Pawlett ready to look beyond Pittodrie

ABERDEEN winger Peter Pawlett says he will consider looking elsewhere for first-team football if he cannot force his way into Craig Brown’s starting line-up.

The 21-year-old has slipped down the Pittodrie pecking order this season following the summer signings of Niall McGinn and Jonny Hayes, while the emergence of teenage prospect Ryan Fraser has enthused Dons fans. That has left Pawlett in the cold so far this term, playing just 11 minutes against Ross County.

The waspish wide-man started just five SPL matches last season during a campaign plagued by injury, and he is determined to make up for lost time this season – even if it means considering a loan move away from Aberdeen.

“We’ll need to see how things go. I want to be playing first-team football and if the only available option is to go out on loan then I will happily do that. I’m a young lad and I just want to play football,” Pawlett insisted.

“This season is very important for me and I need to be playing. I want to be playing first-team football at this stage in my career and I hope the manager will give me that opportunity.”

Pawlett was speaking candidly after the Scotland Under-21s’ 1-0 defeat to Belgium in midweek, during which the Yorkshire-born midfielder impressed in dark blue.

Manager Billy Stark described the youngster’s performance as “exceptional”.