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Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna credits a stint training with two junior sides as setting him on the road to success.

When McKenna could not make it up for every training session with the Dons as a young teenager from Kirriemuir, he trained with Broughty Athletic and Kirrie Thistle to keep himself sharp.

The 21-year-old’s breakthrough season continued when he was named on a four-man shortlist for the PFA Scotland young player of the year. A year after struggling to get a game on loan at relegation-bound Ayr, McKenna is now an Aberdeen regular and a Scotland international.

McKenna is vying for the award with Celtic’s Kieran Tierney, Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos and St Mirren winger Lewis Morgan, and his development was helped by those learning experiences in Angus.

He said: “I always thought it might have a positive effect.

“I was 13 or 14 and training with men. You’re not going to bully them but you are throwing your body about trying to get them out the way.”