Ex-Aberdeen FC boss Derek McInnes has praised the leadership qualities of north-east construction tycoon Stewart Milne.
Milne is now trying to come to terms with the collapse of his eponymous building firm.
Stewart Milne Group (SMG) should have been looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025.
But it crashed into administration on January 8, with 217 jobs axed.
Scottish subsidiaries of SMG, based in Westhill, Aberdeenshire, ceased trading with immediate effect and all live projets were halted.
Last week, sacked workers told The Press and Journal they were “gobsmacked” by the devastating news.
Read more: Here’s what Stewart Milne Group boss told sacked workers as business came crashing down
McInnes and Milne
Milne was chairman of the Dons for more than two decades. He remains on the board.
McInnes was manager at Pittodrie for eight years, including a near-seven year spell with Milne at the helm as chairman, until March 2021.
The pair remain close and speak to each other regularly. Their families are close too.
McInnes is now manager of Kilmarnock FC.
Read more: All our stories on the collapse of Stewart Milne Group
He told the P&J his former chairman at Pittodrie was “still working extremely hard to find a way through this difficult situation”.
The 52-year-old added: “I feel I can still learn so much from him.
“His work ethic is second to none. He could have kicked back and enjoyed retirement.”
‘Always very proud of his workforce’
Paying further tribute to Aberdeen FC’s former owner and chairman, McInnes said: “He was always very proud of his workforce and with the fact he’d managed to retain a lot of people over the years.
“For me, the manager-owner relationship was always really strong.
“To have such a key decision-maker who is also someone close to you is vitally important.
“Whenever you get people in between you, it can make things much more difficult.
“From the outset, Stewart kept abreast of everything we tried to do at the club.”
McInnes said he and Milne had one-on-one “board meetings” over coffeee at the chairman’s luxury home in Aberdeen once a month.
“We established a really strong relationship,” the ex-Don said, adding Milne’s support came in “so many different ways”.
This was the case even during diffcult times when results did not go their way and the club was struggling.
‘Rock solid’ chairman
He continued: “Stewart was 100% solid. He supported the whole organisation from the girls in the kitchen and the cleaner, Susan, to the groundstaff and all the football staff.
“Everybody knew we were in good hands with Stewart at the helm.
“He never looked for any credit. And he didn’t expect to be popular all the time.”
Milne recognised the value of having the right people in key roles, McInnes said, adding: “He valued every employee. He was rock solid, with really strong leadership traits.”
He supported the whole organisation from the girls in the kitchen and the cleaner, Susan, to the groundstaff and all the football staff.”
Derek McInnes
SMG’s founder should now be trying to “get some respite” from recent business challenges McInnes said.
He added: “I was aware of issues that had been going on. He has been trying to salvage and rescue a difficult situation over the last few years.
“But he will pick himself up and fight for what’s right.”
The former Dons boss has worked with two other entrepreneurial Scottish football club chairmen in George Brown, formerly of St Johnstone, and Kilmarnock owner Billy Bowie.
Milne and Brown are “similarly very successful men” from their local areas and always quick to lend support to their communities, McInnes said, adding: “Billy is the same.
“All three have similar traits Having that really solid support from the people you work for is vitally important.”
The family man and ‘terrible’ golfer
Aberdeen lawyer Elaine Farquharson-Black, partner in Brodies and chairwoman of Aberdeen Football Club Community Trust, has also known Milne for many years.
She said: “What he seems to be, he is – self-effacing, good-humoured, down to earth, family-oriented, hard-working and resilient, but a terrible golfer.
“He has endless energy and his positive can-do attitude is infectious. He is very supportive of others and that encouragement enhances self-confidence, drives people to achieve more and inspires loyalty.
“I have always felt that I work with him on projects, not for him.”
SMG’s sudden collapse earlier this month left housebuilding projects unfinished.
These sites include Charleston in Aberdeen, Dunnottar Park in Stonehaven, Monarch’s Rise in Arbroath, Ballumbie Rise in Dundee and Hunter’s Meadow in Auchterarder.
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