Image source, SNSImage caption, Graeme Shinnie won the 2025 Scottish Cup with Aberdeen
ByThomas DuncanBBC Sport Scotland- Published1 hour ago
Aberdeen's Scottish Cup-winning captain Graeme Shinnie is to leave the club next month when his contract expires.
The 34-year-old has played 344 times over two spells for his hometown team, with last season's triumph over Celtic at Hampden making him the first Aberdeen captain for 35 years to win the Scottish Cup.
The club say Shinnie was offered a two-year contract extension which also included a pathway into coaching. However, the midfielder has chosen to move on to continue playing more regularly.
Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson described Shinnie as an "outstanding leader".
"His dedication, work rate and influence within the dressing room have been invaluable and he has captained this club with distinction," Robinson added.
"We understand his desire to continue playing regularly, something I could not guarantee going into next season.
"It goes without saying that he leaves here with our sincerest thanks, admiration and very best wishes for the future."
Shinnie first joined Aberdeen in 2015 after leaving Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where he also lifted the Scottish Cup as captain, and he is now expected to return to the Highland club after their promotion to the Championship.
A successful spell working with Derek McInnes followed which included several finals and top-three league finishes, before he departed for Derby County in 2019.
Shinnie returned to Pittodrie in 2023 and has been a pivotal figure for three-and-a-half years and the club say he leaves a "true Dons legend".
He is 20th on the club's all-time appearance list and also made 32 appearances in European competition, which is the 12th-most in the club's history.
Analysis: No surprise as Shinnie departs a hero
Shinnie's departure will come as no surprise to Aberdeen fans, with his influence on the pitch waning in a turbulent season.
The midfielder only started half of the club's league games as they limped to ninth place, with his all-action play becoming less effective week-to-week as age catches up.
Robinson clearly agrees as he starts his Aberdeen rebuild, with regular game time the sticking point in Shinnie extending his stay.
But the captain will depart as a hero to every Dons supporter. One of their own, he visibly gave everything every time he stepped on to the pitch.
Watching a local lad fly into tackles, rally team-mates, and sometimes single-handedly drive their team forward is not something fans are regularly accustomed to in the modern game. That is what Shinnie gave the Red Army.
During his first spell he was part of a brilliant midfield three which also involved Kenny McLean and Ryan Jack as Aberdeen became Celtic's main challengers, losing out in finals and in the league.
Latterly, with lots of signings coming and going, he has been one of few consistent presences giving the club a sense of identity.
Despite that turbulence of recent years, he got the moment he and his fellow fans had dreamed of on 24 May 2025.
Shinnie will forever be remembered for sticking Aberdeen's first penalty in the shootout win over Celtic right into the top corner.
That, and the celebrations which followed that long-awaited Scottish Cup win will be the defining image of him at Pittodrie.
