Jonny Hayes is honest enough to admit being handed the Aberdeen captain’s armband at Ibrox didn’t mean all that much to him.
But he can’t hide from the fact that finishing third will be all that matters to the demanding Dons support. With skipper Ross McCrorie ruled out after hernia surgery, Hayes was handed the honour of leading his side out for Sunday’s showdown in Glasgow. In the end, Todd Cantwell spoiled the Irishman’s big day as he sealed a 1-0 win for Gers. But Hayes was more concerned about seeing Aberdeen’s streak of seven successive wins under new gaffer Barry Robson come to an end.
It hasn’t done to much harm to the Dons’ bid to claim third place, with their lead over Hearts remaining at five points. Reclaiming that best-of-the-rest slot represents a remarkable turnaround from a team who looked to be in freefall under Jim Goodwin. But now they’re back where they feel they belong, Hayes admits there will be no sympathy from the Red Army if the Pittodrie side slip up again. He said: “For me it is probably an expectation of the fans that we have. They want Aberdeen up the top end of the table.
“Regardless of how you get there, you try your best and some seasons it doesn’t work out. This season it has not been a lack of effort, we just didn’t play well enough in that period after the winter break and the response since then to go on a run and pick up a good amount of points shows good character and good leaders in the squad.
“Now we are fighting at the right end of the table it is about staying there and showing that character and leadership and mentality to stay there. For a club like Aberdeen, you are always looking forward. I am always trying to get as far forward and as high up the table as possible.”
Hayes accepted the armband but admits he didn’t give it much thought after wrapping it around his bicep.
“It gave me an excuse to badger John Beaton without getting a yellow card,” he joked. “I don’t want to disregard it, but it is no big thing for me. I am at the age now where I should be helping the younger ones and it is something I expect from the likes of Angus MacDonald and Ylber Ramadani in there.
“For me it is just, without saying it lightly, a token gesture. We should have plenty of leaders in the team and I think we do.”
Hayes now hopes to help Robson launch another winning run when they host Hibs on Saturday. And he believes the roar of the Red Army will be vital to their chances.
“I am sounding like him but the manager has had that mantra of one game at a time,” he said.
“Regardless of how we have got on in previous fixtures, it is always a case of coming in on Monday morning and resetting and now it is about resetting and working towards the next game.”
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