SCOTT Severin is determined that Queen of the South will not deny him the opportunity of joining the list of Aberdeen greats who have captained the club to Scottish Cup success.
Every day on reporting for training the Dons midfielder is confronted with the yellowing images of Martin Buchan, Willie Miller and Alex McLeish receiving the trophy.
It is a legacy that has proved more intimidating than inspirational for subseque
nt generations and the former Hearts player is anxious to break that pattern in next month's final.
Only the First Division side from Dumfries stand between Severin andthe chance to lead his team out in the showpiece finale to the season with the prospect of localised immortality that victory would bring.
He said: "I came to this club to win things and leading Aberdeen to a final would be fantastic, especially if we could go on and be successful in it.
"You see the photographs of former players like Willie Miller and Alex McLeish who captained Aberdeen to success so there is a great opportunity for me to join them.
"It was an honour to be made captain given this club's history and getting into the top half of the SPL and doing so well in Europe has been great but getting to, then winning the final would cap everything off for me."
Not that Severin will take anything for granted against a side with a number of former Aberdeen players in their ranks to add some additional spice to the occasion.
John Stewart, Jamie McQuilken and the mischievous Steve Tosh, who has already renewed his acquaintance with his former team-mate at a distance, are in the Queen of the South squad.
Severin knows just how motivated they will be, along with Neil MacFarlane who was a colleague at both Pittodrie and Tynecastle in the past. He added: "The players who were here will be out to put one over Aberdeen. In fact, I know there will be a bit of banter in midfield as it's started already!
"I hadn't heard from Steve Tosh for ages until I began getting texts from him the other night. No matter what happens, you will never shut him up. We'll hear him before we see him on Saturday.
"As for Neil, he's not a flashy type but he's a great team player. He gives absolutely everything in each game so it will be a difficult battle in the middle of the park."
Severin knows the tie is a tricky one and added: "Some of their lads will look on it as their last chance to reach a final and Queen of the South have never made it to one before so it's huge for them."
The full article contains 461 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
