Former loan keeper Danny Ward believes Aberdeen were heading towards Premiership title glory in the 2015-16 season.
Wales international Ward was secured by then Dons boss Derek McInnes on a season-long loan from Liverpool.
In the 2015-16 season the Dons raced to a sensational start by winning their opening eight Premiership games.
The Dons have not won the league title since 1985 – but Ward reckons McInnes’ side were on coarse to end that long drought.
Aberdeen were level on points with Celtic at the top of the Premiership table at the turn of that year, although the Hoops had two games in hand.
Ward says he “gave everything” during the loan spell to help the title push.
However Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp recalled Ward, now at Leicester City, from his season long loan spell on January 11.
Aberdeen would eventually finish runners-up to title winners Celtic, 15 points behind the Parkhead side.
Speaking to Parimatch, Ward said: “I was part of a team there at the time where we were heading towards a title.
“We’d set records with clean sheets.
“We did really well. We won the first eight games of the season and we were top of the league.
“So, it sort of it felt right for me and I really chucked myself in.
“I gave my everything up there and loved it.”
Aberdeen ‘helped me grow’
After winning the opening eight games of the 2015-16 season Aberdeen held a five point advantage over second placed Celtic.
That sensational winning streak included a 2-1 defeat of Celtic at Parkhead on September 12.
Ward made his Aberdeen debut in a 1-1 draw with KF Shkëndija in Macedonia in the Europa League first qualifying round.
The Dons would knock-out KF Shkëndija on the away goal rule after drawing 0-0 in the return leg at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen also progressed at the expense of HNK Rijeka having won 3-0 in Croatia before drawing 2-2 in the Granite City.
However they were knocked out at the third qualifying round stage by Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan.
The Reds lost 2-1 away from home and then drew 1-1 at Pittodrie, to exit 3-2 on aggregate.
Capped 32 times, Ward played for Wales in every game of the Euro 2020 finals and also featured in the World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
He believes Aberdeen got him ready for big game atmosphere and pressures.
The 30-year-old said: “The big thing I went up there for was the football.
“It exposed me to playing away at Celtic and these big games.
“It’s an amazing place that helped me grow as a player 100%, but also as a person because I was far away from my comfort zone at home.”
Raiding Liverpool for loan stars
The loan deal for Ward is not the only time Aberdeen have looked towards Anfield.
Aberdeen have raided Anfield twice in the last year to secure loan signings with defender Rhys Williams recently secured for the season.
Last summer Aberdeen landed Leighton Clarkson on loan from Liverpool.
After a superb campaign Clarkson recently penned a four-year permanent contract with Aberdeen.
Aberdeen have forged a strong relationship with six time European champions Liverpool recently.
Last summer right-back Calvin Ramsay transferred to the Anfield club from the Dons for a club record transfer fee.
Ward said: “I didn’t know too much about the club to be honest.
“All I knew was it was a big club in Scotland, and then when you get up there, Aberdeen is so far away from everywhere else in Scotland.
“But it was amazing.
“Then you realise how big the club is, and they were brilliant with me.
“The manager up there was fantastic in terms of letting me have days off to fly back because I was still only 21 or 22, I was only a young lad.”