Year's End, And Looking Ahead

The Pittodrie faithful will enter the new year with considerably more optimism about the club than would have been the case if the calendar were two weeks shorter. The new management team of Craig Brown and Archie Knox have guided the Dons to two critical wins and avoided starting 2011 in the drop zone, but are aware of the continued challenge ahead.

I'm not usually in favor of quoting from the pages, but RedWeb's summary of the papers this week seems particularly appropriate. All seem to have focussed on Zander Diamond, or perhaps were just too lazy to get independent quotes for themselves, but that said the 25-year-old midfielder has provided a few choice items that warrant the copy/paste:

With injury, it's been a hard couple of years. I was thrown into the deep end when I came back in January last season as we were struggling then, too... But, hopefully, everything injury-wise is forgotten and I hope the experience of the boss and Archie can add a couple of things to my game. [They] tell me to go out and enjoy my game and, when you are doing your job right, the confidence comes from that.

As I've argued, I believed throughout that this squad was not lacking on talent, just on execution and consistency... and confidence can go a long long road in this funny sport of fitba.

Diamond went on to summarize the pain, both Twitter- and pub-side-induced, of being a Dons fan recently:

"It's not great seeing your team bottom of the league. You watch Sky Sports and the other sports channels and see your team is bottom of the table. Your pals are annoying you and that's hard to take. But, hopefully, this is the start of something and we can keep winning games. The new management has come in and got the response they wanted - and we wanted too.

We've had a great number of fans following us in the past couple of games. We've sent them up the road happy with six points out of six, but that means nothing if we get beaten by Dundee United; we know these two wins don't end the talk of relegation, they're two great results on the road, but we've got a long road to go before we're out of this situation.

It's not good enough for us to turn up and say 'We're Aberdeen' and expect to roll teams over. We need to put in a lot of hard work and we've done that in the last two games. But we need to do that in every game and eventually we'll be out of the mire we're in.

Swing the fire and first-foot a good one, Happy Hogmanay & a guid New Year tae ane an aw.

Match Summary: Hamilton 0 - 1 Aberdeen

I've always wished the best for the Accies, but sadly at this point the Dons absolutely needed those three points.

That said, all credit to new boss Craig Brown for having taken 6 from 6 to start his term. Scott Vernon was again at the center of things, finishing from close range in injury time for the only tally of the match. On the whole it was not a terribly inspired performance for the Dons, the visitors were well-organized and strong in the midfield for the majority of the afternoon. While Vernon's goal was left a bit late, it was not an ugly thing, with credit to both Jack and Aluko for setting the table.

I hate that I have to celebrate moving 6 points clear of relegation, but pride doesn't save a man from the drop zone. Hamilton have two matches in hand, which from an objective point of view sets up an interesting four-team relegation battle:

Welcome Craig Brown! Hibs 1 - 2 Dons

Now this is a result the Dons absolutely needed, not only when looking at the SPL table but also in terms of the squad's confidence in their new boss. And, while this is not the post for a discussion of McGhee's faults, I do not think that this positive result is completely a coincidence.

This time Scott Vernon decided he'd like to get to watch a Dons goal from the third-person perspective, assisting on Folley's opener ten minutes from the break, before returning to regular form by securing the points by chesting in Hardley's skidding strike from distance. Subsequent opportunities were missed by both clubs, with Wotherspoon wasting an open chance directly to Langfield, and Magennis similarly directing a header from McArdle straight on to Brown's waiting arms. The Dons were admittedly fortunate to avoid a crushing penalty with just a few minutes remaining, and goal-line clearances by Ian Murray were required not once but twice to secure the full points.

I can't bring myself to type the final score

All I can say is that at least that didn't happen at Pittodrie. While we cannot simply ignore the result, at the same time I don't know what we can take away from the match in terms of looking forward, whether McGhee is able to stay in charge or not. At this point MM needs to forget about his own skin and somehow get the lads ready for Tuesday night's hosting of Caley Thistle.

Match Summary: St Mirren 2 - 1 Aberdeen

The Buddies stole the points with a Fergie-time goal from Travner. To be fair the Dons had their opportunities and failed to capitalize, but Paton continues to disappoint, and mental lapses seem to occur at the worst possible moment.

St Mirren    2 - 1    Aberdeen
               (HT 1-0)
McAusland 28     McArdle 57
Travner 90+

Match Summary: Aberdeen 4 - 2 Hibernian

Now, that's more like it. Scott Vernon continued his goal-scoring prowess and Maguire and Mackie each did their part to secure the points and ruin Colin Calderwood's opener as Hibs' manager. Sone Aluko showed why I tipped him in the preseason to surprise for the Dons.

The points merely held Aberdeen at eighth in the table, but in this case the match was honestly worth much more than three points (the first gained since 21 August) as hopefully the lads can continue forward with increased confidence.  As long as health concerns do not manifest themselves, I still see this as a top-six side, able to surprise when motivated and certainly produce football that is worth watching. Consistency is what matters now, and for that McGhee must keep his charges on the right foot.

Match Summary: Aberdeen 0 - 1 Hearts

In this case I blame not Howard but McGhee, or at least his physio staff. Having suffered a significant knock to the head just before half-time, Howard handed the points to Hearts after denying the visitors in the first half with several sparkling saves.

Eh, that's all I can muster for now. Disappointing result after and inconsistent effort... and one pointfrom the previous six matches.

Chris Maguire's half-field equalizer.

In case you've been under a rock for the past day or two, here is young Maguire's brilliantly cheeky goal in the Scotland-Iceland U21 match.

Week 7 Recap: Caley Thistle 2 - 0 Aberdeen

What an ugly match. More later, if I can be bothered. Paton given a straight red, Megginson stretchered off, and the Dons drop to seventh in the SPL as they give ICT their first home points of the season.

Week 6 Recap: Aberdeen 2 - 3 Rangers

I can't deny, this one hurt. Up 2-0 after half an hour, only to concede three consecutive tallies for the visitors, was frustrating at the very very least.

More frustrating is the fact that I fear the final result will discourage McGhee from continuing with his attempt at more positive football, using McArdle in midfield (replacing the gimped Hartley) and (finally) putting Mackie up front instead of Megginson. Vernon, Mackie, and Maguire all had very strong performances, and hopefully the Dons manager will continue with this lineup even when Hartley returns to fitness.

Week 5 Recap: Motherwell 1 - 1 Aberdeen

Away points are never bad, and especially after last week's mess at Tannadice, it was reassuring to make it through the opening ten minutes with a clean sheet.  Jamie Murphy did give the home side the lead after banging home a pass from Nick Blackman, ten minutes before the break, but Scott Vernon scored eleven minutes after the break to pull the Dons even.

The uncharitable could argue that Vernon should have had a brace or even a hat trick, as he bungled a chance to equalize just before the break, and also had a missed chance at a winner.  Three minutes before the half Vernon found himself in the host's box with only the keeper Randolph to beat, but missed the target, and late in the second half headed into side netting... but this paragraph is for the pessimists. On the whole I was encouraged by the visitor's response to last weekend's disappointment, and while yes three points would have been nice, the Dons managed several threats to the Well goal and while they stayed out this match, maybe next time they won't.

Maguire continues his strong play, with incisive runs and good vision to set up teammates both during the run of play and off of set pieces. He might have tired towards the end, with McGhee replacing him for Megginson after 72 minutes, but I continue to be high on the lad. Vernon as discussed saw a lot of the ball in the box, and in the end that's what you want from a striker. Captain Hartley continues to anchor the center of the field, though I do hope that he could at times avoid a foul or two, both on the giving and receiving end - he seems to end up in the middle of a lot of high-contact plays and we can't afford for him (or anybody else) to go down with a knock at this point. Finally the Dons could concede fewer free kicks in the middle of the pitch, but if that's all to complain about the Pittodrie side are in fair shape.

Match Summary: Dundee United 3 - 1 Aberdeen

Well, that was a wasted trip South. A three-goal advantage was given to the home side before ten minutes were gone, and while Scott Vernon's reply in the 26th minute looked to briefly buoy the Dons, that momentum dissipated quickly and the visitors were send home quietly.

It could have been a rather different match had Pernis not been able to parry Chris Maguire's attempt in the opening minute, but two minutes later Jon Daly slotted home a gift rebound off David Goodwillie's effort, followed by a woeful own-goal punch by Mark Howard three minutes later. Unfortunately it was only after Craig Conway was taken down in the box by Hartley (with Goodwillie subsequently converting) that the Dons were able to settle themselves.

In addition to bending a shot into the upper right-hand corner of Pernis' goal, Vernon had several moments of decisive attack, but the first half was one of frustration for Aberdeen. McGhee expressed his displeasure with referee Mike Tumilty on several occasions, and things came to a head just a few minutes before the break when McGhee was sent to the stands for kicking the ball away after a non-called foul against Hartley.

We all knew the season would involve dropped points at some point, but the frustrating thing about this afternoon's match was that it seemed so random to end up down so quickly. One promising element was the way that, on the whole, the Dons kept battling... but results are needed, not just strong efforts in losing causes.

Week 4 Preview: Dundee United

Not only did the past week treat Scotland supporters to a brace of 2-1 comeback victories, as the senior side followed the U-21s lead, but the transfer window break came at exactly the right time for the Dons, reeling from injury and a disappointing defeat the dropped them from the top of the SPL.  Frasier Fyvie is still out for the season, but in addition to extra time with the trainer, the Dons (or rather their supporters) gained a bit of perspective.

Certainly 9 from 9 would have been nice, but third in the table with two victories is not a bad start, especially when compared to Dundee United who have collected just 2 points from three matches, and are saved from the relegation spot only by St Johnstone's dismal start. A trip to Tannadice must not be taken lightly however, having collected full points just once from the last seven matches between the two clubs.

While the Dons have added Nikola Vujadinovic and Andrius Velicka (already crocked), Scott Severin could join Peter Houston's side on a free transfer from Watford (after a loan last season to Killie)... Aye, SPL clubs are really burning the transfer cash this year.

I can't manage the optimism from some corners

Nothing seems to be going right for the The Terrors at home recently, and I can see no immediate turn around in fortunes as the The Dons come away with an easy victory

but I do feel good about this afternoon's match. This is admittedly a pathetic "preview" but honestly I simply don't have a good feel for the current Aberdeen side, nor what MM plans regarding a starting eleven and shape. An aggressive effort could net several goals and dispel recent gloom, but if McGhee settles for a more conservative lineup I worry for the result.

Foster to Ibrox, Dons sign Velicka

The Grampian corner of the Twittersphere was ablaze today as the transfer window closed with a bang (for the SPL, anyway), with Ricky Foster sent to Rangers on a season-long loan, and Lithuanian Andrius Velicka shipped North in Foster's stead.

My take? Initially I was quite down on the deal, as I'm not convinced that we have the depth to afford Foster's departure, and I have seen Velicka tossed from club to club, rapidly wearing out his welcome at each stop.  Velicka was clearly a disposable asset for Rangers having already welcomed James Beattie and Nikica Jelavic, and Huns fans have to be pleased with Walter Smith's dealings.

Now, twelve hours removed, I'm a titch more sanguine about the transaction.  Foster now has the opportunity to play Champions League football. If he contributes to Rangers' European success, the loan will become permanent and his transfer fee will jump commensurately. The 25-year-old sounds realistic about his chances: "This is a really good opportunity for me. I am under no illusions that I am going to walk into the team but I will work really hard to try and get there. If I do, it will be a great personal achievement. I have to hit the ground running and show what I can do in training and try to get into the manager's plans. Hopefully my pace can be an asset in either of the full-back positions or further forward. I realise I am a squad player but I hope to do what I can to show that I can play for Rangers."

As for Velicka? A low-risk, high-upside addition to a club that is already disheveled and potentially in need  of a pick-me-up. Ideally the transfer window could have held open another fortnight to allow McGhee to sort out his club a bit, but if I view this is a proactive decision and a bit of a gamble, then I'll keep the grumbling to myself.

(I do wonder how the Aberdeen boss is going to make a five-striker formation work, but at least it'll make for exciting football?)

Week 3 Recap: What Did We Learn?

I can't be bothered with a proper recap. We all saw the match, even if we wish we hadn't, and it's too early in the season to wallow through it all over again.

What did we learn? Without FF and Aluko, the Dons' midfield is vulnerable and unimaginative. Certainly had Aberdeen not missed on several opportunities, Killie would not have had the opportunity for an injury time winner... but more important to me than the three points lost is how the Dons respond next weekend at Tannadice.

Had the home side been the victor instead, the narrative would be decidedly rosy, with many accounts of the "brave" Dons refusing to be deflated by injuries... and would be just as foolish as are those doom-sayers that, truth be told, included yours truly. Yes the Dons were curiously cautious at times, but overall the match had a decent bit of solid, back-and-forth football, and was far from the dreadful snoozefest Pittodrie was forced to witness last season. Damning with faint praise? That's all I have today, sorry.

Week 3 Preview: Aberdeen v Kilmarnock

This should have been an upbeat post. Aberdeen are top of the League for the second week in a row, having taken full points in both matches. Traveling to Perth, the Dons were denied a penalty, then put the ball in the net only to have it waved off due to a supposed foul in the box. Compared to the season opener this was an ugly match, and even Mackie's winner was admittedly a bundled affair... but these are all good things. The St Johnstone win was exactly the type that the Dons would have managed to give away last year, and so in some ways the three points from Perth were even more encouraging from those obtained in the 4-0 Accies thrashing.


All this was unfortunately bumped aside when young Fraser Fyvie caught his boot wrong in the plastic pitch at Clackmannan Road and crumpled without contact. This, combined with Sone Aluko's achilles concerns, and suddenly the Dons look vulnerable.

On to Killie - while the two SPL defeats can't encourage the Ayrshire side, supporters will point to a 6-2 midweek Cup defeat of Airdrie. Yesterday Kilmarnock also announced the capture of Villa striker Harry Forrester, on loan until January, with Killie boss Mixu Paatelainen saying that he "hoped" Forrester would be available this Saturday.

Thus, even though Killie are pointless after two matches and only saved from the relegation spot by Hamilton's twin four-goal defeats, this weekend's tie is more tense then it ought to be. If the Dons can take the points, it will strengthen team confidence, but a defeat or even bad draw could undo all the momentum that has been built in three victories (eight goals scored, zero conceded) in the past two weeks.

In the end, this match will tell us what kind of side we have this season. We will have to see who in the midfield steps up in place of Fyvie, but with enough different lads in good form so far, I'm confident the Dons will get the job done... though I predict we concede for the first time this season. Aberdeen FC 2 - 1 Kilmarnock. Aluko sets up at least one of the two goals, one for Hartley from the spot, the other from either Magennis or Maguire.

Week 2 SPL Recap

Hamilton 0 - 4 Hearts: As the Dons were busy staying atop the League table on Saturday afternoon, Hamilton changed much only to fall to their second consecutive 4 goal defeat, this time as Hearts were uncompromising visitors to New Douglas Park.  Both sides finished the match with ten men, but not before Calum Elliot's brace sandwiched tallies from David Templeton and Kevin Kyle (pen).

Celtic 4 - 0 St Mirren: The remaining four matches were on Sunday, but the Glasgow side eschewed any thoughts of a day of rest.  A week after Celtic managed a single goal against a stubborn Caley Thistle side, Neal Lennon fielded an attack-minded formation to great effect - if anything, the Buddies were lucky to escape having conceded just the four.

Hibernian 0 - 3 Rangers: The blue-shirted side took the points as Kenny Miller claimed a hat-trick in the final 30 minutes of play, but Hibs made things difficult in the ill-tempered opener at Easter Road.  Just a few minutes from half time, Kevin McBride and Kyle Lafferty were both shown straight red, Lafferty having recklessly scythed Liam Miller and McBride retaliated with a less-than-composed return of the ball, plus a choice word or ten.

Dundee Utd - 0 4 Inverness CT: In what was honestly my favorite match of the weekend, Caledonian Thistle expanded a 0-1 advantage at the break in a very composed performance at Tannadice. Kevin McCann opened the scoring from thirty yards out on 34 minutes, a confident blast into the top corner that left Dusan Pernis helpless. In the second half the well-organized ICT side kept the Sandy side considently wrong-footed, and with a sparkling minus-4 goal differential.

Kilmarnock 0 - 1 Motherwell: A Nick Blackman tap-in was all that Motherwell needed to take the points from Rugby Park, as Killie were sent to the bottom of the young SPL table, only saved from the relegation spot by Hamilton's largesse.  The Ayrshide side did mount several solid chances at an equalizer, including a close-range header from Manuel Pascali in injury time, but Well keeper Darren Randolph was up to the task.

Cup Review: Alloa v Aberdeen

The Dons' easy advance into the third round of the Scottish League Co-operative Insurance Cup was soon overshadowed by renewed discussion of the artificial surface at Recreation Park. Fyvie looked to catch his boot in the turf and went down badly and without contact; initial speculation has been some sort of knee ligament damage, and while McGhee was cautiously optimistic about the results of a scan, he did not conceal his opinion of the plastic pitch.


"It might not be as bad as it looked, but I definitely think it's the pitch," said the Dons' boss. "A lot of these pitches have been built around the country for teams to train on, but I think at this level the competitiveness and the pace that we're trying to play at it does make it a little bit more difficult... people's feet are sticking and players are getting injuries."


Certainly we all hope the young bull escaped serious damage. It has been noted that Fyvie may have invited trouble by wearing bladed boots instead of a those designed for artificial surfaces, and with luck he'll have learned the lesson without having to pay a price of a month or four in physio.

Instant Replay: St Johnstone 0 - 1 Aberdeen

It wasn't nearly as pretty as last week's thumping of Hamilton at Pittodrie, but six points from two matches is, well, perfect.

The first half was relatively decent, with at least a few moments of solid (if cautious) football. At their best the Dons were able to combine possession with aggressive direct play. Aluko continued his inspired play, drawing fouls and creating several chances.

The matched seemed to open up a wee bit in the second half, and tempers flared after Hartley's admittedly reckless challenge in the 62'.  I thought the yellow was certainly deserved, but worried that the Dons lost focus afterwards. Certainly we seemed to teeter on the edge, barely able to avoid the howler concession that characterized the Dons' defense last season. Howard was certainly forced to work more than would be desired.

McGhee seemed to sense that his side was vulnerable and brought in both Scott Vernon and Darren Mackie a few minutes later. I would have preferred to see Magennis stay on as I thought he'd had a fair bit of positive play, but it's great to have the depth to bring on two who could have started the match.

Finally, in the final five minutes, Aluko galloped down the left side and delivered a sparkling cross into the box, low and hard, Mackie beat two defenders to the ball, and got enough of the ball to slot it home. While Aberdeen have to feel fortunate to leave it so late and yes still capture the points, this was a well-earned result.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most encouraging: getting Mackie on the board early, and his potential relationship with Aluko.

Least encouraging: ten minutes of dreadful defending ~60'-70'. Dons were thisclose to a horrid gaff in their own box, and at that point in the match there would have been no comeback.

Apology: I have been hard on McGhee but I was nothing but pleased with the Dons boss in this match. The starting lineup was justifiable, and when McGhee sensed that the match might be slipping away, instead of making a defensive sub, he put in both Vernon and Mackie seeking to turn the match back against Saints.

Thing of beauty: the current SPL Table

Week 2: St Johnstone - Aberdeen

I held off on posting the week two preview for a day as I wanted to bask in the glory of the opener. While clearly one match does not a season make, how can we not be cheered by what we saw in Pittodrie. My pre-season pick for Player of the Year, Sone Aluko put forth a strong effort, with incisive attacking play earning the first two of Hartley's tallies, in addition to the corner on which Diamond added the third.  Last year the back end was the Don's weakness (well, one of them), but McCardle and Howard were quite comfortable, and Megennis did the hard work all over the pitch.

Indeed, the fact that new addition Scott Vernon may well have to bide his time on the bench is actually quite encouraging, and while I'd feel better when Mackie exorcises last year's failures, a collection of three points with Mackie kept off the sheet is positive in its own way.

Clearly we expect a tougher matchup in Perth this weekend, but it's not unreasonable to expect the Dons' strong form to carry over. Saints will be without Steven Anderson after his scything kick to the back of Suso's leg, but will be buoyed by their away point at Tynecastle. Aberdeen may have to be patient and guard against the counter as Saints proved tough to crack throughout the second half... again, Aluko may prove critical to the Dons' success, as I doubt that Millar, Morris (cautioned last week), and the rest of the midfield can contain his aggression if the youngster has his head in gear.

Am I optimistic? Yes, yes I am. I've tried to stuff the positive thoughts back down, but for one week at least I have allowed a good start to get my hopes up. Come on Dons!

Week 1 SPL Recap

Perhaps lost in the shadows of the Dons' brilliant opener were five other matches.

Inverness CT 0 - 1 Celtic

At Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, Paddy McCourt scored the opening goal of the SPL season as the visitors took all three points. Not sure this match warrants a second sentence.

Rangers 2 -1 Kilmarnock

A Killie comeback fell short at Ibrox after Kenny Miller and Steven Naismith put the hosts up by two. The Ayrshire side was pipped by many as relegation favourites; is a close away effort encouraging for Killie, or an indictment of Rangers' weakness, or just a one-off that means nothing?

Hearts 1 - 1 St Johnstone

The two clubs shared a pair of injury-time goals just before the end of the half. Saints were reduced to 10 men but held on to share the points at Tynecastle.

St Mirren 1 - 1 Dundee Utd

Danny Lennon's Buddies started the season with promise and looked able to contain the visitors' pressure until a 89th minute equalizer from Jon Daly ruined matters, but sharing the points was a fair result.

Motherwell 2 - 3 Hibernian

In perhaps the most exciting match (second to that at Pittodrie) of the weekend, the two sides failed to match their twelve-goal outburst from a year ago, but treated Fir Park to a end-to-end affair with five goals and several missed opportunities. Just two minutes after Hibs went up by two, Murphy smartly slotted in a penalty to set up a frantic final fifteen minutes, but the visitors held on to capture the points.

A Bright Start, Indeed

Welcome Paul Hartley!

Scoring thrice from the spot, the new captain gave the Dons a convincing opening win, the first time Aberdeen have taking three points from the opener since 2002. Aluko did the heavy lifting early and often, first with a sparkling 30-yard free kick that was tipped by Cerny to the crossbar, and then in the 18th minute he was crunched in the box by Accies defender Simon Mensing to allow Hartley to put the home side up 1-0.

Aluko continued to threaten, and five minutes from halftime was again fouled in the box, setting up Hartley to wrong-way the Czech keeper.  After switching ends Zander Diamond gave the Dons a third before Hartley took advantage of another Mensing foul, this time on Chris Maguire. The final 20 minutes saw a bit of a drop in freshness, but let's not quibble.  This was a brilliant start to the new season.

The SPL Table after opening matches: all as it should be. [BBC]

A New Season

I had hoped that a summer away from the SPL would improve my outlook, and the World Cup served to be at least a decent distraction, but now when I sit down and address our chances in the coming season, I can't be terribly hopeful.

That said, however, there are some reasons for optimism. In spite of a light wallet, McGhee made a few acquisitions that deserve some measure of applause. SPL veteran Paul Hartley arrived from Bristol City, and while he's not the same player that earned 25 caps for Scotland, Hartley is a good 'get'. Almost equally encouraging however, was the addition of Northern Ireland defender Rory McArdle and his 23-year-old legs. Effort was all-too-often lacking along the back line that conceded a League-high (low?) 31 goals, and I've been told to expect solid if not spectacular play. At this point, I'll take solid.

Davide Grassi will be missed, and I would have preferred that Gary McDonald could have been retained, but Cardiff's Josh Megennis and Colchester United's Scott Vernon provide options up front; hopefully one will help Mackie regain his scoring touch.

The midfield is, let's face it, less than settled, but turning things upside down may not have been the worst strategy.  Last season was a lost one for Aluko but I'm rather optimistic about him this year and think he could prove quite the fan-favourite if given proper support and room to maneuvre.

My prediction: 5th in the league. Hamilton, Killie, etc are improved but Celtic and especially Rangers are looking relatively poor, so there will definitely be points for the taking.  Youth and positive play can take a team only so far, but I think a top-6 finish is not unreasonable especially if some solid early-season form can be established. I'd like some silverware, but let's not get greedy.

A Look Back

We'll start by re-posting a few thoughts from the end of last season.

[8 May 2010]
And so the season draws to a close, very appropriately with an own-goal 1-nil capture of 3 points... except that it is weeks and months too late to be counting points. Three points from May, four from April, four from March - 9th place in the table seems about right, if not a little generous.

The Dons honoured the achievement of Sir Alex's boys thirty years ago Monday, celebrating the Dons' second League title since 1955 and the first time in fifteen years that the League trophy traveled out of Glasgow. For Bobby Clark, for Gordon Strachan, for Stevie Archibald, and especially for Willie Miller, the current side's form must surely have soured any reunion, and there is certainly enough blame to be spread about liberally. In endings are also beginnings however, and for me at least there was a small element of catharsis when the final whistle blew this afternoon.  I can now relax for a few months, knowing that the weekly disappointments have taken a summerlong hiatus.

I have no illusions that McGhee will take the Dons anywhere but to the middle of the table, but to be honest I would settle for respectability. I want a club to be proud of, a side that plays a decent brand of football, one that makes an effort to compete and has the talent to surprise now and again.

A New Home

2010 sees Beach End Dons at a new address, after some technical nightmares & webhosting problems. Blogger isn't ideal, but these things happen.