Former Aberdeen defender Ash Taylor has backed the Dons to make another Scottish Cup final – and prove manager Derek McInnes right.
Taylor was in a deflated dressing room after Tom Rogic’s late winner denied Aberdeen a first triumph in the competition since 1990 but remembers McInnes’ efforts to rouse the players.
The Dons’ mantra this season has been to go one better and end their barren run in the competition and victory against Motherwell today will take them one stop closer towards that target.
Taylor, who left Aberdeen for Northampton Town following the Celtic defeat, hopes to see his old side back at Hampden Park challenging for the trophy again.
He said: “That final was the worst I’ve felt on a football pitch. I was devastated after coming so close. The dressing room was very down afterwards but Derek knew what was going on. He told us to come back stronger and that’s what they’ve done.
“It doesn’t surprise me with the job Derek has done and the squad of players he has. The backroom staff, recruitment team and (assistant) Tony Docherty are the best I’ve worked under. With the experience of getting to two cup finals last year, they will go into the game with confidence. They’ve still got the majority of that squad and to be honest, I can’t see anything other than an Aberdeen win.”
Taylor had one of his best games in a red jersey in last year’s final, before he and a number of other key players, including Jonny Hayes, Peter Pawlett, Niall McGinn and Ryan Jack, left for pastures new.
The man that replaced Taylor in the backline has garnered plaudits for his rapid progress this season. Scott McKenna was a fringe player at the start of the campaign but has gone from strength to strength, earning two new contracts and his Scotland debut.
Taylor added: “It doesn’t surprised me that Scott has stepped up. He’s physical, aggressive and a great defender. He just had to bide his time with the players in front of him and take his chance when it came. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. He’s been outstanding this year and can hopefully kick on again.”
Former Wales under-21 international Taylor is still in contact with ex-team-mates Shay Logan and Adam Rooney, as well as Pawlett who he has come up against playing for MK Dons this season.
He left Pittodrie to move his young family closer to home and the Cobblers have struggled in League 1, facing four must-win games to try keep them up.
Taylor said: “It’s been a frustrating season. We signed 15 players in the summer and another nine in January; it takes time for players to gel. We started off the season with Justin (Edinburgh) and he played three at the back, but it didn’t work out.
“Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink came in and went a bit more defensive, trying to make us harder to beat, but we didn’t carry a threat going forward. Jimmy was intense – he demanded the best and knew what he wanted. I had a good relationship with him and he made me captain when our club captain wasn’t playing.
“I have a young family and it was important for me to get home. On a personal level, it’s going well.”