Graeme Shinnie pleads with Aberdeen fans over 'potentially catastrophic' conduct and explains Jim Goodwin hug

The theatre was expected. The barbs too. But what has threatened to leave Jim Goodwin with a bad impression of an Aberdeen support he previously did not miss an opportunity to compliment were the projectiles that came raining down on him from the top tier of the Jerry Kerr stand on Saturday night.

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin and Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie embrace after the match at Tannadice.

The new Dundee United manager did point out it was just “a few mindless idiots” who targeted him with coins, a pie and a full Cuppa Juice drink at Tannadice. One coin actually hit him on the head, he revealed. A flare, meanwhile, almost struck an Aberdeen player, Ryan Duncan, as their fans celebrated the opening goal.

Not every Aberdeen supporter will listen to Goodwin given the way his reign ended at Pittodrie. But they will surely heed skipper Graeme Shinnie, who has asked the supporters to desist from throwing flares – and anything else – onto the pitch. He stressed that it might have been “catastrophic” if the canister had hit a player, in this case the 19-year-old Duncan.

“It's a tough one because they want to celebrate but we also want to be safe,” he said. “I am sure no one wanted to hit him with it and I am guessing it was from our own support."It's what the supporters seem to do. It would have been catastrophic if it hit him (Duncan) obviously and we don’t want to encourage it."

Shinnie added bite to Aberdeen's midfield against Dundee United.

It was an emotional evening on Saturday, though that does not excuse anyone throwing objects onto the pitch. Shinnie was spotted giving Goodwin a hug after Aberdeen’s 3-1 win. The on-loan midfielder explained that nothing more should be read into this – he only played a few games under Goodwin after all.

“Managers change and different scenarios happen in football but as players you go out on the pitch and no matter who is there, we want to win the game and that showed,” he said."I didn't speak to him before the game. I'll embrace every manager after the game and wish him good luck. It's part and parcel of the game. United are in a difficult period but they have got good players and a good manager too.”

Shinnie is getting back to something like his best and made one crunching challenge on the edge of the box to deny Ian Harkes. “The fighting spirit is there now,” he said. Interim manager Barry Robson referenced this afterwards too. Shinnie’s own future is uncertain given that he is only on loan until the end of the season from Wigan Athletic. He’s clearly in favour of Robson being given the permanent manager’s role even if he feels unable to urge the Aberdeen board to act given his own situation.

"It's hard to comment on that,” he said. “For me personally, it's been enjoyable playing for him. I played with Baz. He's a great guy, he was great to share the dressing room with and he has been top class as a manager.“Steve (Agnew) coming in (as assistant) has been a different class too,” he added. “We are moving in the right direction. Whatever happens happens but we will continue to fight and scrap for the manager. It's a different style of training and a different week building up to games. Obviously every manager has different ways in what they do and Barry has been full of detail and very good.”