Secrets of an Aberdeen Scottish Cup shock as departing star reveals how Jimmy Thelin outfoxed Celtic
The local hero signs off from Pittodrie on the ultimate high after upsetting the odds against Brendan Rodgers' side
Local hero Jack MacKenzie feared his Aberdeen career was going to end on the ultimate low but was delighted it ended on the ultimate high of lifting the Scottish Cup.
The defender helped Jimmy Thelin's side to dramatically see off Brendan Rodgers' side on penalties to bring the trophy back to the Granite City for the first time in 35 years.
It had come just a week after he had suffered a nasty head injury after a seat had been allegedly thrown from the Aberdeen section in their Premiership defeat to Dundee United.
He had to be stretchered off the park, needed several stitches and left him sweating over his cup final place.
Thankfully, he was able to make a full recovery for Hampden and MacKenzie's last act as an Aberdeen player saw him fulfil his lifelong dream of taking a Cup down the main streets of his home city.
The 25-year-old said: 'We had heard a lot about it being 35 years. I am 25 and to go and lift it in my final game for the club is a dream come true. 'There was no better way to finish.
'I have just had the most amazing time at Aberdeen. I joined the club when I was nine and I never thought I would still have been here at 25. To top it off with the cup win made it absolutely perfect.'
The right-back was first up to pick up his medal and was the last of the team to lift the trophy aloft before he took it down to the Hampden turf for the celebrations.
He said: 'I just headed down the stairs with the trophy and I gave it to the chairman. I walked down the steps with it. I can't actually put into words what it meant.
'You just don't realise what it really means until you actually do it. When we won the penalty shootout I couldn't believe it and then it took a few days to really sink in.
'It is ridiculous especially with the way the league season ended and us missing out on fourth.
'It was a huge blow but to win the cup was the perfect end. If I have a better day in football than at Hampden then I will be amazed.'
Dimitar Mitov was the Celtic penalty hero with two saves in the shootout. MacKenzie joked he was on penalty number 12.
When Mitov denied Alistair Johnston, Graeme Shinnie sank to his knees, the rest of the team ran to their keeper and MacKenzie made a beeline for the Red Army.
He stated: 'No, I ran the opposite way. I ran straight to the fans.
'I looked around and saw everybody had run to Mitov but my first reaction was to run to the fans. I am one of them.
'I can't recall the next 20 minutes after that. It was just incredible. It felt miles better than I ever thought it would.'
Aberdeen upset the odds and ripped up the form book to lift the Cup.
They had lost their final four league games, slumped to fifth and had lost four-in-a-row to Celtic.
MacKenzie admitted it was the manager Thelin who gave them the belief they could do it.
The Scotland squad player stated: 'I had a feeling we were going to do it, I think the whole group had a feeling.
'We had lost those four games and included in that was the defeat to Celtic.
'I have to say the belief all came from the manager. He just instilled it into us that we were going to win.
'We believed going into the game we would win. We just felt that it was going to be our year.
'We all stepped up when it mattered. From Dimi saving from Maeda to all the penalties, where the quality was unbelievable.'
For the likes of Shinnie, Jack Milne and MacKenzie they are all Aberdeen boys and knew what it meant to the club and the city.
Mackenzie said: 'Graeme is from here and Jack and I have been here since we were very young.
'To take the Scottish Cup back to your home city, it doesn't get any better. I felt 10ft tall. It can't get any better.
'It means a wee bit more but all the foreign boys have taken to the club as well. It is like a real family and a proper Aberdeen team."
How big this cup win was clear on Sunday when 100,000 fans turned Aberdeen city centre into a sea of red and white.
'I couldn't believe how many people were there,' MacKenzie claimed. 'It is only then you realise what a big deal it is to the whole city.
'My mum, dad, girlfriend, my sister and her partner and some others. 'It was nice to have everyone see and to get a picture with them all was amazing. It was just massive.
"I lived the dream and now I will be going back to being an Aberdeen fan. I am excited to see where the team kicks on from here.'
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