Aberdeen under-18s skipper Alfie Stewart is determined to end the club’s 23-year Scottish Youth Cup title drought by raising the trophy at Hampden.
The 17-year-old will lead the young Dons out in the final at the national stadium against Rangers on Wednesday evening.
It is the first step to what Aberdeen hope will be a dream double as the Pittodrie young guns are also in contention to win the league title this season.
Aberdeen have not won the prestigious SFA Youth Cup since 2001.
Lifelong Aberdeen supporter and youth academy graduate Stewart insists the Dons are ready to rise to the challenge of ending that wait.
He said: “In these big games, you don’t want to hide, you want to perform.
“We are in the final and now need to go the extra step.
“Leading the boys out at Hampden will be special, but to go the next step and lift the trophy would be amazing.
“We have a great group and it is fantastic to be playing in a cup final at Hampden.
“It is a huge game and we want to do well – and believe we can.”
Aberdeen U18s ‘team spirit is massive’
Stewart is currently loan at League Two Peterhead and is set to feature in the promotion play-offs with the Balmoor club.
Aberdeen booked their Hampden slot with an emphatic 7-2 defeat of Ayr United in the semi-final.
The free-scoring Dons have netted 16 times in four games so far in the tournament, conceding only four.
They kicked off the cup bid with a 2-0 defeat of Caledonian Braves.
Pittodrie’s rising stars then beat Kilmarnock 4-0, before overcoming St Johnstone 3-2 in the quarter-final.
Stewart said: “The team spirit is massive.
“We have all been together throughout the academy and a few of us went to school together.
“It is strong group with lots of laughs, but when it comes to being serious we are and we are switched on.
“I expect us to get after Rangers and play how we want to.
“With the threat we have going forward, we know we are capable of winning.”
Inspiring Aberdeen’s next generation
Young players from Pittodrie’s youth academy will be bussed down to cheer on the Dons’ bid to make history.
Stewart was in the same situation when he travelled with his team-mates to cheer on Aberdeen in the cup final against Hibs (3-1 loss) at Hampden in 2018.
He aims to lift the trophy to inspire the next generation coming through.
Stewart said: “I was in the youth academy and we all got the bus down to watch that final against Hibs.
“To know we are playing at Hampden and the whole youth academy is coming to watch us is a bit of deja vu.
“There is a pathway at the club for young players – players like Connor Barron, Ryan Duncan and Jack Milne have come through.
“It shows that there is belief in you to go that far and you just have to work hard.”
Aberdeen fighting for league glory
Stewart signed a contract extension in January tying him to the club until summer 2026.
After the Hampden final, the Reds will immediately turn their attentions towards the bid to win the league title.
There are four games remaining and the Dons are in the mix for the league crown.
Stewart said: “It is what we want. To do the cup and league would be special.
“But the only thing on my mind now is the cup final, which is first.
“We need to perform in that.”
Aberdeen U18s boss Scott Anderson challenges Dons to become history makers
Aberdeen U18s lead coach Scott Anderson has hailed the spirit of the squad.
Anderson has been helping interim boss Peter Leven with the first team as well as spearheading the U18s’ glory bid.
He said: “It is more than 20 years since Aberdeen last won this tournament.
“There have been good squads throughout that time that haven’t managed to win it, so these players have a chance to make history.
“Now we want to be the next group that wins it for the club..
“We have some really good individual players.
“But the positive for me is they have came together as a group and have a real spirit and togetherness.
“It will be a difficult game, but we have confidence within ourselves and know we can trouble them going forward.”
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