The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Weir delight at Cameron
Elgin City manager Jim Weir has praised midfielder Brian Cameron’s powers of recovery after taking the field against Stirling Albion on Saturday just a few days after it was feared his season was over.
Weir thought that Cameron would not feature again due to an Achilles injury but after missing the 3-2 defeat from Clyde 10 days ago he declared himself fit at the weekend and lasted the 90 minutes.
Weir said: “I was concerned about Brian but he told me at the end of last week that he was feeling a lot better and wanted to play. He is a key player.”
Aberdeen captain Ryan Jack feels as fresh as he did at the start of the season as the Dons aim for one final push to achieve their goals. The Reds have fallen away towards the end of the past two Scottish Premiership campaigns, taking a total of seven points from a possible 30 after both splits. In each season their chances of winning the league had effectively just diminished but there is much more to play for this season with a greater challenge for second spot with Rangers nine points behind. Aberdeen have the need to remain on form for the Scottish Cup final against Celtic, their first for 17 years. Jack and his team-mates started their campaign on June 30 with a Europa League tie against Fola Esch but a two-week winter break, part of which they spent in Dubai, has helped keep them on form and they have won 17 of their last 20 matches. The midfielder said: “I feel as fresh as I did at the start of the season. “That is credit to the work and the training and the way the club and the staff are looking after us as players, because we did come back early. “I feel ready for a strong end to the campaign and all the lads are the same. We feel as strong as we did at the start of the season and we are going to have that big push until the end of the season.” Aberdeen could move a long way to sealing second spot on Saturday when they host St Johnstone hours after Rangers play Celtic. That will be an achievement in itself given the strength of champions Celtic but Jack is determined to have some silverware for the team’s efforts after losing to Brendan Rodgers’ side in the League Cup final and the 25-year-old said: “Up till now it’s been great work. We spoke at the start of the season about our goals. We wanted to finish second, we wanted to get to two cup finals and we wanted to win a cup, so as of now it’s been good work, solid work.
“But we know we need a big push between now and the end of the season in the league.
“Credit to the lads, we have got the final to look forward to but we put that behind us now and we look forward to the league campaign and getting second spot cemented.”
Aberdeen departed Hampden last November full of disappointment and regret after a poor display against the Hoops in the League Cup final but Jack insists his side will return to the national stadium next month full of confidence as the Reds bid to deny the Hoops a domestic clean sweep.
The Dons captain said: “Beating the Old Firm in Glasgow is not something we have to get over, it is something we have to relish.
“There is no fear, there is nothing to be scared of.
“We are a good side and have shown that as we are sitting second in the league and into our second cup final of the season.
“We have played at Hampden many times now and have won twice in semifinals this season.
“There is nothing to fear in the final and all to look forward to.
“We now have the chance of winning the Scottish Cup and want to grab it with both hands.
“It would be brilliant for the squad and staff lifting the trophy in front of our supporters.”
Jack has the chance to become the first Aberdeen captain in 27 years to lift the cup next month but whether he will be at Pittodrie next season remains unclear.
The midfielder is out of contract in the summer and has yet to commit his future but he said: “I want to put everything I have got into the last six weeks of the season and things will take care of themselves in the background to that.”
“We feel as strong as we did at the start of the season and we are going to have that big push”