Aberdeen manager Barry Robson will take no chances at Stirling Albion on Friday after insisting he will field his strongest available side in the Viaplay Cup second round tie.
The Dons head to Forthbank as strong favourites, but Robson insists former Dons skipper Darren Young’s League One side can expect to face a full-strength Reds side in the second round tie.
Robson said: “I have too much respect for Stirling Albion.
“Darren Young has done well.
“He has them well-organised and they are a hard team to play against. I have seen it a million times before if you take an opposition lightly.
“We will do all the same work as we always do.
“I have been in this game too long and I know you have to be prepared and to do everything properly.”
Darvel not in the Dons’ thoughts
Tonight’s League Cup tie will be Aberdeen’s first cup game since their humiliating Scottish Cup exit at Darvel in January.
The result was the beginning of the end for former Dons boss Jim Goodwin, but Robson insists the biggest cup upset in the club’s history has not shaped his approach to tonight’s League Cup tie.
When asked about Darvel, Robson said: “I have never even thought about it. It hasn’t even come into my mind.”
Robson was in the Dons midfield when Aberdeen last won the cup in 2014 and the Dons boss is focused on leading his side on an extended run in the competition.
He said: “We want to do as well as we can in the cups.
“It is never easy.
“You look for favourable draws, but what is a favourable draw? We just need to face each game as it comes.
“First up is Stirling, who are a good team. We will put out our strongest team to try and get through and into the next round.”
Cup is a chance for silverware for Aberdeen
Celtic have been dominant in the tournament, winning seven of the last 10 finals, but with the Dons among the three other sides – St Johnstone and Ross County are also winners from the past decade – to lift the cup.
Robson believes his side should be daring to dream.
He said: “I think in the last 10 years, lots of teams have won cups. The challenge is there.
“Anybody can beat anybody over a one-off game.
“That is the way we look at it and it will be the same for the smaller clubs.
“Stirling will be trying to beat us and we know we will need to be at our best to try to beat them.”
Aberdeen supporters will head to Forthbank in good numbers after selling out their allocation for the cup tie.
Having been roared on by a strong support in the opening day goalless draw at Livingston and in last weekend’s home defeat by Celtic, Robson hopes to give a strong travelling Red Army something to sign about heading into the weekend.
The Aberdeen manager said: “They’ve been outstanding. What an atmosphere at the weekend.
“They had the place rocking again and it was a good advert for Scottish football, I thought.
“The fans will be there to back us and get us over the line and we will do everything to try to get a result for them.”
Jonny Hayes is set to return for the Dons after missing last weekend’s match, but Rhys Williams, Angus MacDonald and new signing James McGarry will not feature.
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