RedMatchday Issue 21 | Preview

A little look at what is in Saturday’s matchday programme:

Ryan Christie

“The manager here has been very good with me when things haven’t gone so well. Sometimes, I do get a bit carried away on a football pitch. When I give the ball away, I think I have to beat five players and put one in the top corner to make up for it. The manager reminds me that it is more important to keep hold of the ball. I know at times I need to relax and get my head up.

“He helped me come to the realisation that if I am having a bad game I can’t just come off and say it is not my day. I should still be trying to get on the ball. In the past, I might have done a few things wrong and then hidden away before being taken off. But you then sit in the changing room afterwards and think “I have done nothing in that game”. I have come to that conclusion that no matter how bad I play, I have just got to keep trying and try to turn it around.

“That’s important because I’ve been a regular player here, so you have to take responsibility.

“I could not believe I have reached 50 appearances already! The time has passed very quickly. I have enjoyed every minute of it. I am sure between now and the end of the season there will be plenty more memorable moments to come”.

Graeme Shinnie

“Saturday starts a big run of three league games through to the split where we need to be taking as many points as possible because the league is just so tight. There’s no margin for error. But we only ever focus on ourselves. If we keep picking up results we know we will not be far away from achieving what we want to come the end of the campaign.”

Seb Ross

“I’m mixing in with the first team boys, learning a few things and even going down to some of the games, watching them and taking pointers from players in my position. At this stage of my career it’s been a big learning curve, so you have to try and take in all the information and advice that comes your way.

“Sometimes in training Shinnie comes up to me and says, ‘you should have shot there, you’re the top goal scorer in the team for a reason so just try things.’ I’m grateful for it and I’m starting to slowly, but surely score when I am training with the first team guys.”

Our featured Bon Accord Journal is from 26/09/1927

ABERDEEN ENJOY FOUR-GOAL ROMP IN FRONT OF HOLIDAY CROWD The holiday crowd enjoyed a comfortable win this afternoon as Aberdeen took advantage of the wind at their backs to build a three-goal lead at the interval. Saints improved after the break, but the home side were never really troubled. Aberdeen had twice went close before taking the lead in the 10th minute. Love pounced on an error by Saints Lafferty and centred the ball for Bruce to smash home from 25 yards. Yorston doubled the home side’s lead ten minutes later as he cashed in on a series of defensive blunders. Then with minutes of the first half remaining, Cheyne added a third and the visitor’s heads visibly went down as they trudged off the park. Saints enjoyed more possession after the break, but Aberdeen always looked the more dangerous and Yorston wrapped up the two points late in the match when he received a pass from Love and easily beat Page in the Saints goal for Aberdeen’s third straight home win.

Aberdeen Team: P. McSevich, W.K. Jackson, M. Muir, J. Black, B. McDermid, H. Lawson, A. Love, A. Cheyne, B. Yorston, B. Bruce, J. Smith. Goal Scorers: B. Bruce (1) A. Cheyne (2) B. Yorston (1)

200 NOT OUT FOR JIMMY SMITH Jimmy Smith became only the ninth player to make 200 appearances for the club when he lined up against St. Johnstone today. Although he failed to find the net against the Saints, the winger has scored 34 times for the club since making his debut against Kilmarnock back in August 1922.

Shay Logan

(Photo: Ross Johnston/Newsline Media)

Shay Logan is the latest to put his name into the records books, becoming the 78th player in 115 years of Dons history to make 200 appearances for the club. He joins some pretty big names in those ranks including Andy Considine, Niall McGinn and Mark Reynolds from the current squad. Shay wasn’t slow to hide his delight at the joining the 200 club.

“I knew my 200th game was approaching but I did not know it was the Dundee game until I was told before the match. I am buzzing with it. I love playing for Aberdeen and I want to play as many games as possible. Hopefully there are another 200 to come.

“It was a shame I didn’t grab a goal to round it off like I did on my 100th and 150th appearances. I haven’t scored for a while, but I have had chances. The seasons before this, the ball just seemed to fall for me but now the keeper will make a great save or I will hit the post or hit my own man on the line! That’s just my luck at the moment! I want to get two or three more goals between now and the end of the season if possible.

“I’m pleased to have made it to 200 because reaching that kind of number shows that I’ve achieved some really consistent levels during my time here. Touch wood, I have only missed a few games through suspension and injury, so even if I had played every game then I would not be on many more appearances. I have played virtually every game since I have been in Scotland which for me personally is a great achievement.

“I have to maintain that form in the years to come. If I’m honest, this season I’d say I’ve been bang average compared with how previous seasons have gone. I can’t pretend, I have not performed as well as I would have liked to. There have been some games when I have been really good and then there have been games when I have felt disappointed with my performances. For whatever reason, it has just not gone my way this season.

“I know that I will always go out and do my best for the team regardless of how I perform. The game might not go the way I want it to go and I might not perform the way I want to perform, but I will always give everything for the team.

“There is a lot to look forward to. For me personally, I want to get my performance levels back to where they were and then beyond that. For the team, we are in a battle for second spot and we are in a semi-final. There are a lot of hard games coming up, so it will be interesting but the team has more than enough ability to cope with the demands that are put on us.”

Aberdeen v Motherwell Scottish Cup Semi Final Preview

In 1939 and several months before the country went to war, Aberdeen were ousted from the cup in tough semi-final against the Lanarkshire club. Aberdeen were dismayed that Ibrox was chosen as a neutral venue. However a crowd in excess of 80,000 turned out to Aberdeen being held in a 1-1 draw. Dave Warnock scored the Dons goal. The replay four days later attracted half of the crowd from the first tie and it was a bitter disappointment for manager Dave Halliday as his side were wasteful in front of goal and went down 3-1.

It was not until 1953 before Aberdeen extracted revenge and they did so in some style. For the third time in succession the tie went to a second game. Motherwell arrived at Pittodrie as holders in February 1953. On the eve of the game, Dave Shaw was appointed as player/trainer. Although Motherwell opened the scoring Aberdeen gained control and raced into a 3-1 lead. An incredible tie for the 28,000 crowd saw the teams exchange penalties as the Dons went into a 5-3 lead with 14 minutes left. Motherwell rallied and two late goals took the tie to a second game after a 5-5 draw.

Four days later Aberdeen showed their best when they raced into an incredible 4-1 lead by half-time. This time the Dons defence stood firm and went on to rout the holders in a 6-1 win. Harry Yorston scored a hat trick as the entire Hibernian squad watched from the Fir Park stands. The Easter Road side were the Dons next opponents.

Plus the Manager, Richard Gordon, Chris Crighton, our extensive history and stats sections, all the usual features plus a feature on the 57th Aberdeen player to have worn a Scotland shirt – Scott McKenna.

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