Darvel midfielder Jordan Kirkpatrick insists the key to his side’s hopes of creating a Scottish Cup shock against Aberdeen is to treat the visit of the Dons like any other game.
The West of Scotland Premier Division leaders have created one shock already after stunning League One side Montrose 5-2 at Links Park in the last round.
A dream tie against Premiership side Aberdeen is Vale’s reward and Kirkpatrick insists the players will not play the game and not the occasion.
He told the Kilmarnock Standard: “Montrose were a good side but if you look through our squad there’s boys with a lot of experience who have played at a good level and we believe in ourselves with abundance.
“We went into that game just like we would any other and didn’t treat it as if it was any bigger an occasion than our normal league games and I think we showed on the day that we’re just as good as anyone.
“When I was with Dumbarton we played Aberdeen in a Scottish Cup tie up at Pittodrie and we held them off for a good while before their quality and experience showed in the last 20 minutes.
“It will be just as tough on Monday and we’ll give Aberdeen all the respect they deserve but we’ll believe that we can go out and get a result that our fans are hoping for.”
Kirkpatrick among friends in the Dons coaching staff
For Kirkpatrick, 30, the visit of the Dons represents a chance to face former boss Jim Goodwin and his assistant Lee Sharp again.
The Darvel midfielder played with the Aberdeen manager when he was at Alloa Athletic in 2016 then under him following Goodwin’s appointment as Jack Ross’ successor at the Wasps.
He said: “Jim is a great guy and he was a big character in the dressing room for us, as he had been throughout his whole career.
“Sometimes when players transition into becoming the manager at the same club it can be difficult, but you could tell he was always going to do well by the way he talked about the game and his outlook on things.
“His training sessions were always very good and he had that presence about him to put across the message he wanted and I think that’s why we achieved the success we did.”
Darvel midfielder hoping for another memorable goal on Monday
Kirkpatrick went on to play a pivotal role at Alloa, scoring the winning goal in extra-time for his former club to secure promotion to the Champoinship via the play-off final against Dumbarton in 2018.
He would love nothing better to score another memorable goal when he faces the Dons in Monday’s fourth round tie.
He said: “I’ll speak to Jim and Lee before the game and definitely have a bit of banter with them about it.
“It was an important goal for us at the time and I’m just hoping I can score another important goal again on Monday, although to be honest I’d take any of the boys to score if we can pull off a result.”
Vale boss convinced league restructuring is coming in Scotland
Meanwhile, Darvel manager Mick Kennedy believes plans are being made for Celtic and Rangers B teams to join a newly created SPFL League Three.
Rangers, Celtic and Hearts all field sides in the Lowland League, the fifth tier of Scottish football’s pyramid, having been accepted by the Scottish Lowland Football League.
However, the trio will reportedly not be invited back next season, leading to speculation to a new division comprising Premiership colt teams and clubs from the Highland League and Lowland League could be formed.
Kennedy told the Daily Mail: “SPFL 3 is coming. If it’s not this year then it’s coming the following year.
“I have spoken to enough people in the game to know what’s coming down the tracks.
“The sticking point is the League One and Two sides. They usually team up to block the vote.
“But I think clubs there will be assured by proposed changes to SPFL entry criteria for clubs like us which will give them a degree of protection.
“The quid pro quo will be that Celtic and Rangers won’t vote for that unless they also get an agreement to get their B teams in somewhere.
“For me, SPFL 3 is definitely coming — and changing the criteria will be how they get everybody on board.”
‘Celtic and Rangers want in the senior leagues’
Kennedy is convinced the Old Firm clubs are driving the move to play second teams at a higher level and believes sporting integrity will be lost if clubs are allowed to parachute into a higher level.
He said: “You can’t have a competitive pyramid system, where community clubs are investing significant funds to grow youth development and their infrastructure, and then make a sudden decision because of pressure from Celtic and Rangers to drop their B teams into the middle of it.
“I just don’t see the fairness of that.
“What Celtic and Rangers want is B teams in the senior leagues, with promotion all the way up to the Championship.
“Whether they get that or not, I don’t know. But I know that’s what they are asking for.”
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