I have lost count of how many times I have watched St Mirren’s winning goal from the weekend.
Certainly not for Toyosi Olusanya’s winner nor to analyse the Aberdeen defending.
But the reaction of Graeme Shinnie after the ball hits the back of the net is remarkable.
In a clip which has been shared widely online, the Dons captain explodes into an astonishing rage of anger and frustration at the situation he finds himself in.
For 95 minutes the Dons looked on course for a badly needed victory to halt their worrying slide down the Scottish Premiership table.
Connor Barron’s sumptuous strike in the opening minute was the perfect way to settle any nerves.
But the Dons collapsed in injury time, conceding a penalty in the 96th minute before Olusanya’s dramatic winner for the Buddies a mere minute later.
The reaction of Shinnie after St Mirren’s second goal spoke volumes.
I can’t recall such a display of passion on the pitch. That certainly wasn’t for the benefit of the fans or the cameras. If it was, Shinnie would be an Oscar winner rather than a Scottish Cup winner.
Just 87 seconds after drawing level…@t__olusanya sends The SMiSA Stadium into raptures. #OurStMirren #COYS pic.twitter.com/DtTTUm7Nui
— St Mirren FC (@saintmirrenfc) March 3, 2024
No, that was just pure passion. Pure frustration at seeing his side inexplicably clutch defeat from the jaws of victory in the dying embers of the game.
Aberdeen are in the midst of a terrible run of form at the wrong time of the season.
The aim of qualifying for European football once again has been replaced with the more pressing priority of ensuring the Dons remain in the top flight next season.
The Reds have recently been taking criticism from all angles – and after a run of poor results that comes with the territory.
But nobody will be feeling more deflated and disappointed about the club’s predicament than the players, particularly Shinnie.
At the heart of the action
The 32-year-old is closing in on 250 appearances for his hometown team.
His form has fluctuated this season but his effort and commitment throughout the campaign can’t be questioned.
The stats back up Shinnie’s determination for the cause. He is the second most fouled player in the Scottish Premiership this season – and he has committed the second most fouls.
Only Daniel Phillips of St Johnstone has conceded more fouls, while Motherwell’s Callum Slattery is the only top-flight player who has been fouled on more occasions than Shinnie.
He is fifth in the league for tackles won and, perhaps unsurprisingly, fifth for yellow cards.
Shinnie leads by example on and off the pitch – often the one fronting up for the post-match media duties after a tough defeat and almost always hitting the right note with his answers.
I was taken aback recently when I heard through a friend about the way the Dons captain had reached out to a supporter who was going through a tough time which further proved to me how seriously he takes his role as an ambassador of the club.
Shinnie has also spoken openly about his battle with Crohn’s disease as a teenager that could have prevented him from making the grade as a top-flight footballer in the hope his tale will act as inspiration to others.
In a difficult situation, Aberdeen have the right man wearing the armband.
If results don’t start to go Aberdeen’s way soon then this will become a very nervy end to the season for the Dons.
It seems almost unthinkable a side which produced some admirable performances in Europe and reached a cup final earlier this season could go down but that is what will happen if the Dons don’t start putting points on the board.
And if Aberdeen are to escape their current predicament, Shinnie can’t do it by himself.
It will require a collective effort rather than an individual one.
Attention now turns to the Scottish Cup and a massive match against Kilmarnock. Shinnie has tasted unlikely success in the competition before with former club Caley Thistle in 2015.
He would love to do the same with Aberdeen but his priority will be to get the Dons away from the danger at the bottom of the league.
The viral clip of his reaction to St Mirren proves how determined he will be to salvage Aberdeen’s season over the coming weeks.
