Aberdeen win Scottish Cup: ‘I could retire today and be a happy man’

Before Saturday, Shinnie had suffered defeat in four previous domestic cup finals – three against Celtic – across two spells with Aberdeen.

But the former Derby County man says leading the Pittodrie side to their first Scottish Cup success in 35 years makes “all that heartache well worth it”.

It looked like it would be another hard-luck story for Shinnie as Aberdeen went behind when Alfie Dorrington diverted into his own net in the first half.

But their change of system to a 5-3-2 shape severely restricted a Celtic side that had put at least five goals past them on three occasions this term.

Continuing to remain solid after the break, Aberdeen got their equaliser when goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel palmed Shayden Morris’ cross into his own goal.

Shinnie hailed manager Jimmy Thelin’s decision to change the team’s approach, as did penalty hero Dimitar Mitov, who saved two spot-kicks in the shootout.

“Everybody doubted we could do it,” Mitov told BBC Scotland. “But we knew with a good game plan, following instructions, working hard, we’d get a victory.

“We were outstanding. Sometimes, penalties go to luck. We rode our luck. We are cup champions, nobody cares how we did it.

“[Thelin] is the best manager I’ve ever worked with. On a day-to-day basis, how he manages us, how he trains us, the little details he puts in.

“He always said ‘when we win the final’. That mentality went into the boys, and we believed it. Everyone said ‘when’, not ‘if’. That was the turning point.”