Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie hopes hitting 600 games can inspire fellow sufferers of Crohn’s disease anything is possible.
Shinnie, 33, is set to make his 600th club appearance when facing Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Pittodrie on Saturday.
It is a remarkable milestone as Shinnie admits he feared he would never play again when he had major surgery for his condition, aged 18.
The Aberdonian had to undergo an 11-hour operation at Raigmore Hospital.
A struggle to get out of his hospital bed, continuing his football career seemed a forlorn dream.
However, Shinnie has enjoyed a 15-year-career since that surgery – and is still going strong.
‘Just getting out of bed and walking to the window was tough’
Crohn’s disease is a lifelong chronic illness where parts of the digestive system become inflamed.
Shinnie said: “Having this career is my biggest win in football.
“I didn’t imagine I would be able to when I was sitting in a hospital bed.
“It was all about health being wealth at that point, so to be making my 600th game is something I’m very proud of.
“What happened at Inverness and Raigmore Hospital gave me that opportunity so I’m very grateful for that.
“Recovering in the hospital was tough as I was bed bound for a week after the operation.
“Then just getting out the bed and walking to the window was tough.
“I was thinking: ‘I can’t get out of my bed, let alone play football’.
“But I was young and started to feel better after a few months.
“I had to cancel a trip with my mates to Ayia Napa and went with my parents to Turkey instead and used it to build myself back up.
“Then the process was just getting back playing, and controlling things with diet and no alcohol.
“It’s weird how it’s worked, because it’s an illness where fatigue can be really bad – and I almost play the opposite way as I’m full of energy.”
During his career, Shinnie has captained his home city club Aberdeen across two separate spells.
He led Inverness Caley Thistle to Scottish Cup glory in 2015 as skipper and also played in England with Derby County and Wigan Athletic.
Shinnie has also been capped six times by Scotland.
He said: “I’m appreciative to have played so many games and to still have the platform to play more.
“Back when I was 18 and just starting, I went through the troubles with my Crohn’s.
“To have come through that and be 600 games on is motivation for a lot of people that are struggling with Crohn’s.
“I’ve spoke to a lot of people after coming out (about Crohn’s) and it gives them hope.
“Not even just football, but in life in general – that you can go on and achieve a lot of things.”
Shinnie still desperate for Aberdeen trophy
Shinnie has made 268 appearances for Aberdeen across spells spanning 2015 to 2019 and January 2023 to now.
He has led Aberdeen out at cup finals and in Europe.
However, the one thing he is determined to achieve with Aberdeen is lifting a trophy at Hampden.
He said: “It’s something I’ve never shied away from and always been desperate to do.
“I know how tough it is to do it. I’ve given myself enough opportunities.
“We have a chance on Saturday to get through to the next round and that’s very important.”
Standing between the Dons’ skipper and his dream of lifting a trophy at Hampden in May is Championship Queen’s Park.
The Spiders sent Rangers crashing out of the Scottish Cup in the previous round with a shock 1-0 win at Ibrox.
Queen’s Park also pushed Aberdeen close in the last 16 of the League Cup in August.
It required a goal in time added on for the Dons to win the tie 1-0 at Pittodrie.
Shinnie said: “We know how good Queen’s Park are and the troubles they could cause us after playing this season.
“They’ve got a great manager (Callum Davidson) who won the cup double with St Johnstone (2020-21).
“He knows how to navigate his way through cup games and how to be a good cup team.
“We’ve been focused all week on our game-plan.
“It’s all about Saturday and putting in to play and getting through.
“We know anything can happen in the cup, but we want to control the game and control what happens.
“It’s a cup game, so it’s do or die really.”
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