SPL Fanzone: Season review - Aberdeen

It was a season of ups and downs for the Pittodrie side - although the football left a lot to be desired, recalls Steve Wilson

Season highlight

The unbeaten run at the start of 2012, the cup win at Motherwell and getting a transfer fee for Ricky Foster are contenders. But winning against your closest rivals is always special and the three wins out of three in the New Firm derbies including that goal from Kari Arnason, at New Year provided the biggest smiles.

Season lowlight

Our inability to cope with cup matches should not be a surprise to fans but year after year we find new ways to lose to lower-league teams or choke in semi-finals. After the cup final at the weekend, our loss to Hibs is all the harder to understand and accept.

Manager’s report card

Craig Brown stabilised the team and we are harder to beat but the football was difficult to watch at times and often too defensive. 5/10

Player of the season

A couple deserve a mention here – Ryan Jack took another step forward in his development, while for Scott Vernon to score double figures in our team this year is remarkable. But Andy Considine has proved to be the most consistent performer and gets the nod.

Expectations for next season

Dependent on addressing our weakness in attack. Last year major surgery was needed on the squad and Brown appears to have addressed our fragility. We now need creativity and width and with this a return to the top six is possible. Without it, it’ll be more of the same.

What needs to be on the club’s summer shopping list?

Width, width, width and a bit of attack. At least one, preferably two, full-backs, same with wingers and a goal scorer.

What was the worst moment of the 2011/12 season?

Rangers into administration. Not because of the possibility of losing them from the SPL but rather that it has shown up Scottish football for the farce it is, as everyone scrambles to ignore the unpaid taxes and bills and rule breaking whilst sporting integrity and the credibility of the game disappears over the horizon.

And what was the best?

The Scotland U21 team shows there are still talented Scottish youngsters.

Steve Wilson

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