The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
McDonald surprised by Dons’ trophy drought
ST JOHNSTONE midf ielder Gary McDonald has admitted to being surprised that Aberdeen have gone over 18 years without winning a trophy.
The long wait for the Dons started back on November 26, 1995 after they beat Dundee 2-0 in the final of the Coca-Cola Cup at Hampden.
Now their supporters are dreaming of finally ending the silverware drought, with either Hearts or Inverness Caley Thistle awaiting in the League Cup final on March 16 should they see off Saints in the semi at Tynecastle on Saturday.
They will travel in hope and expectation this weekend but McDonald knows from personal experience how cups — both Scottish and League — and Aberdeen don’t go sometimes.
For he was in the Dons team that was knocked out in the last 16 of the Scottish by unfancied Raith Rovers in February 2010, while the Dons have also fallen foul of lower leagues side such as East Fife, Queen of the South and Queen’s Park in recent years.
“Having been at the club I know what the expectations will be like up there going into the game,” said McDonald, who was then asked if it came as a surprise that you had to search so far back for Aberdeen’s last trophy win. “Yes, I would say so,” he admitted. “Given the resources they have compared to other clubs in the league you would think they would have won more trophies.
“But, for whatever reason, it has just not happened for them. So they will be looking to Saturday as an opportunity to get to a final and redeem that.
“I never quite got as far as a semifinal with them. The cup runs just never materialised for us, which has been the case for the last few years at Aberdeen. We had a bad result when we lost at home to Raith Rovers.
“It was one we were expected to win and then go on in the competition.You could feel the expectation in the area. It grew and the local press built things up. As a player you were aware of it.”
McDonald’s time in the Granite City had some highs as well as lows. and even both on the same day.
He recalled: “In my first season we finished fourth on the last game of the season and got into Europe. We had to beat Hibs to qualify and we did that. That was also the day, though, that Jimmy Calderwood left as manager.
“Straight after the match he announced he was going. It was a strange occasion because of that. So it was a good way to finish the season on the park but then the news about Jimmy put a dampener on it a bit.”
McDonald is happy that Saints have little or no pressure on them going into the lastfour clash, with Aberdeen most people’s favourites to go through to the final.
“Yes, it’s a good position to be in,” he admitted.
“We are quietly confident that we are capable of getting the right result. I am also sure, though, that the Aberdeen players will be saying the same thing. Their fans will be coming down looking at it as a game which they should be winning.
“On paper they are favourites but I think being underdogs can work in our favour. It is a semi-final so it’s a one-off game and what matters is what happens on the day.
“It will come down to who wants it the most and whose players play to their capabilities. We are just going to make sure we have a good week, prepare properly and are ready to go.”
Saints, of course, will have a not-so-secret weapon in their armoury...a certain Stevie May.
McDonald is just delighted that he will be in the same side as the long-haired goal machine rather than having to worry about containing him.
“Stevie is having an unbelievable season,” said McDonald.
“Everything he is touching at the moment is going into the net. He is a very, very confident boy who works hard on his game and his attitude is spot on.
“He is just one of those players who, when he gets the ball, his first thought is to shoot.
“Kris Boyd was the same at Kilmarnock when I played with him there. The goals are just flying in for Stevie and his finishing is up there with the best.