Derek McInnes confident Aberdeen favourite Andy Considine will extend Pittodrie stay

Andy Considine has been an ever-present for Aberdeen.

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes is confident Scotland international Andy Considine will extend his stay at Pittodrie.

That could see the defender smash into the Dons’ top three all-time appearance list behind Gothenburg Greats Willie Miller and Alex McLeish.

The 33-year-old’s current contract expires at the end of this season.

However, there is an appearance-related clause within that contract which, if met, will trigger an extra year.

McInnes is confident that will be hit and the long-serving defender will extend his time at the club until summer 2022.

McInnes, whose Dons side face Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday, said: “Andy has got a trigger which we agreed on and we are in control of that.

“He will meet those games pretty quickly as he has been an ever-present. Without saying it for certainty, the likelihood is he will be here again for at least another season.”

Considine is now in his 18th season in the Aberdeen first team having made his debut in May 2004 in a 2-1 loss to Dundee.

The defender started Scotland’s Nations League defeats of Slovakia and Czech Republic earlier this month and excelled in both games.

Having played 530 games for the club, the Scotland stopper is just five games away from breaking into the Dons’ top five for all time appearances.

Gothenburg Great Jim Leighton is in fifth spot on 535 appearances for the Dons.

If as expected Considine triggers the appearance clause to extend his contract by a year he could overtake Pittodrie greats Bobby Clark and Stewart McKimmie.

Former club captain McKimmie is fourth in the all-time appearance list with 561 games while legendary keeper Clark is third on 595.

Considine made 40 plus appearances in each of the three seasons prior to 2019-20 which was cut short. Even with the season being shut down on March 13 the defender still racked up 37 appearances.

In 2016-17 Considine played 51 times for Aberdeen. An extra year and remaining injury free for this season and next could see him secure the 65 appearances to jump into the top three alongside legends Miller and McLeish.

Miller leads the way with 797 appearances, a tally that is unlikely to ever be beaten while McLeish is on 693 games.

Meanwhile, McInnes refused to rule out the possibility of extending the loan deal for Bristol City attacker Marley Watkins.

The Welsh international is on loan from the Championship side until January.

Watkins has made a strong impact during that loan spell and McInnes confirmed he may look at trying to extend that.

The 30-year-old is also out of contract at the end of the season with Bristol and will be a free agent next summer.

McInnes said: “We have had no further conversations with Marley or Bristol on that. I know Marley is really enjoying it.

“Whether that can be extended is something we will maybe look at further down the line. I’m really enjoying working with Marley.”

McInnes attempted to sign Watkins in summer 2015 when the attacker’s deal with Inverness Caley Thistle expired.

However he opted to move to England and signed with Barnsley. Following a successful spell at Barnsley he then made a £1m switch to Norwich in summer 2017. Watkins later moved to Bristol City in 2018.

Since arriving on loan at Aberdeen he has been a regular starter for McInnes. Watkins is expected to start in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic having shrugged off a hamstring injury.

That hamstring problem forced the attacker off in the second half of the 3-3 Premiership draw with Celtic at the weekend.

McInnes said: “Marley is key player for us and offers us something different. He is very secure in possession and can play a number of positions and roles.”

Meanwhile, McInnes confirmed striker Curtis Main is set to be in the squad for the semi-final.

Main has been side-lined with a thigh problem and has not featured since coming on as a late substitute in the 2-0 Europa League defeat of Viking FK in Norway in the Europa League on September 17.

McInnes said: “Curtis played on Tuesday (practice game). It’s just a thigh problem, trying to build a bit of confidence in Curtis.

“He’s been feeling the onset of this little thigh strain. It’s nothing too significant but we’re trying to manage his week, as we do with a number of players.

“He will train today and Saturday and be in the squad for Sunday.”