Aberdeen’s Findlay Marshall hopes he’s earned Dons ‘chance’ after player of the month honour
Aberdeen's Findlay Marshall, 19, thinks he has revitalised his Dons first-team chances, as he reflects on his eye-catching loan spell at Championship Arbroath
Aberdeen youngster Findlay Marshall believes a sparkling loan spell at Championship promotion hopefuls Arbroath this season has given him a “good chance” of getting his first-team opportunity with the Dons – one which looked all but gone a few months ago.
The Press and Journal revealed over the summer youth academy graduate central midfielder Marshall, 19 – after a previous all-action loan at League One Cove Rangers – had been told he could leave the Reds, despite having a contract until 2026.
Pittodrie chiefs refocused their development strategy on younger age groups ahead of this campaign, culling starlets in their later teens.
While Marshall’s fellow Cove loanee and academy team-mate, right-back Dylan Lobban, 20, was elevated into the first-team fold by gaffer Jimmy Thelin – and is now on a run of three consecutive senior side starts – others, like another Cove loan/academy peer, winger Adam Emslie, moved on.
As it was, middle-man Marshall headed out on another temporary switch, to Gayfield.
He has started every game in the second tier and netted six times for a Red Lichties side who are well in Premiership play-off contention.
With the youngster being named the Championship player of the month for October, Aberdeen fans, watching Thelin’s Dons team struggle for midfield balance this term, have called on new sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel to secure Marshall on an extended contract as soon as possible.
With his Pittodrie deal set to expire in the summer, Marshall is convinced his performances for Arbroath have revitalised his Aberdeen prospects.
He said: “I feel like I’ve backed myself.
Marshall: I don’t think I was ready in the summer
“I think I’ve got a good chance and seeing the likes of Dyl playing, hopefully I can get that chance.
“But right now, I’m just focusing on Arbroath, because it’s been really good so far.
“I’ll just try to keep doing well for them and then see what comes of it.”
With the Pittodrie first-team door barred, Marshall insists he was part of the decision to join Arbroath on loan before the start of the campaign, saying: “I still needed to learn and play.
“At that time, I don’t think I was probably ready (for Aberdeen), so I just wanted to go and play and enjoy it and see where it took me.
“I feel like so far it’s going well, so we’ll just see what happens.”
With German sporting director Pfannenstiel only taking charge of Aberdeen’s football department from Monday this week, Marshall knows he will have to “wait and see” whether his exploits for his Championship loan club do earn him a longer stay with the Dons, saying: “Arbroath’s the main thing at the moment.
“But obviously he’ll come in, and I’ve not actually met him yet, but it’ll be interesting to see what he’s like.”
Regular conversations with Jimmy Thelin and Dons is the ‘plan’
Marshall’s weekly schedule sees him train at Aberdeen’s Cormack Park on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while he is in Falkirk for part-time Arbroath’s training on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
His sessions at the Dons training ground are mostly with the B team – the large cohort of youngsters who, under the club’s revamped youth strategy, are loaned out across the Highland League and SPFL, including to loan co-operation partners like Kelty Hearts.
Those players are overseen by transitions manager Stuart Duff.
Marshall revealed not just conversations with former midfielder Duff, but also regular interactions with first-team boss Thelin and his staff, mean he is clear on which areas of his game Aberdeen want him to improve on.
“Yeah, definitely. I speak to them (Thelin and his staff) most Mondays or whenever I see them,” Marshall said.
“They’ll ask me how I’m getting on, and see how I’m getting on and stuff, so (they are) still definitely involved in that aspect (and give me advice on where to improve).
“Duff’s really good with that as well. We’ll sit down and watch all my clips and then he’ll give me some bits of advice.
“There’s definitely a plan that we’ve got in place of what I want to get better at.”
‘Lobban inspires us – you want to see young boys from Aberdeen playing’
Seeing pal Lobban’s first-team emergence in recent weeks, says Marshall, inspires all the other local youngsters trying to break through at Aberdeen.
Marshall said: “I was buzzing for him, because I’ve seen how hard he’s worked and I feel like he’s been knocking on the door for a while, so I was delighted.
“And I was saying to a few of the boys, like, that inspires us – you want to see young boys from Aberdeen playing. Everyone does.
“It just gives you that boost and a happy sort of mindset about all the young boys when we’re training, and all of the coaches – because they’ve worked so hard with him as well.
“Obviously all of us want to achieve that, but if you can see somebody else doing it – somebody that you’ve been so close with – it’s good as well. It helps.”
Midfielder Marshall keeps showing attacking instincts at Arbroath
With Aberdeen watching on, Marshall has certainly been building a strong highlights reel with Arbroath this term.
His two goals against Championship leaders St Johnstone on October 18 (his favourite outing for the Red Lichties so far, and one where he might have had a hat-trick) were superbly taken.
He said: “It’s been really good. I’ve really enjoyed it.
“I’ve obviously made a step up and I feel like it’s gone better than I expected, so I’ll just hopefully keep going that way.”
Marshall, after eight goals for Cove, has continued to show his attacking threat from midfield this term, and thinks it is a vital strength to his game, saying: “I really enjoy getting forward – I probably prefer going forward.
“So I just love getting in the box and trying to get goals and assists.
“My physical side as well. I feel like it’s come on a lot – just my power with carrying the ball and stuff like that.”
Counter-intuitive to his energetic style, Marshall thinks he can do even better this season by “knowing when to stand still” and let the space come to him.
“And then probably just timing of the runs, sometimes into the box, picking times,” he added.
Youngster Marshall says he has benefited in his fledgling career from being surrounded by central midfield nous – including elite playmakers and Scotland internationals in his former Aberdeen Under-18s boss Barry Robson and Cove manager Paul Hartley.
One of his Arbroath player-managers David Gold, in charge with Colin Hamilton, has played 250 games in central midfield for the Angus club.
Marshall says having one of his gaffers know the position inside-out and also next to him on the park has been invaluable.
“They’ve been brilliant. They’re both young, both still learning as well,” Marshall said.
“They’ve just filled me with confidence. And then I feel like every game, I want to repay them for the trust they’ve given me.
“Goldy, he’s a centre mid as well, so it’s been really good having your manager play your position.
“He helps me, gives you little bits of advice. He doesn’t give you too much, but he’ll give you little details and you can use them, pick up on them and take them into your game.
“He played the St Johnstone game and did really well, as well.
“It almost gives you more confidence in a weird way because you know you’ve got him behind you and I just feel like it helps the team.”
How Marshall found out about Championship player of the month gong
Aberdeen loanee Marshall – who has also been soaking up what he can from veteran midfield campaigners Ryan Dow and Ryan Flynn at Arbroath – admits that, with things going so well in October, including four goals in three games, he had an inkling Championship player of the month recognition might come his way.
Marshall said: “I actually found out from Goldy. He was clapping me when I came in the changing room and I didn’t know what it was about.
“I think he panicked, so he didn’t tell me then!
“He told me a few days later.
“I was just delighted, eh? I wouldn’t say I expected it, but I knew I’d done well that month, so I was kind of hoping.”
Arbroath ‘keep pushing’ promotion message ahead of Ayr clash – Marshall
Arbroath are in a “good position”, Marshall knows, when it comes to securing at least a promotion play-off berth this term, but have to “keep pushing”.
They dropped three Championship points in losing 1-0 to Morton last weekend, and, this Saturday, it is a “tough one” at play-off rivals Ayr United.
Marshall said: “Last week was a poor result – Morton is one of those games where you’d want to win – but hopefully we can bounce back.
“We drew with Ayr at home and they beat us in the cup at the start of the season away, 4-0.
“I think we’ve come on a lot since then, so hopefully we can put a good performance in and get the result.”
[Source: Press and Journal]
