We Must Save Our Season!

Mar 9 2008 By Scott Mcdermott

JAMIE SMITH is determined to reach the Scottish Cup Final and line up another crack at the UEFA Cup after sitting out Aberdeen's glamour ties with Bayern Munich.

The Pittodrie star has missed four months of the season with hamstring injuries but will return against old club Celtic today in a quarter-final clash.

And Smith knows the Scottish Cup is Aberdeen's last chance to get into Europe for the second year on the trot.

He was left gutted in the stands when stars like Bayern's Luca Toni came to town last month - after turning on the style earlier in Europe against Dnipro and FC Copenhagen.

And the winger wants to make up for that heartache by beating the Hoops on the road to Hampden.

He said: "The Celtic game gives us a chance to salvage something.

"If we can recreate the feeling we had for the Copenhagen match at Pittodrie we can get a result.

"The Scottish Cup is our best route into Europe now and that's an extra incentive. It was so hard missing out on Bayern.

"It was the club's biggest game for 10 years and sitting it out was so frustrating.

"The Copenhagen win was a fantastic night for me and everyone at the club.

"I wanted more of that but it wasn't to be. That's why I'd love to be back in Europe."

Aberdeen's SPL form has been dismal this season and they're fighting just to make the top six.

Smith has been a massive loss to Jimmy Calderwood and the 27-year-old admits the fans will be expecting him to turn things round.

He said: "I do feel a bit of pressure coming back. But I must be doing something right for people to say I've been missed.

"I can handle the extra pressure - it drives me on.

"I understand why fans ask how we can perform against a team like Bayern then drop to nowhere near that level just days later.

"But the European nights are massive and players don't want to let their team-mates or the club down on huge occasions.

"Not every team can be at their best all the time. When I was at Celtic we won at Anfield in the UEFA Cup then lost to Inverness at the weekend - that's football.

"If everything was clear cut and robotic it would be a boring game.

"We set high standards last year and no one is more disappointed than the players at how we've performed this season. But it's not through a lack of commitment or effort.

"I'd have something to say to anyone who questioned that of me."

Aiden McGeady inspired Celtic to a crushing 5-1 win at Pittodrie on league business last month.

The Irish international will be the main threat to Aberdeen again today and Smith knows how good he is after seeing him flourish as a teenager at Celtic Park.

Jamie said: "Aiden is the most exciting player in Scotland at the moment but you can stop him.

"He had just started at Celtic when I played with him but his talent was apparent even then.

"He can step up again and move to a higher level. He has been linked with Newcastle but I hope he stays in Scotland for a while."