nearly 10 years! I’m from Aberdeen; I grew up in Kingswells. I went to Kingswells Primary school and then went to the performance school at Hazlehead.

“The performance school was certainly beneficial for football, but maybe not as beneficial for the academic side, so I’m sure that’s something they will look at to get the balance right. We got enough training hours, but I didn’t feel as though we got enough done in the classroom.

“Having been at the performance school before turning professional helped because I was used to the training hours. Being professional, we are at Cormack Park every day for long hours. The school prepared me for that. It was a great feeling getting a full-time contract. It was a nervous time because I got told late on, but it was good to get told I was getting one.

“There is a lot of competition because we have such a strong squad this season, especially in the midfield area but that is good as it helps to push us on. Having Paul Sheerin and Barry Robson as coaches who both used to play midfield and at such a high level is a help, because they really know what they are speaking about. They take you to one side and tell what you do and give you pointers on what you can be doing better.”

As with all young players, Max’s eye is on both the short and long-term future, with plenty to play for as a team and individually.

“I would like to win the league and the cup with the boys this season. Personally, I would like to push on. I think there are about 15 boys whose contracts run out in the summer, and I’m one of them. It pushes everyone on. Hopefully I can get the opportunity to kick on next season and get closer to the first team.

“I think the opening of Cormack Park has really pushed the young players on too, because we can see what a big help it will be to us over the years to come. For me, it’s amazing because I live in Kingswells, so it only takes me two minutes to get in!

“It is good not to have to take the minibus to training out to the Barracks and then having to set up the goals. Then going back to Balgownie to train and then back to the Barracks to pick up the training kit for the first team.

“We don’t have to clean the minibuses out anymore and we don’t have to go out and shovel the snow off the pitches like we did last year. We don’t have to set up the goals anymore, we just have to wheel them into position and that is it done. We are spending more time on the training pitch. There are a lot more double sessions and longer training, all of which is really beneficial.

“We still have our jobs to do. I clean Bruce Anderson and Scott Wright’s boots. They are really good to me. It is good at Aberdeen because the first and reserve team mix together.

“We are all mingled in together, everyone speaks to everyone. The atmosphere is great. I know that is something that does not happen at every club.”