Dons forward Adam Rooney is thrilled David Goodwillie has committed his future to Aberdeen after the pair went from rivals to developing one of the best attacking partnerships seen at Pittodrie for years.
At the beginning of the season, Rooney and Goodwille were vying for the lone forward position in Derek McInnes’ preferred formation.
But the Aberdeen manager soon realised the duo were too good to leave out and has since tinkered with his tactics to accommodate both players.
The decision has paid dividends with the duo’s goals helping the Dons into contention at the top of the Scottish Premiership and the final four of the League Cup.
Rooney has shouldered the goalscoring burden with 19 this season in comparison to Goodwillie’s more modest return of five, but the Irishman was quick to praise his team-mate for the impact he has had at Pittodrie.
Goodwillie this week signed a one-year extension to remain at Pittodrie until 2016 and Rooney has promised there is plenty more to come from the double act.
He said: “The more you with someone the better the understanding.
“David has been great since he came in. All the players get on well with him and you can see his quality and the influence he has on the team.
“We have linked up well and have a good understanding on the pitch.
“That will develop the more we play together.
“We are linking up well and creating chances for each other.
“In the last few weeks he has set me up for goals and I have set him up as well. That is something we want to develop but there is pressure on us from Lawrence Shankland and Declan McManus, who has come back from being away on loan at Morton.
“Having that competition for places is important.”
Goodwille has found a new lease of life since returning north of the border after an unhappy stint in England with Blackburn Rovers.
Rooney endured a similarly testing experience when his move from Caley Thistle to Birmingham City turned sour but he is now thriving after joining the Dons from Oldham a year ago.
He said: “It is a good environment at Aberdeen. It is very positive around the place at the minute and it is easy to come in and enjoy the football.
“There are a good group of lads and the manager and Tony Docherty put on good training sessions.
“It has been very easy to settle in here and enjoy our football.”
Celtic’s 4-0 win against Motherwell on Wednesday moved the Hoops to the top of the Scottish Premiership but the Dons can return to the summit with a win against St Johnstone in Perth this evening.
Rooney, however, is expecting a much improved Perth Saints performance from the abject display which led to a 2-0 defeat at Caley Thistle on Tuesday.
He added: “We just want to keep the momentum going and win every game we go into.
“St Johnstone is going to be a difficult game, especially after the result they had at Inverness and they will be looking to bounce back.
“I thought that would be a closer game than it was because St Johnstone have a good side.
“We just want to get the three points and get as high up the table as we can.”