Bell: Pars can damage Dons

"I think the boys have a good chance. Aberdeen are obviously doing better under Craig Brown but we have a lot of boys in the team who could do them damage - the likes of Davie and wee Joe."

Steven Bell has been out of action since coming off at Cappielow on Saturday 6th November. The Achilles tendon injury effectively finished the midfielder's season but he was in good spirit when he updated the website on his recovery.

"The rehab is going well and I have started stretching it to its maximum now. I doing a lot of bike work and a lot of pool work now. Every morning I wake up it is quite stiff but I am breaking down the scar tissue and I am getting there. It will be better in two or three months but hopefully no longer than that."

Steven has set no target date on his road to recovery. He will just take it as it comes.

"When I did it I was told that it would take six months; six months takes me to April. You never know. I would love to play again this season, if I don't then I don't. I am mostly looking forward to next season now. I cannot come back too early and risk it going again. I need to be certain, Kenny Murray the physio and the Manager need to be certain. I can't rush back; it would be a nightmare if it went again."

Since being sidelined Steven has watched every game as his team mates try to keep their title challenge going but he is not finding it an enjoyable experience:-

"It is terrible. I have never been good at watching the boys when I was injured and suspended before. Especially when they are not doing well. They got beat at Partick but the boys can pull out of that with better league form."

Steven is working on his comeback seven days a week with trips to Blantyre on Wednesdays and Sundays. On days when there is no training at Pitreavie he travels to see physio Kenny Murray.

Steven will not be travelling to Aberdeen since the team are travelling up on Saturday but he will be able to watch on BBC. He played there in 2009 and was up against Charlie Mulgrew but he predicts another tough cup tie.

"They had us under pressure in the second half. I went off in extra time and Greg Ross came on." He admitted he wouldn't have been volunteering to take a spot kick that night anyway:-

"If it happened now I'd volunteer but not back then; there were bigger characters in that team then. The likes of Graham Bayne who had played against Aberdeen all his days. That was my first time playing in the Quarter Final of the Scottish Cup. There were guys who had been there and done that - Burkie for example.

"It was a brilliant experience, especially at the end of the game looking out at the fans. We weren't doing too well in the league at that time so it was good to do well in the cup.

"I think the boys have a good chance. Aberdeen are obviously doing better under Craig Brown but we have a lot of boys in the team who could do them damage - the likes of Davie Graham and wee Joe."