Boss Jim Goodwin has apologised to suffering Aberdeen supporters for the club’s dismal bottom six Premiership finish.
The Reds will play out the remainder of the season in the bottom six wilderness for the first time since 2013.
Boos rang out at Pittodrie on Saturday from frustrated fans after the 1-0 loss to Ross County that condemned the Dons to the bottom half of the table.
Goodwin insists the Reds deserved the flak and the Red Army were right to vent their anger.
The damaging defeat also ended Aberdeen’s proud run of having secured European qualification for eight successive years.
Instead of continental action, the Reds will begin next season in the group stages of the League Cup.
Aberdeen are also still not clear of the threat of being dragged into a relegation play-off battle.
With five games left of a miserable campaign, the Reds are six points ahead of second bottom St Johnstone, who occupy the relegation play-off spot.
Goodwin has said sorry to the Red Army and vowed the Reds will not finish in the bottom six again under his management.
Goodwin said: “We apologise to the supporters.
“It has been an extremely disappointing season for this club.
“We shouldn’t be in the position we are in and we all take our share of the blame for that.
“I understand the frustration of the fans.
“The club belongs to the supporters.
“ Myself, the players and the staff, we’re employees, but like every other football club, it’s the supporters that keep it alive.
“Generations of families have come here, and do come here (to Pittodrie).
“They have every right to criticise us off the back of what happened.”
Summer rebuild under Goodwin
Aberdeen are languishing ninth in the Premiership table and have registered just eight wins from 33 matches.
Goodwin’s first task when replacing the sacked Stephen Glass in February was to salvage the season with a top six finish.
With just one victory and three draws in Goodwin’s seven matches in charge, that didn’t happen.
Now a major summer rebuild is anticipated under the new manager, who has already made changes to the squad.
Long-serving defender Andy Considine will leave at the end of the season after contract talks broke down.
Scotland international Considine, 34, is fourth in the club’s all-time appearance list, behind only Willie Miller, Alex McLeish and Bobby Clark.
Defender Mikey Devlin left Pittodrie last week, having had his contract terminated.
Devlin had not featured all season due to long term injury.
It is understood striker Jay Emmanuel-Thomas’s contract is also set to be terminated in the coming days.
Emmanuel-Thomas is contracted until summer 2023, but has not been included in matchday squads under Goodwin.
The 31-year-old attacker has netted only one goal this season, in the 2-1 League Cup loss at Raith Rovers in August.
Last month, former Aberdeen captain Scott Brown also left the club.
Brown, who was also part of Glass’ back-room staff, was contracted to summer 2023 – but exited Pittodrie to concentrate on his coaching career.
No doubts over commitment
There will be more exits from Pittodrie in a summer of rebuilding.
I don’t think anybody can point the finger and say they don’t care about the situation.”
Aberdeen manager Jim Goodwin
However, despite the anticipated changes in the squad for next season Goodwin insists the players’ commitment and work rate cannot be questioned.
He said: “I will say that since I’ve been here, I don’t think I can fault the players for effort and commitment.
“I don’t think anybody can point the finger and say they don’t care about the situation.
“It wasn’t down to a lack of effort or commitment from the players against Ross County.
“They gave everything.
“We had plenty of the possession of the ball, but just lacked that cutting edge in the final third.
“Unfortunately we weren’t good enough to put the ball in the back of the net.
“Although we played some decent football and got in some good areas, we just weren’t good enough at those key moments to score goals.
“It’s cost us dearly, not just against Ross County, but on many occasions.”
