Aberdeen take inspiration from travelling support and Red Shed as they look to clinch third place

Jonny Hayes applauds the travelling Aberdeen support at Ibrox during the 1-0 defeat by Rangers.

With four league games remaining, Aberdeen are still in a very strong position. They are currently in third place and nearest challengers Hearts also dropped points on Sunday, losing to Celtic at the same time as Rangers overcame Barry Robson’s men 1-0 in Govan. There is still a five-point gap between the two, with Hibs a further point and position back. It is the Hibees that visit Pittodrie on Saturday in what is a crucial match in deciding who finishes best of the rest. If the Dons win that, they will almost certainly eliminate Hibs from the running and give themselves a huge boost ahead of facing Hearts at Tynecastle the following week.

Veteran Jonny Hayes, who wore the captain’s armband against Rangers, wants to get Europe as a reward for the fans. The Aberdeen support have backed their team regardless of form, having to go through the ignominy of losing to non-league Darvel in the Scottish Cup and suffering heavy defeats to both Hearts and Hibs. The 37-year-old Irishman knows the importance of being on the continent for a club that celebrates the 40th anniversary of winning the Cup Winners’ Cup against Real Madrid this week.

"For me it is probably an expectation of the fans that we have,” said Hayes on the prospect of finishing third. “They want Aberdeen up the top end of the table. Regardless of how you get there, you try your best and some seasons it doesn’t work out. This season it has not been a lack of effort, we just didn’t play well enough in that period after the winter break and the response since then to go on a run and pick up a good amount of points shows good character and good leaders in the squad. You have got that resilience to pick yourself up. Now we are fighting at the right end of the table it is about staying there and showing that character and leadership and mentality to stay there. For a club like Aberdeen, you are always looking forward. Me myself, I am always trying to get as far forward and as high up the table as possible.

Hayes paid particular praise to club’s travelling support and the Red Shed, who have made the Merkland Stand particularly lively at Pittodrie this season. “They are brilliant, regardless of our results, even when we went through a sticky patch earlier in the season,” added Hayes. “The fans have been brilliant over the last number of years. The away fans have turned out and sold out games time after time, the home fans, with the introduction of the Red Shed, have been brilliant. For a spell they didn’t get the performances that they deserved but the team is playing well and picking up points and it is good to see the fanbase in a happier place.”