Aberdeen

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Stephen Robinson didn't hold back as Aberdeen's season ended with failure to defend a corner, an issue that has riddled their woeful season.

It was their year in microcosm.

Starting as Scottish Cup holders, hope was high that Jimmy Thelin would be able to move the club to the next level. Unfortunately for the Dons it was back to the bottom six, insipid cup exits and a lowest points tally in 15 years that threatened a first-ever relegation.

The Swede's successor admitted after the loss at Dundee on the final day he has told those he doesn't want to work with next season and you'd imagine that is a fairly lengthy list.

In 2026, Aberdeen have played 19 league games and lost 12 of them, an atrocious record they were fortunate not to drop into the relegation play-off because of.

They also haven't won a single away game in the calendar year.

Given the outlay on the squad these facts are quite the underachievement.

There will be many at Pittodrie who have to take stock after what has to go down as one of the worst campaigns in the club's history, certainly in the modern era. It is difficult to find a single positive from the wreckage of their 2025/26.

Robinson's job over the next few weeks is massive with what Hearts have done this campaign showing the way for clubs like the Dons, Hibernian and Dundee United.

There will need to be an increase in the ambition of those three and arguably others as Derek McInnes' men have altered the landscape and could potentially be stronger next season with Jamestown Analytics behind them.

Darren Mowbray's return as recruitment guru appears to be a positive step given his success in his previous Pittodrie spell but the game has changed on that front if Aberdeen want to emulate what is going on at Tynecastle.

As for the season that has just finished, it can finally be consigned to the darkest corner of Aberdeen history by the club's supporters, but lessons will have to be quickly learned for a repeat to be avoided.

Aberdeen winger Nicolas Milanovic looks set to leave this summer - one year into a three-year contract - after the 24-year-old was told he is not part of manager Stephen Robinson's plans. (Press & Journal), external

Read the rest of Wednesday's Scottish gossip.

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

A dismal season was summed up as Ryan Astley headed a late winner in another game where Aberdeen chose not to defend set-pieces.

Thankfully we won't have to endure painful performances, dreadful defending and clueless creativity for at least a month until pre-season gets under way.

Stephen Robinson's harsh (but some may say fair) words at full-time, coupled with the manner of the two season-ending defeats, leave fans under no illusion the summer squad rebuild is massive and won't be easy.

What we cannot get away from is this goes beyond the dugout and playing squad. The board need to take a long, hard look at themselves - a season that offered so much potential fell flat on its face.

The backing was there, however the recruitment was rotten and we have been left with a bloated squad and a restricted budget moving into a summer where work is needed.

One thing we can all agree on is good riddance to a truly forgettable season.

They say it can't get much worse. However, all I can hear is Mick McCarthy speaking into a mic saying "It can". Time to regroup and let the rebuild begin.

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

Aberdeen have offered captain Graeme Shinnie, 34, a new two-year contract but both parties remain far from an agreement, with the midfielder's former club Inverness Caledonian Thistle monitoring the situation. (Anthony Joseph on X), external

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

We asked for your thoughts after Aberdeen finished their Premiership campaign with a 3-2 defeat at Dundee on Sunday.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Michael: I was going to make a comment when I woke up at 06:00 but knew I'd more than likely say something I didn't mean later on. So I've cut the grass, showered and had breakfast, now sitting on the balcony chilling listening to calm classical music and my frame of mind is in a better place, so here goes, Dissatisfied and disappointed. The report card is not looking good, must do better. Some of those players are overpaid and over here.

Stuart: Another shocking performance. No fight in the second half - need a big clearout.

A fed up Don: An appropriate end to this season, one we're all glad to see the back of. Huge summer ahead for Robinson, barely any of the players deserve to remain here next year.

Andrew: I'm just glad it's over. If lessons aren't learned about how to prepare for the new season next time round, we're in a world of trouble next year.

Jim: Yet another pathetic performance from an expensive team that can't do the basics. That's two games in a row against the Dee where they get a late winner. This shouldn't happen against anyone, not even Celtic and certainly not Dundee. Another failure of a season, of which there have been many since Dave Cormack took the helm. Coincidence?

Malmo are linked with Aberdeen full-back Alexander Jensen, 24. (Record), external

Aberdeen fear the extent of defender Mats Knoester's injury picked up in Sunday's defeat by Dundee. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Monday's Scottish gossip

Ryan Astley crashed in a 90th-minute winner for Dundee against Aberdeen to take them above their visitors to an eighth-place finish in the Scottish Premiership.

What are your thoughts on Aberdeen's performance and season as a whole?

MATCH REPORT

HAVE YOUR SAY

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson: "Just put the rest of the season in the last five minutes. When we needed to be strong and defend, be organised and speak. We didn't do it. It's not a surprise to me.

"I know the amount of work that needs done here. The last five minutes when you need to show character, nerve, and strength we don't do. It's a micorcosm of the season in those five minutes."

Asked about how big a rebuild he faces, Robinson said: "Very. In an ideal world. When footballers are given four and five year contracts it's very difficult. Some will leave, naturally. I spoke to everybody this week and told the boys who will be part of it and those we don't want to be part of it.

"No doubt some will come back because they haven't got options. But they'll be coming back on our terms, our work ethic, our fitness levels, our desire to win football matches. Otherwise they won't play.

"I'd like to change lots of things but football and life isn't ideal."

Robinson says Mats Knoester has a badly swollen knee and "it doesn't look good" but is hopeful the scans are ok.

He finishes by saying: "Every player is battling to be an Aberdeen player."

Image source, SNS

Martin Boyle has agreed a new one-year deal to stay at Hibernian, despite previous confirmation from David Gray this would be the forward's final season.

The 33-year-old has been linked with Aberdeen and clubs further afield, but will now extend his second spell at Easter Road.

"There have been positive talks around his future and he is going to be staying another year," Gray told BBC Scotland before the Motherwell game.

"It's a big decision for him and his family and his advisers, and the Gordon family from the investments made across the time. We feel this is right for everybody.

"You see what he brings to the football club. What he brings, not just on the pitch but off it as well, it's brilliant for everyone involved."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen defender Nicky Devlin says he felt as responsible as anyone for the poor season to Dons have had.

The 32-year-old has only just returned to action after two and a half months out with a knee injury.

While the Dons eventually managed to secure their Premiership status, there were some nervy spells in the north east.

Devlin admits not being able to play was made even harder by the fact he was unable to help the team in their battle for top division survival.

"That was probably the hardest part because you know you can't really contribute too much," he said.

"I went to all the games, travelled with the team every time. When you are there you hate every minute of it but you almost feel like you can't not be there because the position we were in has not been good enough and I am as big a part of that as anyone this year.

"That was a big a reason why I felt I had to go with the team because I was as big a part as anyone this year. I have played just about as much as anyone even with the injury."

Aberdeen round off their campaign at Dundee on Sunday.

Devlin insists he has seen enough from head coach Stephen Robinson – who was appointed in the middle of March – to suggest next season will be a whole lot better.

"I think the results probably show that as well," he added.

"We have, in terms of form, picked up quite a bit since he came in and we have managed to pull ourselves away from what was looking at one stage a really difficult situation for us.

"I think you would find all the players in there would say they are on board with what he wants. He makes his messages very clear in terms of what he wants and expects from us and he has made it very clear that next year, what happened this year won't be acceptable and the standards will have to go up everything will have to be raised. That is something as players you have got to embrace and look forward to."

Image source, SNS

Dundee head coach Steven Pressley could give fringe players a game after making eight changes in midweek. Goalkeeper Jon McCracken is out with an ankle injury.

Aberdeen will be without Emmanuel Gyamfi, Stuart Armstrong, Dimitar Mitov, Marko Lazetic, Alexander Jense, Kristers Tobers and Nick Suman.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson would be "questioning people's intelligence" if they can't see the overhaul needed at Pittodrie this summer.

Robinson, who was named head coach in March, insists he and the board are on the same page about what needs to be done after a hugely disappointing Premiership campaign.

The eighth-place Dons bring the curtain down on their season away to Dundee on Sunday.

"We are all in agreement on what we need to do and what direction we need to go, what type of players we need in and what type of mentality we need at the football club," Robinson said.

"I think I would be questioning people's intelligence if they can't see what we need. There is a real common thinking from board level down of what we need.

"We are all doing this together, there is no 'Stephen Robinson says that and doesn't agree with anybody else', that is the process at football clubs now, there is not one individual who decides that. I will have the final say of course."

With their Premiership status secure the trip to Dens Park may look a dead rubber, but Robinson says it is vital as he steps up his preparation for next season.

"I will make some changes to personnel and other little bits as well that I want to look at and that is for the reason that I want to see people," he added.

"I have made my mind up on the vast majority of things I want to do but there are a couple of people that I want to have a last look at before I make final decisions."

A number of Aberdeen's underperformers remain under contract, so moving players out could prove difficult.

"At any club the hardest bit is players who are on long contracts," Robinson admitted.

"They hold all the power, if they decide to stay they decide to stay. All I can be is be honest and tell people whether they are going to be part of my plans, and you hope with the desire that they have to play football that makes people want to move on.

"But that is easier said than done. It is certainly our intention to shake the squad up a little bit. That is no criticism of anybody before me, I want to make that very clear, it is more looking forward and how I see Aberdeen looking on the pitch and how we structure that."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premiership trip to Dundee.

Here are the main points:

• Robinson admits "I will make some changes" for Sunday's game. He has made up his mind about "the vast majority" of the squad but says there are a couple of players he wants to have a look at before he makes a final decision on their future.

• With ninth-place Dundee a point behind the Dons, he says everyone wants to finish as high as possible and expects the Dark Blues to "go as strong as they possibly can" into their final home game.

• In terms of summer transfer business, he wants to make changes and put an "identity" on the team, adding: "I know the market, I know what wins games in Scottish football."

• And the Dons boss stresses "we are all in agreement" from board level down "about what we need".

• The head coach admits "at any club the hardest bit is players who are on long contracts", adding "they hold all the power and if they decide to stay they decide to stay".

• Team news: Emmanuel Gyamfi will miss out again after pulling up injured during the pre-match warm-up during the week.

Image source, SNS

• Aberdeen have lost 19 of their 37 league games this season (W11 D7); they last suffered 20+ defeats in a single league campaign in 2010-11 (22).

• After their 3-2 win in February, Dundee could win back-to-back league meetings with Aberdeen for the first time since August 1999; this is their 53rd league game against the Dons since.

• Aberdeen have won nine of their past 12 league visits to Dundee (D1 L2), including the latest three in a row.

• Dundee have only won their final match in one of their past 10 top-flight seasons (D2 L7), although that did come last term, beating St Johnstone 2-0.

• Aberdeen haven't won their final league match in any of the past five seasons (D2 L3). They lost 2-1 to Dundee United on matchday 38 last term, last losing their final game in successive campaigns from 2013-14 to 2015-16 (three in a row).

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson warns it will take more than one transfer window to fix the issues that have plagued the Dons' season. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

You can normally tell by the number of gulls that are dive-bombing just how riveting a game at Pittodrie is, and there were plenty swooping as Aberdeen's mini revival came to an end against their current bogey team.

The Dons' recent record against St Mirren leaves a lot to be desired and a listless performance ended with them beaten by manager Stephen Robinson's former charges for the second time in just over a month.

Should the Paisley side go down via the play-offs, Dons supporters could be forgiven for breathing a sigh of relief given how their team fares against them these days.

The game itself was as clear an example of one team with nothing at stake against a side with plenty to play for as you will get, although the head-scratching decision by referee David Dickinson to award St Mirren a free-kick at the edge of the box for a perfectly-judged challenge by Dennis Geiger didn't exactly aid the Dons' hopes of a comeback.

In truth, Robinson had done what he was asked to do when he arrived in March and that was ensure the club stayed away from 11th place. In that regard it was job done before this latest gruesome Pittodrie showing left them with a home record of just seven wins in 19 outings.

This was another reminder of the major surgery Robinson and his recruitment team are going to have to perform in the weeks ahead but goodness knows where they start.

The positive news for Aberdeen supporters, who continue to follow their team home and away in huge numbers, is there is only one more game of the season to go.

A campaign that promised so much as Scottish Cup holders and cash being thrown at the squad, has delivered nothing but disappointment and ignominy with more managerial upheaval thrown in for good measure. Plenty has to change.

If the hierarchy don't get it right this summer, perhaps even the pie-loving seabirds will turn their beaks up at the prospect of an afternoon or evening down at Pittodrie.

We asked for your views after Aberdeen's final home game of the season ended in a 2-0 defeat to St Mirren.

Here's what some of you said:

Mike: The current team cant be trusted to give 100 per cent, this latest debacle shows that. The fans deserved a good performance against a team fighting for survival but got the same old Aberdeen. A lot of players should pay the price for that when they are moved on in the summer.

Donald: Overall an embarrassment of a performance and an embarrassment of a team. The last home game of the season and less than half the players had any passion or desire to give the long-suffering fans what they desire: a performance and a win. Just a disaster of a season and a disgrace of a team. Barely a shot on target in over 90 minutes against a depleted St Mirren. Can't wait for a clearout at Pittodrie this summer.

Spencer: That just sums the entire season up. The club is in disarray. A huge clearout needed. We can't deal with a high press. Players with no passion, aggression or ability to work out the basics. Thankfully, the end of the season is in sight.

Grant: A final home game fitting of the utter rubbish we've seen most of the season. Huge rebuild needed in the summer (again) with a lot of players not helping the case to keep them around next season. Intriguing to see if Stephen Robinson will go to his preferred 4-3-3 as, despite it getting the job done, I can't see our current style of play being a success long term.

Niall: Just a really disappointing display given recent form in front of another big, loyal, home crowd. Aberdeen needs to seriously up its standards next season as this has been arguably the worst in a generation given the high expectations with the long lead-in Jimmy Thelin appointment. History will record this season as one of this famous club's poorest but let's wipe the slate clean, regroup and start a new era next season with Robbo at the helm and more Scottish players involved.

Eric: Shambolic. So many players seem to have signed off already. Why Robinson is not playing the youth is beyond me, instead of playing those who are finished at the club. Should be playing the core of a team that will start next season. Yet to be convinced by Robinson.

Marko Lazetic wants to leave Aberdeen this summer, with clubs in Europe and the United States circling for the 22-year-old striker. (Press & Journal), external

Celtic passed on signing Lewis Ferguson before the Scotland midfielder was sold for £2.5m by Aberdeen to Bologna in 2022 because they felt he was not good enough at penalty kicks, according to the 26-year-old's agent. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Watch the highlights as St Mirren ended their winless run with a 2-0 victory in Aberdeen but will still have to have to come through a Premiership play-off against Dunfermline or Partick Thistle to remain in the top flight. Available to UK users only.

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson told BBC Sportsound: "It's disappointing. The first half performance wasn't acceptable.

"It was one team fighting for their lives and we looked like we turned up without intensity or drive. There was a reaction to that at half-time and we got 20 or 25 minutes or less than that.

"It confirms the size of the task we've got going forward. I was never in any doubt of that. We've shown resilience and shown we have gotten the results we needed but we also showed why we are in the position we've been in all season.

"Sometimes you get these performances when there's nothing to play for but in my mind there is something to play for because winning games is everything.

"You get games like that but it's far from acceptable. But it confirms what I already knew, which is that it will be a big job in the summer."

St Mirren earned a hard-fought Scottish Premiership win over Aberdeen - but it wasn't enough to prevent their place in the relegation play-off being confirmed.

Read the full match report here.

You can have your say on the game here.