The future and the past will collide for Mark McGhee at Fir Park today and there could not be a better time for the Motherwell manager to prove that his best days are not behind him. McGhee will be feted tomorrow in Aberdeen for his role in their greatest hour but first he has to dismantle the current Pittodrie ambitions.

Only football’s fondness for fate could have ensured that McGhee would be thrust into the role of Aberdeen’s executioner on the very weekend that he and the rest of Sir Alex Ferguson’s famous side were being treated like royalty back in the Granite City. The 25th anniversary of the Cup Winners’ Cup triumph will be marked by a reunion of the side that defeated Real Madrid in the final at a rally organised by Aberdeen.

McGhee’s goals were crucial in that campaign, scoring twice in the 5-1 win over Waterschei in the semi-final to allow 15,000 Aberdeen fans to descend on Gothenburg for the final on May 11, 1983. In contrast, Motherwell’s European CV is far more modest, just three appearances, the last of which was 13 years ago. Yet, McGhee’s side can take a huge step towards qualification for next season’s Uefa Cup if they defeat his old club today.

A victory over Aberdeen at Fir Park on Saturday would secure third place in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League if their Uefa Cup rivals, Hibernian and Dundee United, lose against Celtic and Rangers, respectively. Motherwell have finished in the top three on just two occasions since 1934 and McGhee knows they are on the verge of a memorable achievement.

As someone who played in the Bundesliga with SV Hamburg and in England’s top-flight with Newcastle United, as well winning titles in his own country with Celtic and Aberdeen, McGhee knows that anxiety can creep into players the closer they get to their prize. Yet, he also knows that players need to seize the day. “I think you have got to have the bottle to go and try to win them,” McGhee said.

“If you go in with fear you sometimes cannot perform to your total capabilities. You have got to go in and not have fear of losing. I think that’s really important — we have got to go from the first minute to try to win the game.”

McGhee has led Reading, Brighton and Hove Albion and Millwall to promotions and taken Wolverhampton Wanderers to an FA Cup semi-final but he admits helping Motherwell into Europe would equal any success he and his players have enjoyed, especially following the death of Phil O’Donnell, the captain, and problems with the Fir Park pitch.

“As everyone knows, it’s been a dramatic season in all sorts of ways, which makes it all the more poignant if we were to get some sort of success out of it,” McGhee said. “It would rank with anything we have done, particularly given the obstacles that have been put in our way.

“The players are here because they have the ability, which was proved this week by Ross McCormack getting a call-up to the Scotland squad. They are good enough to be third. That is not some sort of miracle or fluke. The fact they would have achieved it despite the obstacles is something extra.”

Despite coming close to missing out on a top-six spot, Aberdeen have climbed back into contention for a European place after collecting 16 points from a possible 21 to move within a victory of Motherwell.

“Aberdeen are genuine contenders now and we have got to take them seriously,” McGhee said. “If we don’t get beaten they can’t get above us so we have still got a big advantage, but they have done well to get back. It’s our job to extinguish that glimmer of hope in the first ten minutes of the game.”

What McGhee would love is a repeat of the 3-0 scoreline from the last time Jimmy Calderwood’s side visited Fir Park. “We played them here and were three up in about 12 minutes. We have got to have a similar start to that.”

McGhee has plenty of options after giving every first-team player a start in narrow defeats by Celtic and Rangers. He praised their “appetite” and is now looking for them to make the fans who take advantage of the £5 admission prices, hungry for more Fir Park action.

“If there are a lot of people here that don’t come regularly, I think we have got to give them something that makes them say, ‘Good, next season I’ll get my season ticket.’ I think we have to give them something back, but if there is enthusiasm to help get us the three points that will be brilliant.”

McCormack is being courted by Wigan Athletic for a summer move as a free agent but he has paid tribute to McGhee, admitting he will play a big part in his decision whether to stay at Motherwell.

“I can’t thank the manager enough. Last season I wasn’t playing at all but I have played in most games this season so he has been great with me,” McCormack said. “He is also making the decision more difficult. I know

if I was to stay with the manager I would improve. There are a lot of decisions to be made as to family circumstances. They will be all taken into account to make sure I’m doing the right thing.”