Scottish Cup winner Ross Draper faces a race against time to be fit for Elgin City’s fourth-round showdown with Aberdeen this month.
The experienced midfielder-turned-defender lifted the Scottish Cup with Inverness nine years ago.
And he’s desperate to try and guide League Two title-contenders Elgin to an upset against Jimmy Thelin’s Premiership visitors on January 18.
Aberdeen’s 10-match winless run has heaped pressure on the top-flight Dons following their own blistering start to the campaign.
Life is the opposite for Elgin, who are just one point behind leaders East Fife in the fourth-tier.
However, Draper suffered a grade-four tear of a tendon in his left thigh inside the first 10 minutes in the last round of the Scottish Cup, before City beat Clyde 8-7 on penalties.
And the 12-week period between then and the Aberdeen tie means it will be touch and go as to whether the 36-year-old will be in the running to make Allan Hale’s cup-tie squad.
Draper tells team-mates: Showcase what you can do v Aberdeen
Whether he is fit in time or not, Draper is desperate for his Elgin team-mates to make the most of their crack at the big boys.
He said: “I’d say the boys have to just enjoy the occasion – enjoy it by showcasing what you can do as an individual, and what you can do as a group.
“We’re used to the League Two hustle and bustle of scrapping for points week in, week out.
“Our players must try to enjoy the experience because it’ll be over within a short period of time. It’s a one-off game.
“We don’t want any regrets with the performance that we put in.
“I’m sure we will put in a top performance, as we have done throughout the whole season.
“It’s never an easy watch when you’re not playing, but the boys have been brilliant for the last kind of seven or eight weeks.
“When I was involved at the start of the season, we were really good as well.
“I’m proud of what the boys are doing, and I’m sure that they’ll put on a good performance, even if I don’t make the deadline.”
Injury ‘as bad as it could have got’
Of his thigh injury, Draper said: “It was probably as bad as it could have got. It was a grade-four tear of the tendon. It was borderline on whether I would need an operation.
“Because it is so deep in the tendon, I actually feel okay. I feel like I could go and run.
“But I need to ensure when I do come back, I don’t relapse. It’s a frustrating one because we were doing so well – hopefully I’m not far away now!
“The Aberdeen game would be bang on the minimum time I would need, so fingers-crossed I could be in contention.”
Aberdeen won’t have liked draw against Elgin – Draper
Early indications are the cup-tie at Borough Briggs should be a sell-out, and Draper is confident the home supporters can make it a special night.
He said: “Hopefully our fans recognise what we’re doing as a group, and will make it a sell-out and really get behind the boys.
“Without trying to shift pressure, there’s a free hit for us – we’re looking forward to putting on a good show and showing that we can compete with higher-ranked teams.
“We’ve done that this season (by beating then-League One leaders Kelty Hearts), although Aberdeen are clearly a much-higher level.”
“I guarantee that Aberdeen would have looked at the tie when it came out and not liked it, if I’m honest.
“You don’t want to come to a team that’s doing well in a lower division to play on a tough surface facing a strong home crowd. They would have wanted a home tie, like every club does.
“These ties are never easy for the higher-ranked club – I’ve been there and experienced it with Elgin when we lost (6-0) against Jeanfield Swifts (of the East of Scotland Premier League) last season.
Aberdeen have not won the Scottish Cup for such a long time. This will be seen as their best opportunity for a couple of years, and it’s up to us to try and make it as hard as we can for them.”
Draper backs Aberdeen to recover from slump
Aberdeen – fourth in the Premiership – have two massive league matches before they think about Elgin, hosting Hearts on Sunday and then visiting Rangers next Wednesday.
Draper said: “The start to the season Aberdeen made was incredible. They’ve a good manager in place and they’re clearly a good side. The performances they were putting in was no fluke.
“They’ve shown so far what they can do under Jimmy Thelin, and I’m sure, at the click of a finger, they can turn it back on.
“Aberdeen are still a very good side. It would have been nice to see them involved in a title race this season, but it looks like Celtic are away and cruising.
“In the future, hopefully with the new manager, they can push Celtic and Rangers and it could be a bit more of a title race.”
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