Captain Graeme Shinnie believes Aberdeen will enter a new era under boss Jimmy Thelin full of optimism after rediscovering the team’s identity.
Shinnie revealed the players and interim manager Peter Leven held crisis talks in March to address fears their identity had disappeared.
The clear-the-air discussion was held in the aftermath of a 1-0 loss to Dundee at Dens Park on March 13.
After those talks, the Reds remained undefeated in the Premiership, ending the campaign on a nine-game unbeaten league run.
Shinnie reckons rediscovering their identity and form has also galvanised the Red Army.
And for the skipper it all bodes well for a new dawn under Elfsborg boss Thelin, who will officially start his Pittodrie reign on June 3.
Midfielder Shinnie anticipates a “lot of changes” under Thelin in the summer transfer market – but is confident the Swede is inheriting a strong squad.
He said: “There is a new era coming in next season.
“It comes with real optimism.
“It is going to be a big summer and there will be a lot of changes.
“We have brought the fans back in.
“It has been tough for them and there have been a lot of disappointments in the league, but they have stuck by us.
“You can see that by the fans’ reaction on Sunday at Ross County they are right with us.”
‘Hopefully he doesn’t call when I’m on the beach’
Thelin is remaining at Elfsborg until the Swedish top-flight enters a summer break on June 1.
The Swede will take Elfsborg assistants Christer Persson and Emir Bajrami with him to Pittodrie.
Shinnie confirmed he has not had a one-to-one chat with new manager Thelin yet.
The Swede has three games remaining with Elfborg before starting at Pittodrie.
Shinnie, 32, joked he hopes the new gaffer doesn’t make that first call when he’s sunning himself on a beach.
Asked if he had held talks with Thelin, he said: “No, not yet.
“I will speak to him at some point.
“It has been full focus on trying to finish the season as strongly as we can.
“He is in his own position with his club and will want to finish strongly there.
“The time will come when we will speak.
“Hopefully he doesn’t call when I’m on the beach!”
‘We need an identity. How are we going to do that?’
Interim boss Leven will remain at Pittodrie next season as assistant first-team coach under Thelin.
When Leven was appointed interim manager in March following the exit of Neil Warnock, the Dons were in danger of being dragged into a relegation play-off dogfight.
Leven masterminded a resurgence which eradicated any threat of the play-off long before the final game of the season at Ross County.
Under Leven, the Dons secured a seventh-placed finish, top of the bottom six.
Leven took over a team who had taken just two points from 18 under Warnock.
The turning point came after losing 1-0 at Dundee, just days after Leven had to “pick up the pieces” after Warnock’s tenure.
Shinnie said: “Pete has been absolutely brilliant.
“He has had to pick up the pieces, which was tough.
“It feels okay sitting in this position now, but there have been a lot of low points – especially in the league.
“Outwith the league, we have been pretty good, but our Premiership form has been horrendous.
“The Dundee game away from home where we lost was a real low point.
“We were in between different styles of play and different managers had come and gone.
“Pete and the squad sat down together. He said we needed an identify and how are we going to do it?
“We did that and from that moment on the form of the team has been good and the players have really stepped up.
“Some of the players will know what we need to do for next season, which is also good.”
Momentum for Thelin’s first season
Aberdeen called time on the campaign with a 2-2 draw at Ross County.
The Reds were on course to secure a 100% win return from the five post-split games when leading 2-1.
However, the Dons were reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute when Angus MacDonald was red carded for a foul on Jordan White.
Yan Dhanda netted the resultant penalty – but a draw was not enough to prevent Ross County finishing in the relegation play-off spot.
Shinnie said: “With the penalty, they got right back in the game and we knew what was coming after that.
“To be fair to Ross County they threw everything at us and were unlucky not to win it at the end.
“For us, I am delighted to see it over the line and finish seventh.
“We are not amazingly proud about that, but from where we have been, our aim was to finish best of the rest.
“To do that from where we were gives us some momentum going into next season.”
Conversation