Former Don Jim Bett believes the chance to reach the Scottish Cup final can galvanise Aberdeen’s season.
Jimmy Thelin’s side will face Hearts in next month’s semi-final for the chance to play either holders Celtic or St Johnstone in the showpiece finale to the season in May.
The stakes are high for both the Dons and the Jambos as the winners of the cup will also qualify for the Europa League play-off round next season, effectively guaranteeing group stage European football in the next campaign.
Bett, who played for both clubs, believes the carrot of European competition will be every bit as important as cup glory for both Aberdeen and Hearts.
He said: “All the ingredients are there for this to be a great semi-final. The atmosphere is going to be fantastic anyway because both carry good sets of supporters.
“I think it’s going to be a tight game the way the teams are playing just now.
“Hopefully Aberdeen can keep their form going up to the semi as Hearts have started playing well too.
“It’s so important Aberdeen get that form going into that semi-final and hopefully take it into the final as well.
“The semi will be a tough hurdle because Hearts are in the same boat as Aberdeen. They’re looking for Europe as well next year.”
Bett hopes cup win shows the Dons are getting back to their best
Aberdeen and Hearts have endured wildly inconsistent seasons so far.
Thelin’s Reds started the campaign with 31 points from a possible 33 while Hearts mustered just nine points from their opening 14 games.
The Dons then went on a horrendous run while the Jambos have found their form and moved to within six points of their cup semi-final opponents in the Scottish Premiership.
Bett said: “It’s been so erratic.
“It was a terrible run Aberdeen had in the league. It was only four points from 42. I think it’s only the last three games they’ve started picking up a bit.
“Even against Dundee United, it was only the last 15-20 minutes they started playing but hopefully the Queen’s Park win at the weekend is a sign they are getting their form going again because before those last three games it wasn’t great at all to watch.”
‘Both clubs have everything to play for’
The advantage is still with Aberdeen, however slim, as the clubs chase a European berth in the Premiership but Bett knows after avoiding holders Celtic in the semi-final draw, both clubs will be looking to the Scottish Cup as a real opportunity.
He said: “They are in a similar situation to Aberdeen and both clubs will be thinking now they have everything to play for.
“It’s quite similar the way both clubs are set up and given how important Europe is for the clubs I expect the semi-final to be really tight.
“Hopefully the key players at Aberdeen are good enough on the day to take the club to the final.
“Getting to the final would be a nice way to end the season, especially for the supporters.
“They are huge clubs with great support. Aberdeen in the past were used to getting into finals but Hearts supporters now expect it as well.
“Obviously Celtic are the favourites. They’re playing well at the moment, and they have got a strong team.
“But the cup has become so important now for Aberdeen and Hearts. If you don’t win the cup, you need Celtic to win it and finish third so the stakes are huge.
“They’ll both be thinking ‘we’ve still got a chance at it.”
Hampden meeting will be just the third between the teams
The meeting of the Dons and the Jambos will be just the third time they have faced each other at Hampden in the Scottish Cup.
Bett played in the first encounter, a 3-0 cup final win in 1986, while Hearts edged the 1996 semi-final 2-1.
The 1986 final came as Hearts had been pipped to the league championship on the final day of the season.
Bett recalled: “I remember John Hewitt got two and Billy Stark scored the other one. It was a good day.
“That year Hearts just lost out in the league, so I knew it was going to be a tough game because the final was their last chance to win silverware.
“To be fair, Hearts were a really good team at that time, but we had a lot of experience in our team as well and it was a comfortable afternoon for us in the end.”
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