Aberdeen defender Andy Considine insists he and his team-mates owe manager Derek McInnes a Scottish Cup semi-final date at Hampden.
The Dons secured their place in the last eight of the competition in an astounding game at Kilmarnock on Wednesday, thanks to an injury-time winner in extra-time for a 4-3 victory at Rugby Park.
A game labelled as season-defining by many – including Considine – went in Aberdeen’s favour and the defender, who scored an 88th-minute equaliser to take the tie to extra-time at 1-1, hopes the dramatic win has shown the players and manager are united at Pittodrie.
Considine said: “The manager has been absolutely brilliant since he came in. He has lifted this club back to where it should be. Reaching finals and Europe every year.
“He world tirelessly behind the scenes him and his staff. The least we can do is go and perform and get us back to Hampden. I’m sure it’s lifted a little bit of angst off his shoulders. It has for everyone.”
A frank discussion about the club’s five-game run without scoring has led to the Dons scoring eight goals in the last three matches and Considine believes the credit for the turnaround should go to his boss.
He said: “We have all been under a lot of scrutiny recently. I know the manager is going to take the brunt of that.
“But before the Hamilton game we all sat down for lunch and he had a real go at us. We knew we hadn’t been playing well enough and something had to change. I felt that conversation has changed things for him and all of us.”
A trip to St Mirren next Saturday, February 29, is the next hurdle facing the Dons as they bid to continue their run in the competition and Considine hopes the see-saw nature of Wednesday’s win at Killie is a sign Aberdeen can end their 30-year wait to lift the Scottish Cup in May.
He said: “If we were to get to a final this year and potentially life the cup it would be fantastic.
“It’s a dream as a player to lift the cup. That’s why you play football. Fingers crossed this could be the year.”
For now all the focus is on tomorrow’s home match against Ross County. Aberdeen welcome the Staggies to Pittodrie occupying third place on goal difference ahead of Motherwell and Considine is eager to pull away from the Steelmen.
He said: “I feel we should not be out of sight of Motherwell but if we played like we are now we would have been. We have made it hard for ourselves but I feel we are sort of in the driving seat at the minute.
“If we can continue this form and confidence and ruthlessness in front of goal we will finish third and get a good run in the cup.
“Saturday is massive for us and we need to get back to winning ways in the league and make sure we grab third place. It’s going to be a cup final on Saturday.”