Graeme Shinnie details key change that has given him new lease of life and hunger for Aberdeen success at Hampden

Graeme Shinnie admits a new diet has him hungry for Premier Sports Cup success.

Aberdeen take on Celtic at Hampden and Dons fans will hope to dine out on another big win under Jimmy Thelin. It has been something of a football feast for the Pittodrie faithful as they have not lost a game under their new boss. The on-form Reds are now 16 games unbeaten and that has seen them eat into the Old Firm’s dominance, with Wednesday’s win at Pittodrie over Rangers and a comeback draw at Celtic Park last month.

Aberdeen now believe they are deserving of their place at the top table and if they can serve up a big performance against Brendan Rodgers’ side then silver service could well be on the menu. Thelin’s arrival has given skipper Shinnie a new lease of life, along with a new diet that he went on over the summer. The 33-year-old said: “I feel good. I’ve tweaked my diet a little bit and I feel great from it and obviously playing good football as well.

“I’m more on a whole foods diet now. I’ve got Crohn’s disease but I’m sort of tweaking the little things with cutting out protein bars and all that kind of stuff. I began it around the start of the season, maybe just before it. Normally I’ll have a period in the off-season where I kind of do what I want but coming back in from the pre-season is when I’ve seen a few bits online and I thought I’d give it a try.

“So far maybe it’s nothing to do with it, maybe it’s just in my head, but just going into games and the way I’m feeling in my body, I feel really good. I’m skin and bone anyway but it’s more the way I fuel in my body, cutting out processed food. I wasn’t really big into that anyway so I try to eat more whole foods, natural foods before games and drinking water.

“No