It's no secret that Kris Boyd enjoys a wind-up when it comes to Scottish football.

The Rangers and Kilmarnock hero could take stick on the pitch as a player, and he could most certainly give it back - usually after scoring a goal.

His relationship with Aberdeen fans down the years has been tense, to say the least. 

The former Scotland striker has addressed the situation at Pittodrie currently facing Jim Goodwin.

The Sky Sports pundit wants to see the Irishman afforded more time by chairman Dave Cormack to try turn the club's fortunes around.

Off the back of a humiliating 5-0 loss to Hearts midweek, the Dons face another tricky test by taking on big spenders Darvel in the Scottish Cup on Monday night.

And Boydy has made a thinly-veiled Rangers 'raise their game' dig at Aberdeen ahead of the tie. 

The 39-year-old insists they will be fine - because the West of Scotland Premier champions play in blue.

He wrote in his Scottish Sun column: "I hope that Goodwin is given the time to turn things around. There is clearly plenty wrong at Pittodrie right now but it’s not all down to him.

"When things aren’t going well at football clubs you can usually point to player recruitment in terms of the quality.

"That’s been the issue for more than one club in Scotland who have failed miserably when it’s come to the standard of their signings. But in the main that isn’t something that can levelled at Goodwin.

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"I look at the players that have been brought in this season and don’t see many mistakes in terms of their ability.

"Kelle Roos is a good goalkeeper and the likes of Duk and Bojan Miovski have impressed me. Only last week Graeme Shinnie was brought back to Pittodrie and there is no doubt whatsoever that’s a shrewd bit of business.

"You also look at the team’s home results. The Dons are capable of beating anyone at home as that’s where they’ve picked up the vast majority of their points this season. Even Rangers and Celtic needed late, late goals to win there.

"So it’s not like this is a team that’s being ripped apart every week with the players out of their depth. No, this is down to their mentality and a character flaw when they’re on the road.

"An Aberdeen team raising its game against Rangers is nothing new. It’s happened for years now. Is that down to the manager? Certainly it could be argued that it’s Goodwin’s job to make sure the players turn up no matter the venue or the opposition. But for me it’s down to each individual.

"Managers carry the can and if results don’t improve then there’s no doubt Goodwin will bear the responsibility for that and be sacked. But that’s too simplistic right now and it would be unfair on him to lose his job, if you ask me.

"Listen, Aberdeen must beat Darvel in the Scottish Cup fourth round on Monday night or he’s finished.

"Some may say they need to win convincingly too by scoring six or seven goals on the night, but I don’t buy that. This would be a tricky tie at the best of times, so it’s all about getting through to the next round however they do it.

"But beyond that, performances have to turn. What the club’s supporters need to get into their heads, though, is that they’re not the force they once were. The 1980s are long gone.

"The here and now is that Hearts are the third force in Scotland and only going to get stronger.

"So Aberdeen’s task isn’t just closing the gap between them and the Old Firm. Their first job is to catch up with Robbie Neilson’s side.

"That’s not going to happen overnight and it’s really not going to happen if Aberdeen keep on sacking managers. If Cormack has any sense he’ll learn from his previous mistake and stick with Goodwin. But then I wouldn’t bet on it.

"The Dons should be fine in Ayrshire on Monday night, right enough.
Darvel play in blue."