Kenny Shiels has never been a conventional figure.

Growing up in Magherafelt, a small town in Londonderry, Shiels supported a local side, but also Aberdeen and Chelsea. Most children in Northern Ireland follow Scottish and English football, but they tend to support either half of the Old Firm. "I wasn't allowed to choose Rangers or Celtic because that was the way my father was," Shiels says.

Both he and his two brothers would keep up to date on events at Pittodrie, and in 1970 Shiels was able to boast in the playground that his two other teams were cup winners, since Aberdeen lifted the Scottish Cup and Chelsea were triumphant in the FA Cup.

The recollections bring a hazy smile to Shiels' face, as he begins to name check his favourite Aberdeen players. "Bobby Clark, the keeper, Joe Harper, I remember all those guys," he says. "The wide player, Arthur Graham. Martin Buchan played in that 1970 [cup final]. Davie Robb. Nobody supported either [Aberdeen or Chelsea] at my school. Then they both won the cup in 1970. I'd have been 14. I wasn't an avid supporter, they were just my Scottish team. I had the two cup winners that year and I just thought it was brilliant, unbelievable. At that time you'd watch Match of the Day and didn't really see Scottish football. But I'd read about them in the papers."

The reminiscing comes up because Kilmarnock host Aberdeen on Saturday, when a victory would lift the Rugby Park side to the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. Shiels believes Aberdeen can recover those past glories, but there is an element, too, of reducing the pressure on his own side.

Kilmarnock certainly have smaller resources, but Shiels is a shrewd manager and much of his work at Rugby Park has been worthwhile. His instinct is to bring some perspective to the rise of his team this season, rather than dwell on what might be achieved.

"We're positive, we're just wary of expectations," he says. "We know we're still small fry compared with Aberdeen. We're very self-motivated with how we approach this game because we know it's going to be difficult. Aberdeen are one of the biggest clubs. They've invested for a European spot, which is great. I don't look at league tables. That could bring its own problems. We're four points off third from bottom. If Aberdeen win then they're up above us."