Aberdeen

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Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson: "It's not the result we wanted or needed. The first-half performance wasn't good enough, there's no hiding from that. Simply not good enough.

"We got a response in the second half, created chances, could have scored two or three goals. I'm not saying the performance was at a level Aberdeen need to be at, but there was certainly an improvement.

"We've lost to two set-plays, it's been the Achilles heel all season. I wouldn't have got the job if it wasn't a big job. The previous manager would still be here if everything was rosy and going well.

"Of course it's a big job, it's a big job at the best if times. The situation I inherit the job in means I have to keep believing in the players, keep supporting them. Of course it's a hard job, there's no hiding away from that. I'm up for that challenge.

"I found out a lot in the second half about the character, about people who will really run and try to give us a platform to play from.

"What I see in training isn't what I saw in the first half or a practice match last week. We changed that second half and got a response, that's a positive I have to take."

Relegation-threatened Aberdeen's alarming decline continued as they slumped to another abject Scottish Premiership defeat at rejuvenated St Mirren on Stephen Robinson's return to Paisley.

Have your say on the game here.

Read our match report here.

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Saints could have Kion Etete back, while Conor McMenamin has been nursing a groin problem.

Malik Dijksteel (groin), Keanu Baccus (Achilles) and Marcus Fraser (shoulder) are out for the season.

Elvis Bwomono could make his Aberdeen debut, while Lyall Cameron returns after being unable to play against parent club Rangers.

Mats Knoester (concussion) could be back before the end of the season. Nicky Devlin, Kristers Tobers (both knee) and Nick Suman (ankle) remain out.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Captain Graeme Shinnie insists Aberdeen have the qualities needed to get out of relegation trouble - but admits "it is easy saying it, it is about going and doing it now".

The Dons are without a win in eight league games - including six defeats - and are precariously placed just three points above second-bottom Kilmarnock.

On Saturday Aberdeen travel to play St Mirren, who sit above Killie on goal difference.

Shinnie said: "We won 1-0 away on numerous occasions, they have had the fight and the battle. It is easy saying it, it is about going and doing it now.

"There have been a lot of negative moments in the season but there have been results in there that have shown what we can do as a team.

"If you look at the last game away at St Mirren, we managed to win 1-0, a clean sheet, managed to stand up to what they want to do at home so the proof is there that the team can do it.

"But like I said it is not about talking any more, it is about doing stuff on the pitch. It is the business end of the season so it is vitally important that the team do it."

Aberdeen meekly went down 4-1 to Rangers at Ibrox in their last outing, prompting head coach Stephen Robinson to deliver some home truths to the players.

Shinnie said: "I think that is pretty normal when you are at this stage of the season and we are where we are.

"There are a lot words after games like that. It was similar after the Dunfermline game (3-0 Scottish Cup defeat), you don't want to have it but this season it has been a theme that we have had it a lot after games and that is the way it goes.

"You don't take it too personally, it is part of football. We are all using it to try and make things better, that is the whole point of it. It is not just the negatives, you also try and find some positives."

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Craig McLeish aims to turn mentor Stephen Robinson's teachings against him when the former St Mirren boss returns to Paisley with Aberdeen on Saturday.

After a 1-0 defeat by Rangers and 2-1 win at Falkirk, youth coach McLeish's interim stewardship has been extended until the end of the season.

This weekend he goes head to head with Robinson in a massive showdown, with 10th-place St Mirren three points adrift of the Dons.

McLeish, who has also been joined by former St Mirren player Stuart Taylor as part of his backroom team, said: "We had so much success under the manager and he built such a good foundation.

"We all have our own views on football and how we would do things and the manager used to tell me there are only two types of coach.

"You can be a defensive coach who attacks, or you can be an attacking coach who defends, and we used to joke that I was an attacking coach who would sometimes defend. He helped balance me out so much.

"He taught me so much, he probably doesn't realise how much I watched and how much I took in of his sessions and he built such a good structure and foundation here. I now just kind of get to take that and put my own spin on it.

"It's not even about the bravery side of it, the change side of it, it's what I know. It's how I know how to coach, how to set a team up and how to try and attack.

"We're nowhere near yet where I want it look, but at the same time it's not about how pretty we look, or the style of play or what I can do as a coach, it is picking up points and winning games."

In tandem with their struggle for league survival, St Mirren also have a Scottish Cup semi-final clash against Celtic at Hampden later this month.

McLeish said: "People keep mentioning the semi-final, we'll deal with the semi-final when that comes.

"Everything right now is just Aberdeen. How do they play? What have they been doing?

"Obviously the manager's gone up there and they've had a couple of games so we're trying to watch what they've done.

"We're trying to just gameplan and prepare ourselves as best we can and once that one's out of the way, we just move on to the next game."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before Aberdeen's Premiership trip to St Mirren on Saturday.

Here are the key lines:

• On returning to his former club and the reaction that awaits, Robinson says given his achievements there "you would expect a good one". However, he admits: "This is football... so I can't imagine it will be that good."

• With the nine-place Dons just three points above St Mirren and second-bottom Kilmarnock, Robinson is well aware it is a "huge game" and his side "can't hide away from that".

• Robinson is braced for a battle: "Nobody knows St Mirren better than myself."

• He believes his squad have the grit to get out of their current predicament: "It goes without saying you have to win the fight before you can start to play your football."

• He continues: "This club has been very up and down all the time. These are big big games, we need to get enough points to make sure we are not in a relegation play-off or worse and then we rebuild for next season."

• Robinson called for unity at Aberdeen and says he has several players with big-game experience, adding: "I am confident they will stand up."

• After calling out his players following the defeat to Rangers in Aberdeen's previous game, Robinson says there has been a lot of positivity around the place.

• He adds: "The players have been brilliant. They have been excellent, the response has been very, very good."

• New signing Elvis Bwomono is available for a debut and there are no fresh injury concerns.

Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday expects Aberdeen to finish this season in the relegation play-off spot.

The Dons are currently ninth but only three points above St Mirren - who they play on Saturday in their penultimate pre-split game - and second-bottom Kilmarnock.

Killie are looking to make it three wins in a row when they visit Hibs while the Buddies welcome Aberdeen searching for back-to-back victories.

The Dons, now led by former St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson, haven't won a league game since January.

"At this moment in time if I had to predict anyone to be in that 11th spot at the end of the season it's Aberdeen," Halliday told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I don't think they've been a great side throughout the season but I think they've saved their worst period until the last six, seven, eight weeks.

"I make St Mirren favourites going into this game at the weekend. I think momentum is huge at this stage in the season.

"I don't think Aberdeen know their best team, Stephen Robinson doesn't know the players he can trust yet, whereas St Mirren and Kilmarnock have a much clearer idea, they've shown they can get results.

"It's unbelievable Aberdeen are even down there, the money they're spending on players, the transfer fees they've spent.

"It wouldn't surprise me one bit if they find themselves in that second-bottom spot."

Saturday will mark Robinson's first return to Paisley after leaving St Mirren last month to take over at Pittodrie.

"I think he'll get a hero's welcome from the fanbase, I don't think he'll get the same reception from his players," Halliday said.

"It's been dubbed the Stephen Robinson derby and I think if it turns into a Stephen Robinson type game, St Mirren are better equipped for it."

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• This will be Stephen Robinson's first Scottish Premiership game against St Mirren since leaving the club for Aberdeen. Robinson has won all three of his managerial games away to the Buddies in the competition, each with Motherwell from October 2018 to December 2019.

• Aberdeen have lost eight of their past nine away league outings (D1) and could go 10+ away games without a win in the Premiership for the first time since July 2022 (11).

• St Mirren have lost their past two home league matches by an aggregate score of 6-0, last losing three in a row in February 2025. The Buddies could also lose three in a row at home without scoring in the top flight for the first time since January 2024.

• Aberdeen's 1-0 victory at St Mirren in October ended a 10-game winless away league run against the Buddies (D3 L7).

• St Mirren have won five of their past eight league meetings with Aberdeen (D1 L2), although are winless in both so far this season (D1 L1).

New Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson is eager to restore 22-year-old forward Marko Lazetic's confidence. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Gordon Strachan believes former club Aberdeen were right to hire Stephen Robinson as their head coach over a "mystic" foreign name with no Scottish Premiership experience. (Herald - subscription required), external

Robinson says all members of Aberdeen's squad will get their chance to stake a claim for first-team involvement. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Stephen Robinson's former assistant, Diarmuid O'Carroll, now Sparta Prague first-team coach, revealed the recently-appointed Aberdeen head coach has sought his advice on "a couple" of potential signings who he knows from England and revealed that the Northern Irishman is big on data and personality when adding to his squad. (Press & Journal), external

Former Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine has been working in the oil and gas industry for the past 16 months but is now looking for a route back into football and hopes to become a head coach. (The National), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Dons fans, we asked for your views on the departure of Sivert Heltne Nilsen and arrival of Elvis Bwomono until the end of the season.

Here's what some of you said:

Mark: Nilsen started really strongly and was a vital part of that unbeaten run last season. I think his form dipped after a few months because he arrived after a full season in Norway without a break. The freak eye injury disrupted things last year and I'm glad he is able to see, never mind still play, after that. The move may be right for both parties, although I wonder if his experience may have been useful until the end of the season, given the experienced players we have missing in defence.

Ian: Commitment was there but a player in the twilight of his career with little pace left. In retrospect a bad signing.

Chris: It's a good move for Nilsen. His lack of pace made him a liability in defence and midfield as the bookings became more likely than anything else. Bwomono I don't remember at St Mirren, I just hope Stephen Robinson's player assessment/memory is better than Lutz Pfannenstiel's as his has been pretty poor. Let's wait and see but we need something at the back to plug the leaking goals.

Brian: Not only letting experience and leadership go but another likeable player. Add to Shayden Morris, Leighton Clarkson, Dante Polvara - players who seemed to care/fight for the club. Now we're left with a team of strangers, most of whom don't seem to give a damn. Genuinely the least connected I've ever felt to my team in over 50 years.

Alan: Nilsen no doubt had a sound enough football brain and was a decent guy in and around the squad but his lack of pace and movement on the pitch was a severe handicap. Signing anyone with some SPFL experience and increased pace and mobility at this time is sensible.

Joe: Desperate times, desperate measures. Who can say what the next few weeks will bring, all that's left is hope. Any confidence in the club to scramble away from the play-off place has long gone. Sad and frustrating times for a club like Aberdeen

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Midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen is "incredibly grateful" for his Aberdeen career after departing to join second-tier Norwegian side FK Haugesund.

The 35-year-old, a Scottish Cup winner with the Dons last season, has only been used sparingly in recent months and was keen to return to his homeland.

The Dons have swiftly added to their squad following Heltne Nilsen's exit, with former St Mirren defender Elvis Bwomono, 27, joining until the end of the season after a short trial.

Uganda international Bwomono, who has been without a club since leaving the Buddies last summer, reunites with his former Paisley boss Stephen Robinson at Pittodrie.

"I'm delighted to be here and looking forward to working with the manager again," he said.

"I want to help the team as much as I can. Even in the short time I've been in, you can see the quality in the group. Training has been intense and, even in the bounce game, you could see the players taking on what the manager is asking for.

"We've got seven big games ahead and my focus is on doing everything I can to help the team finish the season as strongly as possible."

Sivert Nilsen, meanwhile, said he and his family "truly loved" their time in Aberdeen but it is time for a "new chapter".

He added: "The start we made last season, and of course being part of the group that won the Scottish Cup, was amazing. The scenes in May are something my family and I will never forget.

"This season has been disappointing, but I am confident that, with Stephen [Robinson] leading the team, we will finish strongly and build momentum again for next season."

Dons fans, is it the right call to let such an experienced player depart amid a fight for Premiership survival? And is Bwomono a good addition? Let us know your thoughts.

Aberdeen's Sivert Heltne Nilsen has been told he can leave the club, with Haugesund emerging as front-runners to sign the veteran. (Daily Record, external)

And the Dons are considering signing former St Mirren defender Elvis Bwomono on a short-term deal until the end of the season. (Press and Journal, external)

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Robbie Neilson says Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson has "taken a gamble" by calling out his players just two games into his tenure.

Having begun with a draw at Falkirk, Robinson revealed he delivered "home truths" in the dressing room after the 4-1 weekend defeat by Rangers at Ibrox.

The relegation-threatened Dons, who occupy ninth place, are just three points above St Mirren and Kilmarnock before a trip to Paisley to face the Buddies following the international break.

Former Hearts and Dundee United boss Neilson says such heavy criticism from a new manager can backfire, citing the example of Russell Martin, who lambasted his Rangers players just three games after taking charge and was sacked two months later.

"It's very, very difficult because Stephen's teams have always been built on that aggression and the battle right to the end," Neilson told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Straight after the game he's probably super frustrated with what he's seen, he's maybe taken that into the interview after it but he felt it needed to be called out.

"He's made a decision. It's a gamble in my opinion because, do the players come with you or do they throw the toys out the pram?

"The only way we'll find out is when they go down to St Mirren and see if they can fight, but they haven't proved this season they can do that.

"It was a big call to come out and hammer them. We saw it with Russell Martin at the start of this season. He made the gamble to go after the players and it didn't work. He eventually moved on but you have to do something."

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

The realisation of the position Aberdeen find themselves in has now surely hit even those who didn't think the club could be dragged into a battle for survival.

Saturday's perfect storm culminated in them losing heavily at Ibrox after both St Mirren and Kilmarnock won earlier in the afternoon to further slice the gap between the Dons and 11th down to just three points.

It was the latest listless performance from a side who looked beaten before kick-off.

The only positives to be taken by an ashen-faced Stephen Robinson were the fact the team finally broke their away scoring duck in 2026, and that they won't have to travel to a top-six side again this season.

For a new manager to be so critical of his players after just his second game in charge shows you how concerned he is.

"I told them a few home truths," Robinson said after the game. "Maybe if that had been done six, seven months ago, people would have stepped up. But I told them the truth tonight.

"Aberdeen football club have been very good to a lot of these players, it's payback time now."

Those words were a damning indictment of what had gone before Robinson was appointed and it remains to be seen whether the "home truths" will have the desired effect.

Robinson will return to St Mirren with his new players in what could be a momentous afternoon at the bottom with Killie facing Hibernian in Edinburgh at the same time.

Depending on fixture balances post-split, Aberdeen should face both Saints and Killie at home which could be crucial to the outcome as they protect an unbroken top-flight history.

When asked how perilous a position they now find themselves in, Robinson said that was "stating the obvious". He's right, it's now one win in 15 in the league.

The Dons board are gripping on to their seats and hoping this current Aberdeen team can limp across the finish line with their top-flight status intact so that they can perform major surgery in the summer.

They are in a dogfight, the question is does Robinson have the breed capable of winning it?

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

A few months ago on Red Tinted Glasses, external I confidently predicted Aberdeen wouldn't need to worry about those behind us.

Well, after last weekend it's safe to say I am nervously looking over my shoulder and the looming trip to Paisley is definitely a 'six-pointer'.

We have found ourselves in this position due to poor results, poor performances and poor recruitment. The club need to take a long hard look at themselves, from players right up to the boardroom.

It's harsh to judge Stephen Robinson based on two games, however he called out the players after the weekend defeat at Ibrox.

While I don't think he is wrong in his overall assessment, it's a brave move for a manager just in the door.

Robinson joins Jimmy Thelin and Peter Leven in voicing similar concerns this season about performances being unacceptable. Ultimately the buck stops with the players.

Robinson wants a reaction and the trip to face his old club St Mirren after the international break is the perfect place to get it - but do the players have what it takes?

The message is simple. Do your talking on the pitch, fight for this club and get us out the mess you have played your part putting us into.

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

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Departed interim Aberdeen manager Peter Leven says he has "confidence that the club will continue to move forward and succeed".

The 42-year-old exited Pittodrie after his third spell as caretaker came to an end after the arrival of Stephen Robinson from Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren as their new head coach.

After a 1-1 draw with Falkirk and Saturday's 4-1 loss to Rangers in their first two games under Robinson, Aberdeen are now just three points above St Mirren and Kilmarnock, who occupy the relegation play-off place.

Responding to his departure for the first time, Leven said in a statement on LinkedIn: "After three memorable years at Aberdeen FC, the time has come for me to move on.

"I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone connected with the club - the players, staff and, most importantly, the supporters.

"Together, we've shared memorable moments that I will carry with me for the rest of my career.

"Coaching the team into the European group stages twice and I'm incredibly proud to have been part of this club that lifted the Scottish Cup, a moment l'll never forget.

"It's been an honour to represent Aberdeen. I leave with immense respect and appreciation for Aberdeen FC and confidence that the club will continue to move forward and succeed."

Former Kilmarnock, Chesterfield, Milton Keynes Dons and Oxford United midfielder Leven joined the Pittodrie coaching staff after a two-year spell as assistant with Russian club Orenburg.

He had started his coaching career with Middlesbrough's academy before becoming assistant with Kilmarnock and Dynamo Brest in Belarus.