Aberdeen winger Ryan Duncan is ready to “give everything” to fight for a first-team slot under Jimmy Thelin when he returns to Pittodrie in the summer.
The 21-year-old has impressed during a successful season-long loan at Championship Queen’s Park.
Duncan reckons he has made improvements to his game this term – including adding more physical robustness.
And he aims to prove to boss Thelin during pre-season he is ready to make an impact with the Dons.
Duncan revealed Thelin has been in regular contact during the loan spell and kept close tabs on the winger’s progress.
Duncan has played 34 times for the Spiders, with 28 starts, scoring four goals.
He played a key role in Queen’s Park’s shock 1-0 Scottish Cup win against Rangers at Ibrox.
Ready to prove a point in pre-season
Their reward for the historic win was a quarter-final clash against Aberdeen, which the Dons won 4-1.
It was the “worst possible” draw for Duncan, though, as he was ineligible to play against parent club Aberdeen due to the terms of his loan deal.
However, he could yet return to Pittodrie as a trophy winner – as Duncan is set to star for Queen’s Park in the Scottish Challenge Cup final against Livingston on Sunday.
Duncan said: “The loan has been great for me as I needed to get a full season of playing week in, week out at a good level under my belt.
“I have enjoyed every minute of my time at Queen’s Park, but my end goal is to come back to Aberdeen in the pre-season and make a point to the manager – to do everything I can to be in his team for next season.
“Aberdeen is the team I want to play for, so I have to go back in the summer and give everything and try to prove to the manager that I’m ready to play.”
Duncan is contracted to Aberdeen until summer 2026, having signed a three-year contract extension in 2023.
Duncan adding more physicality
He has made 16 starts and 37 appearances off the bench for the Dons, scoring twice.
The winger played in three Premier Sports Cup group games under Thelin earlier this season, pitching in with two assists.
Duncan believes the loan spell in the Championship has improved his physical game.
He said: “I’m quite a big player anyway, but there were maybe times when I could have been a bit stronger and used my body a bit more.
“Playing against some defenders in this league who are a bit older, but very experienced, you have to learn quick that I have to use my body and try to shield the ball.
“I have also chipped in with quite a few assists this season.
“It is about trying to get more and more assists and keep improving.
“Aberdeen have been in regular contact with me.
“They also go through all my games and clips and things like that.
“If I need anything they are just up the road.
“I was up training (at Cormack Park) in the middle of January for a couple of days. I got to see all the boys and the coaches and have a wee chat.”
There is a cruel irony Duncan spent the season at Queen’s Park who play at Hampden – the venue of the winger’s worst experience in football.
Moving on from penalty heartache
Duncan missed the decisive spot-kick in the Scottish Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out loss to Celtic at the national stadium last season.
His spot-kick hit the post as Celtic won 6-5 on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
He said: “The semi-final loss was gutting and I missed the penalty in the shoot-out.
“The way I see it is I don’t regret taking the penalty. I’m still glad I went up to take one and had the courage to do that.
“Although it was disappointing to go out, we should still be proud of the way we played – every player in the team had a right go at Celtic.
“But in penalties, anything can happen.
“At the time it was gutting to miss the penalty and lose, but the thing with football is you have to move on quickly, and you have to think about the next game.”
Duncan was to suffer further Scottish Cup disappointment this season.
He started and played a key role in Queen’s Park’s historic 1-0 win against Rangers at Ibrox in the tournament.
The ‘worst possible’ draw for winger
On being part of a victory over Rangers, but then missing the quarter-final clash with Aberdeen, Duncan said: “With Aberdeen you go to Ibrox and expect to win.
“With Queen’s Park we weren’t expected to win at all, and people were writing us off before the game had even started.
“It was a great feeling that I will never forget.
“The cup run was really good, but it was the worst draw possible for me.
“As soon as the second ball was pulled out and I saw it was Queen’s Park, I was gutted as I knew I wouldn’t be able to play.”
Duncan targeting trophy glory
Scotland’s oldest club Queen’s Park will compete in a national tournament final for the first time in 125 years when facing Livingston on Sunday.
The SPFL Trust Trophy final will be held at The Falkirk Stadium.
Former Aberdeen striker Steven MacLean is Queen’s Park interim manager for the final after Callum Davidson was sacked earlier this month.
Duncan said: “It is a huge occasion and means so much to Queen’s Park.
“Obviously I’m on loan, but – whoever you play for – to get to a cup final is what you want to do as a player.
“You want to play in the biggest games and win as much trophies as you can.
“I’m buzzing for the game and hopefully we can win the trophy.
“It is never nice to see any manager lose their job, and Callum brought me to Queen’s Park and showed faith in me by playing me, so I have a lot to thank him for.”
Conversation