Richard Gordon: Aberdeen trophy wait can end under Jimmy Thelin

Jimmy Thelin goes in search of his 11th straight victory on Saturday night as Aberdeen look to secure a return trip to Hampden Park.

The Dons have appeared at the national stadium on 14 occasions over the past decade, missing out in only three of those years, and they are firm odds-on favourites to add to an impressive run when they welcome The Spartans to Pittodrie in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals.

The capital side are decent, they play good football and carry a goal threat, but they are operating a few levels down from Aberdeen, and it should be a comfortable enough 90 minutes.

The attitude of the Aberdeen players will have to be spot-on, but I have no doubt the manager will ensure that is the case.

I would expect him to field a strong line-up. Having been handed the best draw possible for the quarter-finals, he knows the importance of this game.

Of the 10 national semi-finals the Dons have reached since winning the League Cup in 2014, they have won four, but have then lost out in the final showdown.

Taking that extra step, and lifting silverware, will be Jimmy’s target.

Aberdeen players are dejected at full-time after the penalty shoot-out loss to Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden last season. Image: SNS.

That is still some way off, Spartans have to be taken care of first, and a semi would then have to be negotiated – but given how the season has so far gone, there is every reason to be confident and optimistic.

Momentum – whether positive or negative – is a massive thing in football. When a team are on a roll, it somehow appears to allow players to find an extra few percent, luck seems to go your way, the ball breaks more kindly.

But the hard work still has to be put in, and anyone who has watched Aberdeen under the Swede will have seen this is one of his pre-requisites.

There is a dynamism about the Dons which has been sadly lacking at times in recent years. They win possession back more quickly, and while they have been playing some attractive football, they are not afraid to be more direct when the opportunity arises.

And they are scoring goals!

Motherwell’s Aston Oxborough makes a save under pressure from Aberdeen’s Slobodan Rubezic. Image: SNS.

Pape Gueye unexpectedly steps up as most likely Bojan Miovski replacement

Every year across the leagues, players emerge unexpectedly and make a real impact.

There have been countless examples of those written off by a past manager or club who suddenly flourish – and Aberdeen might just have one in Pape Gueye.

Having been brought back into the fold, the Senegalese striker, jettisoned on loan to Norway in January, has stepped up as the most likely replacement for Bojan Miovski, and is currently the top scorer in the Premiership.

His first against Motherwell last weekend was outstanding – not something I was aware he was even capable of – and if he continues to feed off the confidence he must be feeling right now, he could be a valuable asset in the coming months.

Aberdeen's Pape Gueye scores a superb solo goal to make it 1-0 against Motherwell. Image: SNS — Aberdeen’s Pape Gueye scores a superb solo goal to make it 1-0 against Motherwell. Image: SNS.

After today, there are games against Dundee and Hearts before the trip to Celtic Park in mid-October.

If the Dons can keep the winning run going, that could be quite an afternoon!

League One looks set to be Scotland’s most competitive division this term

The Championship has traditionally been seen as the most competitive of the four divisions in the SPFL, regularly reaching the last couple of weeks of the campaign with most, if not all, the clubs still battling either for promotion or relegation.

That could well change this time round.

The early signs are that there might be a divide in the second tier, and a few teams could be cast adrift. Instead, the baton looks likely to be handed over to League One.

Six games in and only Alloa Athletic are unbeaten, but they have had four draws so far. Dumbarton have drawn all six!

No side has yet won more than two in a row, something Cove have achieved most recently against Montrose and Kelty Hearts.

We did not make the start we wanted, the side were playing well enough, but missing chances and conceding poor goals. Having recorded those victories, we are just three points off the top.

The season is going to be an attritional one, every match a battle, and it promises to be entirely unpredictable. The campaign will not be a comfortable journey, but it will certainly be an exciting one for the neutrals.