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Aberdeen SACK boss Barry Robson and assistant Steve Agnew – as coach Peter Leven takes interim charge

Robson departs with the Dons having won just six of their last 21 Premiership matches.

Barry Robson has been sacked by Aberdeen following Tuesday's 1-1 draw with Dundee. Image: SNS.
Barry Robson was sacked by Aberdeen following a 1-1 draw with Dundee. Image: SNS.

Aberdeen have SACKED manager Barry Robson and assistant Steve Agnew with first-team coach Peter Leven taking interim charge.

Tuesday’s 1-1 Premiership draw with Dundee proved to be 45-year-old Robson’s last game in charge of the Dons – just days after he had marked his one-year anniversary in the role.

The draw with Tony Docherty’s Dundee left Aberdeen in eighth position, with the Reds having endured a difficult first half of the league term so far with just six wins from 21 league games.

Despite Robson helming a respectable Europa Conference League group campaign earlier in the season, and leading the Dons into the League Cup final – where they lost 1-0 to Rangers – another league game without victory has made chairman Dave Cormack, chief executive Alan Burrows and the rest of the Aberdeen board take action.

Cormack has now parted company with four Aberdeen managers since 2021.

In a statement, the Aberdeen chairman said they had given Robson as long as they “possibly could” to turn around an “unacceptable” league campaign.

He also labelled the managerial turnover at Pittodrie “exhausting”.

Cormack said: “Although it has been a difficult call, the board felt the change was necessary and in the best interests of Aberdeen FC.

“Barry earned the right to be Aberdeen manager and knew the high level of expectation we had when he took the role.

“We gave Barry as much time and support as we possibly could in the hope, and expectation, he could return us to the league form we witnessed in the spring of last year.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack.
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack. Image: SNS.

“There is a talented squad of players at the club which makes our current league position unacceptable.

“With 17 games left in the league and still in the Scottish Cup, this change is necessary to help us refocus on our ambitions for the rest of the season.

“It’s important we thank Barry for his significant contribution to Aberdeen as a player, a coach and manager. He’s a good man who worked extremely hard in everything he did for us, and it goes without saying that we wish him, and Steve, our very best.

“The club, as a business, is in good shape. We have no bank debt, significant commercial growth, record season ticket and AberDNA membership sales. We also have an evolving player trading model that is allowing us to invest significantly more in the football operation than the operating income we generate.

“But, as chairman I accept responsibility, along with the board, for the managerial upheavals. It’s exhausting for everyone to go through, not least our fans and the managers who gave their all and lost their jobs.

“We have asked first-team coach Peter Leven, assisted by Scott Anderson, to lead training on an interim basis.”

Long-serving boss Derek McInnes left in March 2021, his successor Stephen Glass lasted until February 2022 and Jim Goodwin departed in January 2023.

The Dons are in the middle of a busy run of fixtures with Saturday’s visit from Celtic followed by a trip to Glasgow to face Rangers on Tuesday and a Scottish Cup home tie against Bonnyrigg Rose on Saturday February 10.

It remains to be seen how many of those matches Leven – a former assistant boss at Kilmarnock – will be in charge for before a longer-term solution is found.

Barry Robson and Steve Agnew sacked after failure to fulfil promise of last season this term

Robson was placed in caretaker charge of the Dons in January 2023 following the departure of Jim Goodwin following a 6-0 defeat at Hibernian.

Robson managed to turn around the club’s fortunes and was named the Aberdeen manager on a permanent basis on May 1 after winning eight of his first 10 games in charge.

He signed a two-year deal and successfully guided the Dons to a third-place finish in the Premiership, which guaranteed group-stage football in the 2023-24 season.

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson and Steve Agnew watch their side in action against Dundee.
Aberdeen manager Barry Robson and Steve Agnew watch their side in action against Dundee. Image: SNS.

The Dons missed out on a place in the Europa League after defeat against Swedish side BK Hacken in the play-off round and entered the Europa Conference League in Group G alongside Eintracht Frankfurt, PAOK and HJK Helsinki.

The Dons finished third in the group, claiming their first win on matchday six with a 2-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt at Pittodrie.

Robson also guided the Dons to the Viaplay Cup final where they were beaten 1-0 by Rangers on December 17.

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