AlanPOWER V Conor McGREGOR

Killie star is dead ringer for old pal from Dublin... now he aims to leave Dons on canvas

KILMARNOCK midfielder Alan Power not only bears an uncanny resemblance to fighting machine Conor McGregor but proudly counts himself as a former teenage pal of the UFC legend.

He certainly regards his fellow Dubliner as the ultimate role model and admits to having followed his career with awe as the man they call The Notorious battled his way to the top of mixed martial arts on his way to becoming a household name.

Power experienced his own, admittedly more modest, brush with fame last year when he was part of the non-league Lincoln City side who went on an astonishing FA Cup run, which ended in a quarter-final defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates.

He will hit the headlines again if he can help Scotland’s form team to a victory over Aberdeen at the same stage of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie tomorrow — and the 30-year-old admits he will be drawing inspiration from the determination and spirit of his old chum McGregor as he seeks to deliver a knockout blow to the Dons.

‘I grew up with Conor,’ said Power, who joined Killie on a two-year contract last June. ‘We were in the same circle of friends for about two or three years and played for the same Sunday League side, Crumlin United.

‘It was our local team and all of us at the same age group played for the same team, which was brilliant as we were all friends.

‘There was an A and a B team. I’d say he was B Team but he moved on to boxing and then into UFC. It looks like he chose the right career in the end.

‘I still look at him nowadays as a role model, even though he’s a couple of months younger.

‘The way he goes about his business, his preparation and how he performs on fight night... if I can replicate that when I go on to the pitch, then I’m doing my business properly.

‘Unfortunately, we have lost contact due to all the fame that he gathered and I didn’t!

‘I still send him a message now and again saying we’re all very proud of how he’s doing and I’ll congratulate him when he wins his fights.’

When it comes to powerhouses, tomorrow’s opponents Aberdeen have one of the strongest midfield units in the country.

But having taken on Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the FA Cup just 12 months ago, Power will not be spooked by the challenge of leaving Kenny McLean, Ryan Christie and Chidiebere Nwakali on the canvas.

‘Last year’s quarter-final for me was at the Emirates and it was unbelievable,’ said Power.

‘To get there with a National League team was a great achievement and I thought at one stage we’d win the tie. Until the 44th minute, we were level and more than in the game.

‘Arsenal’s class came through in the end and they beat us 5-0 but it was a magnificent experience.

‘I got Mesut Ozil’s shirt afterwards. There was a bit of fighting going on for it after the game but no one else was taking it. He was the closest midfielder I got near that day, so I was lucky enough to get the shirt. ‘There was a belief within the Lincoln side at the time — we won promotion to League Two — and there was a confidence about us. ‘It’s a bit similar to the way things are going at Kilmarnock. We know we’re more than capable of winning at Aberdeen.’ Like Lincoln, Killie go into their quarterfinal mining a rich vein of form, with only two defeats in their last 17 games for the side revitalised under Steve Clarke. Perhaps tellingly, though, those losses came at the hands of Derek McInnes’ side. Aberdeen remain the bookmakers’ favourites to progress against opponents who have not reached the last four since they last won the competition in 1997. That, however, has only made Power and his team-mates more determined to gain revenge by ending the Dons’ hopes of silverware for another season.

Aberdeen were well beaten by Hibernian and Celtic in their last two Premiership outings and Power believes Killie can turn up the heat on a side who are desperate to lift the Cup for the first time since 1990.

‘It’s a tough place to go but we owe them one and it would be good to beat them,’ he said.

‘We like to go underneath the radar. We go about our business quietly and the less people discuss us, the better.

‘It’s great to play alongside Youssouf Mulumbu, with his experience. Gary Dicker and Rory McKenzie are excellent, too. There is a lot of competition and players fighting for places.

‘I’m enjoying myself. It took me a bit of time to settle here, which I hadn’t expected. After all, I wasn’t moving that far, given it was England to Scotland, but it took me time to adapt.

‘Family life was different, the missus wasn’t moved up and we didn’t have a house. You just have to keep working away and try to get yourself back into the team.’ Conor McGregor would demand nothing less.