GRAEME Shinnie showed just why Aberdeen are prepared to make him the highest-paid player in their history yesterday by supplying the goals that ensured the Pittodrie club equalled their record winning run away from home.
Shinnie netted against the run of play in the first-half and then added another fine individual effort in the second to ensure Derek McInnes’s team triumphed for the seventh game in succession on the road.
That hot streak of form has not been achieved by the north-east club since way back in the 1970/71 season when Eddie Turnbull was their manager, Joe Harper their leading goalscorer and Martin Buchan their captain.
Shinnie’s current deal expires at the end of the current campaign and, with English Championship clubs Brentford, Hull City and Wigan all interested in securing his services, he has still to sign an extension.
The midfielder underlined, not that he particularly needed to, just why his current employers are so keen to keep him and are willing to give him a lucrative pay rise if he decides to stay.
The travelling supporters certainly showed how they feel about the Scotland internationalist after he had scored his goals and during the course of the 90 minutes by repeatedly chanting the name of their hero.
Derek McInnes - whose team moved to within two points of second-placed Rangers, who take on Hamilton this afternoon, in the Ladbrokes Premiership with the victory – stressed that he is as eager as anyone to hold on to his skipper.
“He has a lot to consider at the moment,” he said. “But what is clear is his pride at being an Aberdeen player and his love of being the Aberdeen captain and the adoration of the supporters towards him and him towards them. There is a connection there.
“My relationship with him is as strong as it has ever been with any player. I wouldn’t swap him for anyone. He is someone I feel I have got a real trust in, as a person as well as my captain. We are hanging on to that really.
“He has got a lot to think about – he has got a young family and he is an ambitious boy. But all these factors will influence his decision. Hopefully he will continue to be an Aberdeen players. As I say, we are hanging on to that.”
Shinnie did brilliantly after receiving the ball from Dom Ball on the edge of the St Johnstone penalty box in the 15th minute. He stepped inside Sean Goss and curled a shot with his weaker right beyond goalkeeper Cammy Bell and into the bottom right corner.
He sewed up another three points for his team with a wonderful individual effort in the 75th minute. His low left foot shot from 20 yards out left Bell with no chance and would have impressed watching Aberdeen legend and current Scotland manager Alex McLeish.
Tommy Wright, the St Johnstone manager, feels Jason Kerr, who was once again outstanding for the home team despite the defeat they suffered, could be receiving a call from McLeish in the near future if he keeps performing so impressively.
"He's getting stronger,” he said. “He’s good on the ball, he makes important tackles, he stays on his feet - he’ll go a long way. It won’t be long before he's being mentioned in the same breath as (Scott) McKenna and (John) Souttar. He should be.
“I don’t know if he’ll be picked for Scotland. Alex was here and told the chairman he'd call me, which will be nice, but whatever happens happens. If he keeps doing well here he has a big future ahead of him.
"I believe he’s getting close to, if not better than, the two who are playing for Scotland. I’m sure Alex could only go away from today thinking how good he is.”
McInnes revealed before the game that Shay Logan, the right back who limped off in the William Hill Scottish Cup win over Queen of the South a fortnight ago, requires ankle surgery and could be out for the remainder of the season.
He is considering bringing in a free agent to cover for the player as well as centre half Tommie Hoban, the Watford loanee who suffered a cruciate ligament injury, in the remaining months of the 2018/19 campaign. “We will look to maybe try and bring in another defender on the out of contract list,” he said.
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