Aberdeen's matchwinner Teddy Jenks discusses controversial goal and 'doing a Maddison'

Teddy Jenks is still only 19-years-old and may look like a choirboy but even he was struggling to affect a look of innocence after his contentious goal for Aberdeen against St Johnstone on Saturday.

Aberdeen midfielder Teddy Jenks celebrates at full-time after hitting a contentious winner v St Johnstone (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Among the strike’s ramifications was depositing St Johnstone at the bottom of the league. No wonder the Perth side’s players were so incensed that the goal was allowed to stand after Jenks had had controlled the dropping ball with his hand before slamming a shot into the corner past Zander Clark.

He wasn’t about to apologise for playing to the whistle, as every young player is instructed to do. He has struggled to break into the Aberdeen team since joining on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion. Controversial it might have been, but he was rightly proud of just his second goal for the club. The first came in Aberdeen’s only other away win in the league this season back in August at Livingston. He is grateful a break.

“I don’t remember too much, I just remember it dropping my feet and me peeling away to celebrate with the fans,” he said.

“You’ve still got to put it in the net. And you’re always told play to the whistle. It bounced at my feet, I hit it and it went in. The ref didn’t blow and we end up winning the game 1-0, which is the most important thing.

“We’ve had enough go against us this season. I don’t know how many penalties we’ve had this year but not many, maybe one against Celtic?

“We’ve had a few … I wouldn’t say poor decisions. But we’ve had stuff go against us. So it’s nice to get one for us, maybe. It does even itself out. We’re just delighted with the win.”

Jenks is aware what a successful loan spell at Aberdeen can do for a player based at an English club. James Maddison reaped the benefits while at Pittodrie and earned a big money move from Norwich City to Leicester City. Jenks wants to emulate Maddison’s achievements. An elegant midfielder, he certainly looks to have some of the Leicester player’s attributes.

He now wants to build on his eye-catching cameo as he continues getting to grips with the more physical Scottish game.

“Obviously James Madison is someone to look at,” he said. “I knew he’d been up here before I came here. If I can do anything similar to that, I would be very happy!”

“It’s been a big step up from last season at Brighton. I started really well and then kind of fizzled out. Now I’ve been back in and around the team the last few weeks, doing well and now scoring a goal, so we’ll see what happens. Obviously I want to start but coming off the bench and affecting the game is just as important if it helps us get a win.

“I think it’s definitely fair to say the pace and physicality here was a big shock,” he added. “My first away game was Hearts, where I started - and that was a big shock. But it’s been brilliant and I’m just loving it now.

"There is no better way to learn how to play first-team football than by playing first-team football somewhere. And this is the perfect place to start.”