Dumbarton full back Paul McGinn will be rampaging on the right hand side of the Sons team at Pittodrie tomorrow as the Championship side look to become the first team to defeat the Dons in Cup football this season.
It will be a first game at the north east ground for the 23-year-old and it will see him join his elder brother Stephen and younger brother John in playing against the Dons. Whilst that will complete a fairly unique family hat-trick and it is also the first Quarter Final tie for Dumbarton since 1979.
McGinn said: “This is a very big game in my career and I am looking forward to it. My elder brother Stephen played against Aberdeen when he was at St. Mirren and my younger brother John almost scored against them the other week with St. Mirren as well.”
“It has taken me a bit longer than those two but I am now playing against the Dons.”
Whilst elder sibling Stephen moved on to Watford and Sheffield United and younger sibling John is continuing to establish himself at Paisley this McGinn brother allow himself time this week to think about what it would be like playing in red and white as opposed to playing against red and white.
The former Queen’s Park kid was one of the hottest properties around in the lower leagues a couple of years ago, however just when it looked like he would be Andrew Robertson, before Andrew Robertson, a knee injury slowed down his progress.
If it had not happened McGinn could have actually become a regular at Pittodrie after coming close to joining the Dons in the summer of 2012.
The Clydebank born player explained: “There was some interest from Aberdeen at the end of the 2011-2012 season and I had a long chat with the manager at the time Craig Brown about me going up there to play. The assistant manager at Queen’s Park was Bobby Dickson and he had been a player for Craig at Clyde in the 1980’s and I sure he tipped Aberdeen off about me.”
“Bobby is a good guy and someone I learnt a lot from so I was delighted to learn he is back at Queen’s as their Chief Scout.”
Fate stepped in to deny McGinn the opportunity to impress Brown as he explained: “Unfortunately in Queen’s Park’s final game of the season against Stranraer in the Play-Offs I injured my knee. I needed an operation and that meant I missed the opportunity to go up and take things further.”
“I had the operation and I had to get myself fit again after the new season had started. St. Mirren were terrific in letting me do that. It made sense when they asked me to join them after the season had started and I was pleased to be joining John there as well.”
“They also loaned me back to Queen’s Park to play games and I got myself back to full fitness however I never got a chance to establish myself at St. Mirren, I went back after the Queen’s Park loan in January and then quickly went out on loan to Dumbarton until the end of last season.”
McGinn added: “I have often wondered what would have happened if I had not picked up that knock. If the move had come off I would have been delighted as Aberdeen are a big club and everyone is seeing at the moment that they have huge potential to get bigger.”
“My team-mate at Dumbarton Mitch Megginson used to play there and he is always going on about them. He is still a fan but he will push that aside this weekend.”
The time at St. Mirren Park still rankles with McGinn who said: “I had my year as a full timer at St. Mirren but I know I never did myself justice there. I got over the knee injury but picked up a few other niggly injuries and it was a stop-start time. I am really happy at Dumbarton but I would love the chance to prove myself as a full time player again.”
“At the end of last season I had the chance to stay at St. Mirren but I was enjoying playing in the first team at Dumbarton. The manager Ian Murray and his assistant Jack Ross had been really good with me and helped develop my game. When they asked me to sign for them permanently I was happy to do so.”
McGinn added: “Playing every week is great and I am enjoying it all the more this season as I have had a full pre-season behind me. It would have been good to have the level of fitness I have now when I was at paisley as I would have been playing with John every week. He is flying just now and even scored against Hibs the other week with his wrong foot.”
On the playing side of things McGinn and the Sons are a great fit as McGinn explained: “The style that Dumbarton play suits me well. We have a narrow midfield and that allows me to bomb forward from the back. Ian and Jack are always instructing me to trust myself and head forward.”
“Mind you we head forward all the time and it must be great entertainment for the fans. We are the league’s top goalscorers. We could never be described as defensive and we never encourage anyone to look at the goals against column.”
It is unlikely that there will be any change in tactics this weekend with McGinn saying: “I don’t think we will change too much for Aberdeen. They are a good side but we will play our usual game against them. We will give them plenty of respect but I cannot see us changing our style. It is not in our style to go up there and pack the defence.”
As well as defeating the Dons McGinn is hoping to start catching up on brother John who is leading the competition between the brothers for the honour of being top goalscorer.
McGinn said: “John is winning, mind you he has only scored two. Stephen is at Sheffield United now in amongst a real clique of boys who have played in Scotland with Neil Collins, Jamie Murphy, Ryan Flynn and now Stefan Scougall and like me he needs to up his game in front of goal.”
“I have not scored and neither has he but I have missed a real sitter. I was straight through against Cowdenbeath at Central Park recently and sent a shot high over the goal.”
“I looked down at the turf after I hit it and held my hands out but I was fooling no-one it was my miss.”
McGinn finished by saying: “I am looking forward to Aberdeen, it is my chance to finally show them what I can do.”
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