The visit of Hibernian to Pittodrie is the start of a huge run of games before the split for Aberdeen.
I think nine points out of nine will be required for the Dons to make the top six so it is imperative Jim Goodwin’s side get off to a winning start against Hibs before the encounters with Dundee and Ross County.
Three wins would take them to 41 points so they are still going to require the teams above them to slip up.
It is going to be a hard task but the news that Andy Considine and Marley Watkins are back available is a huge boost.
Beating Hibernian will be a hard task. Shaun Maloney’s side are unbeaten in six games and earned a spot in the Scottish Cup semi-finals by beating Motherwell last weekend.
They will be feeling confident but a Dons win would give the side momentum going into those next two games.
If they can squeeze into the top six then all of a sudden the disappointing season could be transformed and European qualification could be back on the cards.
Jim will have had plenty of time over the past fortnight to work with his players and get his methods across.
Hopefully that has proven to be valuable time. The squad hasn’t performed this season but there is plenty of quality there.
Getting a victory on Saturday is going to require plenty of work-rate and desire. At this stage of the season results are far more important than the performance.
I’m delighted that Andy Considine is back fit and available for selection. He has been out for a long time since injuring his knee against Qarabag at the start of the season.
It will have taken a lot of hard work to get back on the pitch but the Dons fans will be delighted to see him back out at Pittodrie.
He has been a huge loss this season.
Marley Watkins could also provide another attacking option over the closing stretch and the more players Jim has at his disposal the better.
Jim will learn a lot about the squad over these next few games.
This isn’t his team – it is the team he inherited.
He will have his own recruitment plans and the challenge is there for the current players to show they have a future at Pittodrie.
Too many of them haven’t made that case very strongly this season.
I was surprised to hear that Joe Lewis is going to get the armband for the rest of the season following the departure of Scott Brown.
Joe is a great guy but I don’t think goalkeepers make great captains.
It is a role that is more suited to a midfielder who is in the thick of the action from start to finish and can really influence the game and his teammates.
It is difficult for a goalkeeper to have that level of communication with his teammates, especially the attacking players.
I thought Ross McCrorie was the better candidate but Jim has opted for Joe.
He has the experience of wearing the armband and he is a great ambassador for the club. Hopefully he can play his part and lead the team over these crucial next few games.
Superb entertainment
I have had a very busy and enjoyable week.
On Tuesday night I was delighted to attend the Aberdeen Sports Awards at P&J Live. It was a great evening and a reminder of how much sporting talent we have in the north-east.
It also highlighted the important role sport can play in people’s lives.
The following night I was at the Tivoli for the event with my old teammate Steve Archibald.
What a night with the legends at An Evening with Steve Archibald & Friends at @TivoliAberdeen.
A huge success for @HLineEventsUK.#Archie #Aberdeen pic.twitter.com/kfepWEsNKW— David Tanner (@DavidTannerTV) March 16, 2022
It was great to see so many fans turn up to listen to Steve’s tales from his wonderful career.
There were a few former Dons there as well, including Neil Simpson, Drew Jarvie, Willie Garner, Walker McCall and Duncan Davidson, which was brilliant.
I ended up on stage for about half an hour with Steve and talking about some of our experiences together.
It was a great night with a lot of laughs.
Cove can rise to the challenge
Cove Rangers are five points clear at the top of League 1 but they are now entering a very demanding run of games.
In their next four games they will face the four teams directly below them – and all away from home.
It starts with a trip to Montrose this weekend followed by games at Airdrieonians, Queen’s Park and Falkirk.
The important thing is Cove don’t alter their style for these games.
They have performed so well this season by taking games to the opposition and scoring plenty of goals.
They are in the driving seat and they will head into this demanding run with confidence.
Paul Hartley has assembled a brilliant squad and they have plenty of players who can pose problems, such as Mitch Megginson and Rory McAllister.
It is going to be a fascinating few weeks and I fancy them to still be top of the table come the end of these four games.
It is a very exciting period for Cove as they are in a great position to turn their dream of playing Championship football next season into a reality.
