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British football has been drafting in foreign talent for many years now and, as any commentator will tell you, getting the pronunciation of the names of assorted Italians, Japanese, Greeks, Uruguayans and Slovaks can be a testing business. But you’d think we’d be on the money when it comes to calling those who have just hopped over the Irish Sea wouldn’t you?

Actually, not so much.

And so, while he might not be a new signing like Flood, Zola et al, we have got a new name to conjure with this term. Let us all welcome Joe Shock-na-say.

“I don’t know why everyone finds it hard to say over here! It was the same when I was down in England, everyone used to say it wrong [Sean-na-say] so I just got used to it. I have had journalists from Ireland messaging me on twitter saying ‘we need to get them pronouncing your name right’. I did not realise it was such a big thing. I know my dad went and corrected the RedTV commentators at the Hearts game at the end of the season so the two Dave’s are saying it right now. Hopefully the others will follow! I believe it surprised a few of the RedTV listeners who thought we had signed a new player but I am sure people will soon get used to it and it will catch on”.

Shaughnessy is a name we should get used to saying as he looks destined to be part of the Dons set up for many years to come. He also has some famous family members as well.

To find out who Joe’s famous sister is and to read the rest of the interview please buy a copy of redmatchday on Saturday.

Also this weeks AFC FPs Interview by Sean Graham is with an ex Don who played in many high profile games against Celtic in the 70s, Bobby Clark.

You came to the Dons from Queen’s Park in 1965, did it help that it was your former manager who brought you to the club?

Eddie Turnbull was my sole reason for coming to Aberdeen. He had come to Queens Park in the close season of my second season in the first team. He was revolutionary. Gone were the days of running round the track and up and down the terraces. Every player had a ball and everything was game related. He was a fantastic coach and was my main reason for coming to Pittodrie. He was away ahead of his time!

It was clear from your early days at Pittodrie that you were going to be a star performer and as early as your second year in charge you won the Player of the Year, did this come as a shock to you?

To be honest, I never really gave Player of the Year Awards a lot of thought. Football is a team game and if I looked around our team with Ally Shewan, Chalkie White, Tommy McMillan, Jens Petersen, Frannie Munro, Harry Melrose, Billy Little, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy Wilson to name just a few, I would be crazy to see myself as special in that sort of company.

Things didn’t always go smoothly though, in the 68/69 season, you were out of the team but managed to play for the reserves at centre-half, this must have been a strange experience for you?

This was the first time in my life I had ever been dropped. I was with the National team bench for a WC Qualifier against Cyprus on the Wednesday and was deservedly dropped the next weekend. It was a tough lesson but I was able to face up to the fact that I was where I deserved to be and Teddy Scott, our Reserve team coach, was fantastic with me. We had some great young players and that year was the making of me as a player and as a person. I grew up.

You bounced back though and played a vital part in the famous cup run in 1970, ending in the 3-1 victory over Celtic in the final, what do you remember about the game and indeed the occasion at Hampden?

I made my first team comeback in an earlier cup-tie against Clydebank at Pittodrie. It was a cold, frosty night and the pitch was flint hard with frost. It was not a pretty game but we won 2-1. I remember Eddie Turnbull having a rye chuckle at the end of the game saying that the win kept some people in a job. The final was fun. We were confident as we had beaten Celtic 10 days before at Parkhead in a league game and there was a terrific team spirit within our squad. Martin Buchan and Tommy McMillan had a great understanding and Henning Boel and George Murray were strong fullbacks. We also had Joe Harper and I always felt if we did not concede goals Wee Joe would always score one. Mind you it was Derek McKay who carried the day in the final. I suppose he did the same in the quarter final against Falkirk and the semi final against Kilmarnock. He certainly deserved the name Cup-tie McKay!

redmatchday magazine is on sale from in and around the ground on Saturday and is also available from the Pittodrie Club shop still priced at £3.

You can pre-order a copy and have it delivered to your door – Visit www.curtis-sport.com and order your copy now or click here