Mikey Devlin hopes the bond formed on and off the pitch with team-mate Scott McKenna can pay dividends with Aberdeen.
The former Hamilton Accies captain made his first appearance for the Dons after his January move from Accies to Pittodrie in Aberdeen’s 1-0 win against Cobh Ramblers in Cork on Saturday.
Devlin impressed alongside rising star McKenna and it seems the partnership between the central defenders extends beyond the Aberdeen dressing-room.
Devlin said: “Big Scott and I live together now – in a non-romantic way, obviously.
“I get on great with big Scotty, we sit beside each other in the changing room and if that can stand us in good stead for the season ahead, if selected, then great.
“He’s a really good flatmate as he is away all the time. I thought I would have to do all the cooking but he’s a dab hand in the kitchen so it’s good.
“He’s had a few clubs looking at him as his performances have been top-drawer, capped off with his Scotland appearances and captaining his country.
“He is the most modest, down-to-earth guy you’ll meet considering the success he has had and that’s credit to him and how he conducts himself. I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Devlin is a fan of his defensive team-mate and would love to emulate his success in gaining international recognition.
But establishing himself at his new club is the first priority.
He said: “Every Scottish boy dreams of representing his country but I’m not about to get ahead of myself. I’ve come to Aberdeen which, with all due respect to Hamilton, is a step up. There’s a new challenge here and I need to get myself fit and playing week in, week out. That will be tough enough before I can even think about representing Scotland.”