Family reminds loan star Shinnie of the danger posed by Raith

DUNDEE loan midfielder Andrew Shinnie reckons Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Raith Rovers is a stark reminder of what the Dark Blues are up against this Saturday.

Dundee play host to First Divsion rivals Raith in the quarter-finals of the cup – with Aberdonian Shinnie more aware than most of the Kirkcaldy side’s threat.

Members of Shinnie’s girlfriend’s family were so confident the Dons would beat Raith that they had already started taunting him about the prospect of Dundee facing Premier League outfit Aberdeen.

Shinnie, on loan from Rangers, said: “Everyone thought Aberdeen would win the replay, especially since it was at Pittodrie. My girlfriend is from Aberdeen and so is her dad. When the draw for the last round was made he was texting me.

“So when the result of the replay came through I was texting him back saying bring on the Raith. I don’t think he was too happy, but it just shows you what can happen when it comes to the cup.

“Some Aberdeen supporters maybe got a bit ahead of themselves and that can certainly happen. Everyone here knows how good a team Raith are so we certainly won’t be looking any further than Saturday.” Dundee are involved in the pressure of a title race and Shinnie reckons having a break from league football this weekend will do them good.

He added: “It’s not a bad thing to take your mind away from the league. We’ve got a great chance to progress into the semi-final of a major competition and we’re against another team from our own division. People might say it could have been a harder prospect had it been against Aberdeen, but it’s still going to be extremely difficult.

“We’ve got it in our heads already that it’s not going to be at all easy. The manager has already had a meeting with the players to that effect.”

Bob Malcolm’s luckless start to his Dundee career continued when yesterday’s bounce game against St Johnstone was cancelled because Saints did not have enough players. The former Rangers man missed out against Inverness at the weekend due to a delay with his international clearance and the Dark Blues were last night still waiting on it to arrive from the Australian FA.