Shinnie 'proud' to battle Crohn's and reach 600 games

Scottish Cup: Aberdeen v Queen's Park

Venue: Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen Date: Saturday, 8 March Time: 12:30 GMT

Coverage: Watch on BBC One Scotland & iPlayer, listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds, follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app

Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie "would have probably laughed" if someone had told him he would go on to make 600 first-team club appearances when he was a teenager being treated in hospital for Crohn's disease.

The 33-year-old midfielder will reach that milestone if he features in Saturday's Scottish Cup quarter-final against Queen's Park at Pittodrie.

An impressive career landmark even without having to deal with a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the digestive tract.

"I think that is why I am very appreciative of sitting here right now talking the way we are, still having the platform to go on and make more," Shinnie said.

"Because, back when I was 18, just coming through, when I was just starting, I went through the troubles with my Crohn's and, at that stage of where I was at, if you were to tell me we would be sitting here right now after 600 games I would have probably laughed in the hospital bed that day."

Shinnie has also played for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Derby County and Wigan Athletic, from where he returned for a second spell with his hometown club in 2023, and has been capped six times by Scotland.

"I am very fortunate to be able to sit here now having to deal with all that stuff through my career," he said. "I have felt like I have been able to handle it well through diet and the way I have lived my life.

"But to have come through that and to be sitting here now, 600 games on, it is motivation for a lot of people that are struggling with Crohn's, because I have spoken to a lot of people after coming out about it, it gives them hope in life, not just in football but in life in general. You can go on and achieve a lot of things."

Shinnie has earned a reputation as a combative player, whether at left-back earlier in his career or in midfield, but admits he is now having to battle with "the young pups chasing me down" to retain his place.

"To reach that many games is very humbling," he said. "I am very proud and hopefully can top it off with a win."

Shinnie captained Inverness Caledonian Thistle to Scottish Cup glory in 2015, but doing likewise with Aberdeen is "something I have always been desperate to do" after being on the losing side against Celtic in the 2017 final, although he knows "how tough it is to do it".