Ross McCrorie is back in tow with old pal Lewis Ferguson at Aberdeen - now the Pittodrie ace reckons with a bit of luck he will be slipstreaming his mate into the Scotland squad too.
The pair first grew close during their days together in the Rangers youth academy only to go their separate ways when Ferguson was forced to move on to Hamilton for first-team action as McCrorie progressed through the Ibrox ranks.
They’re back together now, though, having both moved to Pittodrie and have even been reunited in a midfield partnership under new Dons boss Jim Goodwin, who has pushed McCrorie forward from the defensive role he was filling under previous gaffer Stephen Glass.
But while they friends are shoulder to shoulder on the pitch, it’s Fergie who is streaking ahead when it comes to international honours.
He won his third cap on Tuesday night as he made his first international start for Steve Clarke’s team in the 2-2 draw with Vienna.
McCrorie was a stalwart at Under-21 level, even skippering Scot Gemmill’s young team, but his sole involvement with the full squad came way back in October 2020 when he was called-up for the Nations League clashes with Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
But the versatile 24-year-old reckons he should have been shadowing his mate Ferguson in a dark blue jersey this week.
He said: “Me and Fergie grew up together when we were at Rangers as boys and then we went our separate ways. But then we were reunited at Aberdeen.
“We both enjoy playing alongside each other.
“We’re best mates. We can push each other, motivate each other and hopefully we can be big players for Aberdeen.
“He’s playing for Scotland, is this something I see for myself too? Absolutely, that’s my aim, to get into the Scotland squad.
“I feel as if I’ve been very unlucky this season not to get a call up.
“Fergie’s a really good friend of mine and he’s been tremendous. I was fair chuffed for him to get his full debut there.
“Obviously, it gives me extra motivation.
“I feel I’m good enough to be in there and it’s about me keep playing at a high level and we’ll see if I can push my way in.”
McCrorie ’s developed a Mr Versatile tag having bounced about from right-back, centre-back and now once more into midfield.
But he sees no reason why that should hold back his national team ambitions.
“I’ve played centre back virtually every game this season and for the last year,” he said. “I feel as if I’ve just been very unlucky.
“I just need to keep playing at a high level. If I can do that and try and get noticed more then that can only be a good thing.
“I still feel I can play at a good level in midfield.
“I feel at centre-back I reached a new level of performance this season. I felt my consistency was there every week.
“Obviously, the gaffer’s come in and I’ve played midfield the last few games. But I can still play at a high level. It’s just however the gaffer feels is the best way for me to impact the team.”
Goodwin will be hoping McCrorie can muster a major impact as Aberdeen aim to snatch a place in the top six.
That has looked a highly unlikely outcome for most of what had been a wretched campaign for the Reds but the win over Hibs last time out means they sit just two points from the top half of the table with two games to go, even though they’re still languishing in 10th.
And victory over basement boys Dundee today would be a major step towards rescuing a season to forget, according to McCrorie.
“It’s a big game,” he admitted. “We’ve put ourselves in a sticky situation and there’s a lot riding on these next two games.
“That’s down to ourselves with the results we’ve had this season.
“Obviously, there’s a bit of added pressure on us but at a club like Aberdeen, if you can’t play with that pressure you shouldn’t be here.”
