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Lawrence Shankland on Aberdeen fan taunts about his weight as Hearts striker relishes rivalry

Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland
-Credit: (Image: SNS Group)


Lawrence Shankland has laughed off the stick he gets from rival fans over his weight.

The Hearts striker was targeted by Aberdeen supporters during Sunday's 3-2 defeat at Pittodrie. But the wind-ups are like water off a duck's back for Shankland, who has become used to the taunts at away grounds. The Scotland star laughed: "I get that every week. If I had a hundred quid for every chorus of ‘You Fat B’ then I wouldn’t be playing football any more. It’s part of football. I dish it out so you need to take it on the chin - or in this case, chins."

Shankland - who spent four years at the Dons between 2013 and 2017 - just wishes he had the last laugh at full-time. Blair Spittal silenced the baying home crowd when he fired the Jambos 2-1 in front in the second-half, only for Aberdeen to equalise just moments later. In an end-to-end classic, both teams battled for a winner but it was the Dons who would be celebrating as Ante Palaversa struck in the dying minutes - leaving ten-man Hearts sickened as the wait for a domestic win lingered on.

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"The be-all-and-end-all is the result and we lost. The performance and desire, off the back of Thursday, was good,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News. "It’s always difficult but we didn’t let it affect us at all. We were ready for the game and played well throughout.

"We are level at half-time and towards the end of the first half we were dictating the game. The second half was even but you are away from home and you need to ride things out at times. We lost a second goal, lost a man and then lost a third which has killed us. It’s disappointing.

"Aberdeen are joint-top of the league so we knew it would be difficult. We are going through a tough period domestically but I don’t think we looked like a team going through a tough time. I thought we looked really good at times.

"Aberdeen caused us some problems, that was always going to be the case. Overall, as an away performance at Pittodrie, I’d imagine it’s one of the tougher games they have had.

"They are competitive games [with Aberdeen]. Not right now, but usually the two teams are going for third place and that can create a wee rivalry. You need to get involved in that. Of course, you receive a bit of stick on the back of it but that’s part of football."