The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Magnificent seven reward
● Cosgrove’s quest to maintain scoring rate as he collects player award
Sam Cosgrove hopes to keep proving he can be Aberdeen’s big-game player – on the back of winning December’s player of the month award.
The Dons striker scored seven goals in five games to help propel his side into contention at the top end of the Premiership and has had great backing from manager Derek McInnes.
Cosgrove played in the win over Celtic at the end of last season which secured second place, before getting the nod for both Europa League ties against Burnley and earning rave reviews for his performances.
He also played in the Betfred Cup final against Celtic at the start of December before embarking on a scoring run which has taken him to nine for the campaign.
The £20,000 signing from Carlisle last January has proven to be a bargain for McInnes and he hopes the award is just the start of his success with the Dons.
Cosgrove said: “It was a nice surprise. The award shows the hard work and dedication that was put into the month, not just from me.
“With the gaffer getting his award as well, that’s testament to the work put in by the team as well.
“Apart from the goals I’ve got, the manager said I tend to get us up the field more. That’s something that’s very important against the bigger teams. We’re usually more of a possessionbased side but sometimes you have to concede that to help get us up the pitch at times.
“Scoring is an undescribable feeling. From the goal in the 3-2 game against Livingston, it’s just made me want more.
“Goals are the most important things in football and if it was that easy, everyone would do it. I just want to keep it going.”
Much was made about the meeting with the strikers ahead of the hectic December schedule, with McInnes needing greater output from his forward players. Cosgrove delivered with seven goals, while Stevie May and James Wilson also found the back of the net.
Cosgrove added: “There was a realisation throughout the squad that we needed to score goals. Everyone talks about this crisis talk – the manager and coaching staff just said we needed to score more goals. It just clicked that we needed to give that extra one or two percent.
“There’s little things in my game I can tweak – movement in the box, knowing where to be – I don’t think it’s changed massively over the months.”