Alex McLeish: Former Aberdeen & Scotland defender picks his team-mates XI

As a player, Alex McLeish was synonymous with Aberdeen's rampant success in the 1980s that reached its peak in 1983 with the European Cup Winners' Cup final win over Real Madrid.

Here, the former Motherwell, Hibernian, Rangers and Scotland manager makes his selection.

Goalkeeper - Jim Leighton

When I joined Aberdeen in 1976, I was on a train with nine other hopefuls and one of those was Jim Leighton. Jim and I were the only two out of those 10 boys that made the grade.

I played with Jim for such a long time and other great goalkeepers as well - Andy Goram in the Scotland team and also Theo Snelders at Aberdeen. You could see the change in different styles in goalkeepers but I'd have to put Leighton as number one.

Defenders - Stuart Kennedy, Willie Miller, Richard Gough, John McMaster

I would go for Stuart Kennedy because of the modern trends that he had and he was teetotal throughout his whole career, a superb athlete. He was also into reading books about food and carbohydrates. He was a forerunner.

I don't know why Stuart never branched out after the game in maybe coaching or sports science. We were eating pasta before pasta was invented in the UK - maybe even before the Italians had found it, it seems that long ago! That was Stuart's kind of thing. He was a modern-day full-back.

At 17, when I was able to watch Aberdeen games and normally that would be midweek, I couldn't take my eye off Willie Miller. He was such a tremendously consistent defender. I thought, 'I'd love to get to that level'. It was a great learning curve for me just observing him. To go and play with him, Willie steered me through my debut.

Big Goughie was another incredible individual looking after his fitness. John McMaster was a very cultured left-back with a left foot that could open a tin of beans. John was as good as anybody.

Midfielders - Gordon Strachan, Graeme Souness, Archie Gemmill, Peter Weir

Gordon was another modern-day player. You see right-sided midfielders coming in and attacking. He was great at coming in and linking with Stuart Kennedy, what a partnership they had - sensational. He was an intelligent midfielder and chipped in with a lot of goals, such was his eye for space.

Souness was a wonderful footballer, incredible. He would definitely be in the team. I made my debut with wee Archie Gemmill and he helped me through the game because my first game was in midfield against Portugal.

Peter I grew up with in Barrhead. We went to primary and secondary school together. If he was around nowadays, he would be down at Liverpool or Manchester United. I've picked a lot of my Aberdeen team-mates but they were such a high level at the time that I think they merit it.

Forwards - Kenny Dalglish, Ally McCoist

Easy one, Kenny. Coisty? He's in.

Going up on that train, it seems like yesterday because I do have fond memories and still keep in touch with some of the guys. All these young guys going up there to try and live the dream. I've been so privileged.