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Aberdeen board will back Dons boss Barry Robson on European return

Robson will have boardroom support to cope with European demands next season.

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson. Image: PA
Aberdeen manager Barry Robson. Image: PA

Aberdeen director Willie Garner insists the club will back manager Barry Robson to ensure the club can compete on two fronts next season.

The Dons will have guaranteed European football up to Christmas next season following Celtic’s 3-1 victory over Caley Thistle in Saturday’s Scottish Cup final at Hampden.

The Hoops’ victory over the Highlanders means Aberdeen will have a minimum of eight European games in Europe.

Dons boss Robson is aiming to close the gap on Celtic and Rangers next season.

Garner, who is also on the Dons football monitoring board at Pittodrie, knows it is important Robson has a squad capable of coping with the additional demands which will be placed on it both in Europe and domestically.

He said: “Barry realises he is going to have to get some players in.

“We’re going to be playing Thursday-Sunday football a few times up to Christmas which likely means we will need another couple of players in to help us with that.

“But Barry knows what he is looking for.

“There is a type of player he likes, and we’ll let him get on with it and do what he wants to do.”

Group stages will generate millions for Aberdeen

Garner is delighted the club’s efforts in finishing third will earn the full reward.

The Dons can look forward to banking around £5 million from competing in Europe.

Should Aberdeen win their Europa League play-off, which will be played at the end of August, they will earn £3.15 million.

Further financial incentives will be paid dependant on the results from the group matches.

Aberdeen director Willie Garner. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

If they lose the play-off they will compete in the group stages of the Conference League, which brings with it a guaranteed £2.55 million just for taking part.

As with the Europa League there are further financial incentives payable for points gained in the competition.

The Aberdeen director said: “I think it’s fairly obvious what getting to the group stages of European football means for the club.

“The team have done fantastically well to get where they have ended up in third place.

“Yesterday we were hoping the result would go right for us but it was still nervous.

“When Caley Thistle scored their goal I thought ‘oh my goodness’ but it worked out well in the end for us and I’m delighted.

“I think we deserve to be there and it’s great for Barry, his staff and the players.”

‘Things have turned around under Barry’

Aberdeen’s remarkable resurgence from February to May resulted in them reeling in a Hearts team which had opened up a 10-point lead on the Dons.

Robson’s Reds finished three points clear of the Jambos at the end of the campaign after securing third place with a game to spare.

Saturday’s cup final result also confirmed European qualification for Hearts and Hibernian.

Hearts, who finished fourth in the Premiership, will enter the Conference League in the third qualifying round while Lee Johnson’s Hibs, who finished fifth, will enter at the second qualifying round.

Dons director Garner, who was back in the dugout yesterday for the Cash for Kids charity fundraising game featuring former Dons, hailed the impact Robson has made since replacing former Dons boss Jim Goodwin at Pittodrie in January.

Garner said: “Barry has come in and things have changed as everyone can see.

“There is a really good work ethic at the club and the reward is that everybody can now look forward to European football well into next season.

“It’s fantastic”.

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