McLENNAN CAN MAKE IT RED HOT FOR RIVAL BLUES

THEY don’t call Peterhead ‘the Blue Toon’ for nothing. Despite its proximity to Aberdeen, just 30 miles north of the Granite City, the fishing port has a substantial Rangers support.

So, for Dons winger Connor McLennan, it can make things interesting on trips back to his hometown. The 19-year-old grew up as an Aberdeen fan and made his first trip to Ibrox in December when Derek McInnes’ side left with a 1-0 win, playing 73 minutes.

Now with a place in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-finals at stake on Tuesday night, McLennan hopes to maintain his 100-per-cent record in Govan in his breakthrough season at Pittodrie.

On the prospect of getting stick from Peterhead-based Rangers supporters, he said: ‘If I do it is mainly banter. It adds to the game.

‘That was my first experience of Ibrox this season and it was the same at Celtic Park. I didn’t really know what to expect before it. I wasn’t fazed by the occasion.

‘Coming off the (Betfred) cup final at Hampden (against Celtic in their previous fixture), that had given me a taste of what to expect. I couldn’t wait — it was more excitement than anything else.

‘It is going to be one of the biggest games of the season. We are going there with full confidence that we can go and get a result.’

McLennan has made an impression since breaking into the first team with his quick feet and lightning pace. He has only scored one goal, against St Mirren back in October, but it is the winger’s precise deliveries and surging runs that define his game.

He said: ‘It gives me a little bit of a boost when I do start because there is so much talent in the squad and it shows that the manager has a lot of faith in me, which is the main thing.

‘I need to do as much as I can on the pitch for the team, whether that be assisting, scoring or even stopping them from scoring. I need to do whatever I can.’