It's good to go out clubbing together

Aug 3 2008 By Gordon Waddell

MARK KERR and Lee Miller have spent a decade weaving in and out of each other's careers.

Now they want to make the last leap to stardom together at Aberdeen.

Midfielder Mark's arrival at Pittodrie signals their third spell as team-mates after kicking off as kids at Falkirk and meeting again halfway north at Dundee United.

Now they both believe they can share a fourth set of colours - the dark blue of Scotland - if they can kick on with Don after stellar seasons last term. Speaking to MailSport at Aberdeen's Dutch training camp in Delden, Kerr admitted: "It's funny being back together with the big man.

"I was 16, Lee was 15 when we first played together in Falkirk's youth side and it's probably seven years since we had our first full first season in the first team.

"We've both taken different career paths since then, both gone through a couple of hard spells, but hopefully this is a real chance for us to flourish together."

That first campaign of big-boy football could have been enough to crush two kids on the up as cash-strapped Bairns' team of teenagers were only spared relegation by the demise of Airdrie.

But Miller and Kerr still sparkled like diamonds in the rough and turned from boys to men on the back of it.

Miller smiled: "That first seasonwe played together we finished second bottom of the First Division and would have been relegated if Airdrie hadn't gone bust.

"It was as tough a season as we'll ever have yet I loved it and we both emerged better for it.

"I started off as a central midfielder but we were so strapped I got thrown up front against Ross County, won man of the match and never looked back."

Miller was the first of the two to move on, raising eyebrows when he shipped out to Bristol City.

However, after a brief but blinding loan spell at Hearts the pair teamed up again under Ian McCall at Dundee United.

Again Miller was first to bail after both struggled to win over the Tannadice punters.

But finally last season the tide turned for them, Miller's 13 goals finding favour with the Red Army and Kerr superb in the tangerine turnaround under Craig Levein.

Kerr said: "The fans here love Lee. He really impressed them last season. And he's a big player for the team - I've seen in training a lot of the play is built around him.

"He could have moved in the summer but in the past it's always taken him a year to 18 months to settle in to a team.

"So it was better for him to stick around at a club he enjoys and can help him kick on.

"He has a lot of admirers and can't be far away from the Scotland squad.

"The way he finished last season did his chances a world of good so I'm sure a cap will be round the corner. Obviously I'd love the pair of us to pull on a dark blue jersey together but it's more important for me to impress the people of Aberdeen first.

"Ask me in a couple of months and if I'm doing well I'll tell you I'm confident enough to belong there but right now it's all about fitting in."

While Kerr's self-deprecation is admirable, Miller reckons he's doing himself down.

He insisted: "It's incredible it has taken this long to appreciate how good Mark really is.

"When I came backup to Hearts he'd just gone to United and was being slaughtered by their fans, booed all the time.

"I was speaking to him from down in Bristol all the time and he was sick because he felt he could do nothing right even though he felt he was playing okay.

"But he's such a wee grinder you don't always appreciate his value. He's a brilliant guy to have on your side.

"He should be getting quoted for Scotland. He was in a couple of B squads but definitely has it in him to step up, especially after his form last season.

"He was fantastic and I think Levein really took to him.

"He played his game, did the simple things and can make the killer pass as well.

"I'll benefit because we know each other's games inside out."