Peter Pawlett

| The Appliance of Science

Go back a few seasons and try and recall the early emergence of in the Aberdeen side. A string of impressive performances were put in, rave notices were written, and the next George Best, or at least Peter Weir, was talked about.

Then there came the inevitable inconsistency of youth, a few injuries too, and suddenly, the boy Pawlett was supposedly a busted flush, not really going to cut it at the top level after all. It’s enough to crush the spirit of any young footballer, but fortunately, Peter is made of sterner stuff. The fight back began in earnest last term before this season, he has been in superb form, a virtual ever present and one of the names who will surely be in the frame when the player of the season polls are compiled should he continue to perform to the current level.

Looking back at the ups and downs of recent times, Peter has become commendably philosophical about the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that have dogged him thus far.

“I don’t think people expect too much from youngsters, I think it’s just the way the game is, it’s kind of natural in a way. When you first come into the team, you almost burst onto the scene and with that you get a lot of media coverage and everyone is generally very positive about you. You also have novelty value because you are new to the fans.

“Then it’s almost as if you are forgotten because maybe you are not in the team every week and someone else comes along and gets the headlines. Of course you are not forgotten but that is how it feels. You have just got to get on with it, get your head down and work hard and not focus on anything negative.

“For me personally a lot of people said I would be ‘the next big thing’ but then I suffered quite a few injuries and I lost my way a bit. I had just signed a new contract under Mark McGhee then I got a knee injury and then followed that up with some hamstring injuries. All that got in the way and knocked my confidence.

“When you are not playing week in week out it does knock your confidence and you start questioning yourself. Also when you are not playing every week it can affect your fitness, and it certainly did in my case. I would come on as a substitute and feel knackered. I would think. “Why am I knackered, I have just come on?! What is going on?” All it is is the fact it is difficult coming on as a sub and getting up to the pace of the game, and sometimes you don’t get your second wind. By the time it does come, the game can be over. There is no doubt my current fitness levels are a massive reason for the way I am performing right now.

“I have to give a lot of credit for that to Graham Kirk, he was great in sorting out my injury problems when I was St Johnstone. We were working one on one for two or three months there and he worked wonders. He identified where the problem was coming from – I had an issue with my core stability. I have built that up and now I feel really strong. The fact that he came to join us at Aberdeen is great because it is something we can still work on now to keep me ticking over. He is someone all the players feel very comfortable around. He is someone we can trust and is such a nice guy”.

When Peter headed for Perth on loan, many seemed to think that it was going to signal the end of the road for him at Aberdeen but instead, that spell at St Johnstne completely revitalised him, as he is quick to admit.

“When I went to St Johnstone I was on the fringes of things. To go to there and play week in week out was really important for me. I enjoyed my time there, it was a great experience. To play ten games in a row really helped with my fitness and I brought that confidence back to Aberdeen with me.

“I think the biggest difference between me this season and a couple of years ago is the fact that I have had a consistent run of games and that is the main reason for my form. I have a manager that believes in me and allows me to go out and express myself. That is a major factor.

“I feel I have been doing alright. Hopefully I can continue that during the second half of the season. I feel I am starting to show people what I am capable of, but it is only a start.

“I also think I have also matured as a person. I know I cannot be classified as a young player any more. Going out on loan helped me grow up a bit as well. It gave me time to think. I got a bit of a shock as well. I certainly appreciated my mum after that and the home comforts I was used to!

“Seriously though, it was maybe good for me to get away from Aberdeen for a little while. Living by myself, I had to get into more of a routine and more conscious on what I was eating. I think all that helped me get to the next level in my career.

“I always felt though in myself that if I could get a run of games, I would be able to perform. I knew that I just needed someone to come in and give me that chance, which Derek McInnes has done. He gave me the opportunity and from there, it was up to me to prove that I could play in his team every week. Hopefully I have done that. Now I feel I am back to my best and playing the way I should be.

“I have my confidence back. With that you are able to go out express yourself and you feel good about yourself on the pitch. That does not mean you can go out and do anything you want, but you feel that if you try some things they will come off and you don’t question yourself. Confidence is a huge thing in football and certainly in my game.

“The manager also encourages me to go out and express myself and the position that I play just off Calvin or Scott enables me to do that. Of course, like everyone in the team I still have my defensive duties but when we are attacking, I can go out to the left or go to the right or make a run beyond the striker to try and give the opposition problems. I have played different positions over the years but I feel this is probably the role that is best suited to me, but I would go out and play anywhere the manager asked me to.

“I do feel in this role I can get in amongst the goals and I maybe should have chipped in with a few more than I actually have. I would like to get my goal tally into double figures before the end of the season, so it was nice to get one against St Johnstone when I went back there a couple of weeks ago”.

Peter’s form has, of course, been rewarded at Pittodrie with a new three year contract that will keep him at the centre of things for some time to come yet. He couldn’t be happier with that thought.

“I was absolutely delighted when I got offered a new deal. I am really enjoying my football at the minute so it was an easy decision to sign up for another three years.

“I am enjoying working with the manager and Tony and I am genuinely excited about the future. We have a group of boys here that want to achieve something. There is a great, close bond between us all, we all go out and fight for each other on the pitch and I think we can go on and be successful.

“I discussed the contract with my mum and dad but there was never any doubt that once I was offered a contract I was going to sign. Both my parents want me to be happy and I am very happy here. Over the years they have come to every game I have ever played and have always given me 100% support and I really appreciate all they have done for me”.

It’s been a lifelong association with the Dons too, so it’s little surprise that Peter feels thoroughly at home here, despite being born in Hull and still being a Hull fan.

“They are my team and I keep in touch with what’s going on there. I want them to keep their name as Hull City and not change it to Hull Tigers. I think most of the fans are the same. I don’t see how they can do that!

“We moved to Scotland when I was very young and I was eight years old when I came into Aberdeen. Since the age of 16 I have been at Pittodrie as a full time professional. It is a fair few years, but I have enjoyed everyone of them. It is a wonderful place to come into work every morning. This is my club and the one I know.

“I have spoken to boys in the dressing room who have been at other teams and they all tell me how good at club this is. I have heard and read a number of them say it is a proper club.

“That has only improved further since Derek McInnes came in. His man management skills are unbelievable. The gaffer and Tony both speak to you all the time. They are easy to get on with and you can go and speak to them about anything, not just football. That allows you the chance to build up a relationship with them. When it comes to a matchday though they are very good at communicating exactly what they want you to do out on the pitch.

“The preparation for a game is meticulous. No stone is left unturned. You come in on a Monday morning and the likely starting XI of the opposition is up on the board so you are thinking about the game right at the start of the week. You have a look to see who you might be playing against. If you played on the Saturday before, the Monday training session is more of a loosener.

“Tuesday is then a hard double session with Graham Kirk, doing a lot of work on the fitness side of things. Wednesday is more relaxing after that and then on a Thursday, we start work on our shape for the game and talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition and how we could exploit them. On the Friday, the training is more technical and we work on set pieces etc. By the Friday, all we are doing is concentrating and focusing fully on the game, nothing else gets in the way.

“All week in training, whether we are doing passing drills or sprints, there is always a winner. Someone always has to win. That helps build up a mentality that you want to be a winner all the time. That is really important. Everything you do, you go into it to win.It does not matter if it is on the pitch on a Saturday or a game of five a sides in training, you never want to lose.

“Bringing in players like Willo and Barry has made a huge difference to that too. They are both winners. They are both quality players who have so much experience. If you watch them in a game, they are so relaxed on the ball. They are winners but they encourage you to go out and enjoy your football too”.

Nothing is straightforward in the modern game though and while Peter is winning plaudits again, there are those who seek to blacken his name by wrongly accusing him of being a diver. It’s something he takes to heart.

“The injuries have been the lowest point in my career but the accusations of diving last year were difficult. Not so much for me, because as a footballer, you get used to the stick, but more for my family. All it did though was fire me on. It is disappointing when some sections of the media make a big deal of it and then spend less time talking about me when I have scored a goal or something. But that is just part of football. You have to get on with it”.

Getting on with it is very much the Pawlett way these days. He and Aberdeen are all the better for it.