St Johnstone v Aberdeen: Dons’ new mentality

William Hill Scottish Cup Semi-Final

At Ibrox, Tomorrow,
Kick-Off 12:45Pm

Referee: W Collum

TV: Live On Bbc2 Scotland & Sky Sports 2

Radio: Radio Scotland

Of course the defender and his team-mates have a lot to be pleased about right now with the Dons closing in on their best season in 24 years after lifting the League Cup last month.

They ruthlessly destroyed St Johnstone in the semi-final of that competition and are determined to defeat the same opponents in the last four of the Scottish Cup tomorrow.

Predictably, that 4-0 thrashing at Tynecastle has had some of the Perth club’s players speaking about their thirst for revenge at Ibrox, but Reynolds knows talk is cheap. Aberdeen have been content to do their talking on the pitch where they haven’t conceded a single goal to St Johnstone in four previous meetings this term.

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Motherwell defender credits that to confidence, rather than cockiness, in the way Derek McInnes’s players have strutted their stuff this season.

That’s why he’s happy to let their opponents say what they like because they will have a long wait if they expect Aberdeen to become victims of their own conceit.

He said: “They can talk all they want about what they’re going to do to Aberdeen, this or that. That’s how they prepare for games. It’s not how it’s done up here, not how this Aberdeen do it. We concern ourselves with our own team, what we can do, as there is a fine line between swagger and arrogance.

“There are plenty willing to say that Aberdeen are getting cocky or getting ahead of themselves but I think it’s easier for us to be confident now with the history we’ve got behind us this season. The main attribute is we’ve got a team full of winners. Everything is competitive and everyone wants to win – purely for the sake of winning. When you’ve got a lot of guys like that, it breeds within the team. Younger guys learn from it.

“The manager needs to be complimented for bringing in that kind of player – and for the way he makes his players carry themselves on and off the field.”

That sort of togetherness was evident when Aberdeen claimed their first trophy in 19 years last month in a penalty shoot-out with Inverness Caley Thistle. That sparked wild scenes of celebration among their 43,000 supporters at Celtic Park with more than double that number lining Union Street to salute the team the following weekend.

Now, having waited so long for one open-top bus parade, Reynolds wants a second one in quick succession. That would certainly guarantee McInnes’s side a significant place in the club’s history as it would be only their third domestic cup double. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side did it in 1985/86 and Alex Smith’s team achieved the same feat just four years later. Reynolds sees the pictures of past glories every day at Pittodrie and is determined to earn a place in that hall of fame.

He added: “Once you taste that wee bit of success and see Union Street packed with tens of thousands of people, it’s definitely a feeling you want to relive.

“This club is steeped in history, the walls are plastered with pictures from a great past. It’s been imposing for Aberdeen teams to live up to it but it has always been something that this current team has aspired to.