St Johnstone striker Chris Kane is looking to do what his Perth team-mates couldn’t knock Aberdeen out of a cup competition.
Kane has been farmed out to Dumbarton for the season and helped the Championship side into the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a win against Alloa at the weekend, despite missing a penalty.
The last eight draw paired his temporary club with the Dons at Pittodrie. It might not have been Kane’s first choice of opponents, but there was one tie he definitely didn’t want.
“I was watching the cup draw hoping we wouldn’t get Saints, because I wouldn’t have been able to play,” said the teenager.
“But I can face Aberdeen so hopefully we’ll go up there and give a good account of ourselves. It’s probably the hardest game we could have got because Aberdeen are flying just now.
“They beat us in the League Cup semi-finals and knocked Celtic out at home, so they’re the team everyone in the competition has to beat.
“It will be a great experience for us to go up there because Pittodrie will be packed for the game.
“It will be the biggest game I’ve played in if the manager selects me.”
For Kane, it will be a reunion with the man who was responsible for bringing him to McDiarmid Park.
He said: “Derek McInnes was the manager when I signed here at 15. He got me in and had me training with the reserves at that age.
“I’ve seen him at a few of the under-19 and under-20 games as well. He’s got Aberdeen playing really well, they have a strong squad and are favourites to win the cup. Their fans think they’re going to win a double now.”
Kane is getting the best of both worlds for his football education full-time training at Perth and competitive matches on a weekend.
“I’m really enjoying it at Dumbarton,” he said.
“I’m still at St Johnstone for the most part of the week but train with the lads there on a Thursday night.
“They’ve all been great with me. Ian Murray is a good manager to work for and the rest of the boys are a really good laugh.
“I’m feeling the benefits of it already, that’s six goals in six games I’ve got although it should have been seven because of the penalty last weekend.
“It’s probably gone better than I expected. I’ve got more goals straight away than I thought I would.
“It’s a step up from playing in the under-20s because the players are much bigger, stronger and more experienced than I’m used to.
“It’s much more aggressive because guys are playing to win a league or stay in the league. I was always confident of scoring goals but it’s happened really quick.
“Murray Davidson said he thought I would score three in every four games but I’m ahead of that prediction right now, although there’s plenty of hard work to be done to keep it going.
“I’m not getting ahead of myself because it’s a really competitive league, so I’m just enjoying getting goals at the moment.”
There are a few clubs who may be regretting not taking a chance on the 19-year-old.
He said: “I could have gone out on loan earlier. There was talk of a few clubs being interested in me. There were rumours Dundee wanted me, East Fife and Dunfermline as well but it was Dumbarton who came in.
“The manager wanted me to get first-team experience because I can’t just jump into the team here at St Johnstone. Obviously people look at how Stevie May’s career has panned out since going on loan and I have to aim to do the same.”