Aberdeen Latest Blogs

New boy Hartley gets Dons off to a flyer

16/08/2010 15:21:23 by SPLBanter filed in News.

With Celtic currently rebuilding under new boss Neil Lennon much of the talk regarding transfers in Scottish football have been focused toward the East end of Glasgow, and understandably so.

However, it is Mark McGhee’s astute signing of the vastly experienced Paul Hartley on a free transfer from Bristol City which could turn out to be the best piece of business done in Scotland this season.

McGhee announced that Hartley would be his skipper on the very day he signed him, and the player revealed that his new manager had asked him to go out and lead his young team by example.

And that is exactly what the 33 year-old did on Saturday afternoon against Accies.

Aberdeen were [correctly] awarded three penalties during the match and the skipper took the responsibility for each and everyone, scoring a rarely seen hat-trick of spot-kicks.

Post match Hartley joked: "I can get that written on my grave now!"

He continued: "I couldn't have imagined that happening. It is not very often that you get three penalties in one game, but they were all penalties.

"It was nice to take the responsibility and score. I was pretty confident. I think young Chris [Maguire] was wanting to take the first one but, being the captain, I felt I had to take the responsibility and step up and try to get us the lead.

"This is a good start for us but we have to build on it. We know there is still a long way to go."

Treble aside Hartley was excellent for 67 minutes before McGhee rewarded him with an early bath and a standing ovation from the Pittodrie faithful, who turned out in impressive numbers despite last season’s disastrous effort.

And with Scotland capitulating meekly in Stockholm a few days before the questions were immediately being asked; can Hartley still do a job for the national team?     

Hartley himself is still willing to answer the call: "I have always said I will never ever retire from international football, I will always make myself available."

He said "If I'm playing well I hope to get picked, but if I'm not then I won't be picked, it's as simple as that.

"All I can do is try to keep playing well and you never know. There are two big games coming up next month, so if I'm playing well then great."

His club manager still believes he has a future at international level. "He knows he has to perform like that every week," McGhee said.

"He will get tremendous confidence from what has happened today. The crowd and the players around him will also have tremendous confidence in him.

"If he stays healthy and we continue to improve then there is no reason why he can't work his way back into it."

Aberdeen 4 Hamilton 0

14/08/2010 19:48:20 by SPLBanter filed in Match Reports.

Aberdeen  4  Hamilton  0  

A rarely seen hat-trick of penalties by new skipper Paul Hartley on his SPL debut for the club, and a bundled effort from Zander Diamond were more than enough for a rampant Aberdeen to see off visitors Hamilton on the opening day of the season.  

Sone Aluko who looked refreshed and back to his very best was a thorn in Hamilton’s side from the get go and it was the Nigerian’s trickery that won both first half penalties which Hartley converted with aplomb.  

The first was awarded on 18 minutes when Aluko was hauled down by Simon Mensing, the second shortly before half-time when he was too good for Jack Ross forcing the full back to halt his progress with an illegal tug on the jersey.  

On both occasions referee Dougie McDonald was absolutely correct.  

Aberdeen continued the second period where they left off and were 3-0 up within six minutes of the restart when Diamond fired home a Hartley corner after a goalmouth scramble.  

Aberdeen and Hartley weren’t quite finished yet though and the former Hearts and Celtic midfielder was given the chance complete his unusual treble when Jack Ross for the second time conceded a spot kick, this time for a trip on Maguire.  

Hartley duly converted before being subbed alongside the equally impressive Aluko to a standing ovation.  

Dons gaffer Mark McGhee was delighted with his skipper’s contribution saying: said: "Paul's performance and leadership out there was invaluable.  

"Having the luck to get three penalties and a hat-trick on his debut is the stuff that legends are made of. It was brilliant for us all to be part of that today.''  

Accies boss Billy Reid had no problem with the penalties and was philosophical in defeat.

He said: "I thought the first two were stonewall penalties, the third one I would need to see again. I have no complaints at all and I thought the referee handled the situation well.

"It is a strange game as you can sometimes only concede a couple of penalties in a season, so to concede three in one game is quite incredible.  

"All credit to Paul Hartley for scoring all three but you can't expect to defend like that and win the game. It was strange because I thought we played decent football at times and were the better team for the first 15 minutes but it was Aberdeen's day. Days like this happen in football and you just have to take your medicine.''    

Aberdeen: Howard, McArdle, Diamond, Ifil, Considine, Pawlett, Folly, Hartley (Young 67), Aluko (Mackie 67), Pawlett (Fyvie 54), Maguire, Magennis

Hamilton: Cerny, Ross, Mensing, Canning, Skelton, Imrie, McDonald (Routledge 67), Buchanan  (Kirkpatrick 55), Wilkie (Thomas 41), Flavio Paixao, Marco Paixao. Subs: Murdoch, Graham, McAlister, Thomas, Kirkpatrick, Routledge, Gillespie.

Goals: Aberdeen; Hartley pens [19, 40, 65], Diamond [51]

Dons in good shape for opener

13/08/2010 17:58:13 by SPLBanter filed in News.

With the exception of Richard Foster who sits out through suspension, Mark McGhee has a full squad to choose from as Aberdeen’s host Hamilton on the opening day of the new season.  

Sone Aluko, Andrew Considine and Peter Pawlett are all fully recovered from the injuries that hampered them towards the end of last season.

Former Celtic and Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley will skipper the side on his competitive debut for the club.

Aberdeen [from]: Langfield, McArdle, Diamond, Considine, Ifil, Young, Folly, Maguire, Hartley, Vernon, Fyvie, Paton, Pawlett, Aluko, Magennis, Jack, Megginson, Howard.

St Johnstone 1 Aberdeen 1

26/04/2010 14:43:15 by SPLBanter filed in Match Reports.

St Johnstone 1  Aberdeen 1

Aberdeen secured their Scottish Premier League status for next season despite conceding a dramatic late equaliser in a 1-1 draw at St Johnstone.

Injury-plagued Saints striker Andy Jackson came off the bench and saw his late effort hit a post an go in off goalkeeper Stuart Nelson two minutes from time just as the Dons had looked set for just their fourth away win of the campaign.

Steven MacLean had earlier netted for the second straight game for Aberdeen, for whom a point was enough to end any lingering fears of relegation.

St Johnstone: Smith, Irvine, Grainger, Rutkiewicz, MacKay, Morris, Millar, Davidson, Morais (Deuchar 56), Samuel (Craig 83), Sheridan (Jackson 71)

Aberdeen: Nelson, Foster, Grassi, Ifil, Kerr, Aluko (Fyvie 67), Young, Duff, Marshall (Paton 67), MacLean, Mackie

Goals: Aberdeen: MacLean (16); St Johnstone: Nelson o/g (90)

Langfeld: team spirit is fine

23/04/2010 17:12:28 by SPLBanter filed in News.

Jamie Langfield has insisted that contrary to reports there is no unrest within the dressing room walls despite Aberdeen’s [by their own standards] woeful season.    

"For people on the outside to comment about team spirit shows they don't know the guys in the dressing room," Langfield told the Daily Record.

"Every single one of us get on. I don't know where these stories come from.

"The biggest factor that has affected performances is that we have been lacking confidence.

"When we have gone behind we have found it really hard to get back into the match.

"But the game against Falkirk was a lot better and we played as a unit. The win gives us a little leeway.

"It was a disciplined display that is something which has not happened recently. It was a massive result that will give us a platform to have some good performances between now and the end of the season."

The Dons who all but [barring a miracle] secured their SPL status for next season with a win over Falkirk last weekend are already looking forward to next season as they prepare for their trip to Perth to face St Johnstone in Saturday’s early Kick-off 12:00.

Charlie Mulgrew is suspended and Zander Diamond misses out through injury.

Sone Aluko remains a doubt, while Gary McDonald, Peter Pawlett and Andrew Considine are long-term absentees.

Aberdeen: [from] Langfield, Foster, Kerr, Fyvie, Mackie, Paton, Ifil, Duff, Nelson, Young, Marshall, Grassi, Aluko Jack, Grimmer, Shaughnessy, MacLean, Robertson.

McGhee eyes summer move for Kyle

21/04/2010 14:19:01 by SPLBanter filed in News.

Aberdeen boss Mark McGhee is set to make Kevin Kyle his number one target at the end of the season.

McGhee tried but failed to take Kyle to Pittodrie back in January, but could stand a better chance of landing the striker for nothing when his contract at Killie runs out in the summer.

The Dons did take Steven MacLean on loan from Plymouth during the January transfer window and McGhee would like to keep him and add Kyle to give him more attacking options.

McGhee is desperate to add numbers to his squad and is looking for a big striker to act as the focal point of his attack.

He said: "We need a bigger squad as we cannot go with the numbers we have,

"We need to strengthen certain positions which are vital to us.

"We need to have suitable replacements if something goes wrong and we lose players to long-term injury - as was the case with Andrew Considine.

"We are looking for a centre forward who can hold the ball up and play alongside Darren Mackie, Michael Paton, Chris Maguire, or whoever.

"I am looking forward now to next season. We have discussed running with 18 players, with the squad bolstered by the young players, but we need to look at things and see if we can squeeze a bit more."

McGhee’s problem of course is that Kyle who recently turned down a move to Russian Premier League leaders Spartak Nalchik is unlikely to be short of suitors, and what McGhee saves in transfer fee he may have to find in wages.