Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine is glad his impressive recent displays have not gone unnoticed – but laughed off suggestions of a statue being built in his honour any time soon.
Dons boss Derek McInnes has backed the 32-year-old for a place in the Scotland squad for the Euro 2020 play-off against Israel on March 26.
The defender has produced a string of superb performances this season, none more so than in last month’s Scottish Cup fifth round tie against Kilmarnock when he, almost single-handedly, dragged the Dons into the last eight of the competition.
Considine headed home an injury-time equaliser to send the game into extra time and then produced a surging run down the left wing and teasing cross into the penalty area which was diverted into his own net by Killie player Connor Johnson to give the Dons a memorable 4-3 win.
His cup heroics prompted some enthusiastic Dons supporters to start a campaign for a statue to be erected outside the Richard Donald Stand.
The defender, who has made more than 500 appearances for the Dons, said: “The fans were getting a bit carried away. If Willie Miller can’t get a statue then there is a slim chance of me getting one.
“I am a hometown boy and it is great playing for Aberdeen. I have always said that and seeing an appreciation from the fans is fantastic. With football, your performances help massively.
“If you are a hometown boy you can sometimes get a bit more stick but performances can turn things around. I have just tried to be consistent.
“I have tried to play as well as I can in every game, good or bad and I have pitched in with a few goals when we have been struggling. I have scored a couple of late goals and that has put smiles on faces.”
The Dons are sitting in fourth spot in the Scottish Premiership and a point behind Motherwell ahead of this Friday’s encounter between the teams at Fir Park.
But Considine remains confident the Dons will finish third to guarantee European football next season.
He added: “I feel we can go on a run. There are only eight games left. We are going to probably have more home games post-split and if we can put a good home run together, then that could be vital for us.
“Since we have got Matty Kennedy up to speed, he has helped massively. Hopefully, he will chip in with a few more goals but his assists are now helping massively.
“He is creating and also having young Connor McLennan on the other side has given us more of an attacking edge.
“We had been on a poor run but I think the win at Hamilton definitely helped massively. The 3-1 win got that monkey off our back when we weren’t scoring goals at that time.”