He may have started work in April 2013, but the Derek McInnes era kicked into gear at Aberdeen that summer.
McInnes used the five post-split games to judge his squad and plans quickly took shape.
The midfield was cleared with Gavin Rae released while Rob Milsom and Isaac Osbourne, talented but often-injured, were allowed to leave. Milsom joined Rotherham while Osbourne, keen to move closer to his family in England, curiously moved to Partick Thistle.
Stephen Hughes and Jordon Brown went to East Fife and Peterhead.
Attackers were also dispensed as teenager Mitch Megginson joined Dumbarton while Rory Fallon moved to St Johnstone.
In defence veteran Gary Naysmith was the only departure, joining East Fife where he is now manager.
Goalkeeper Dan Twardzik, who never played a first team game for the Dons, was freed and joined Dundee.
In their places came tried and trusted midfield Willo Flood and Barry Robson.
Flood arrived from Dundee United where his determination in helping the Tangerines pip the Dons to a top-six place in Craig Brown’s final game in charge had impressed.
Robson was a former team-mate of Flood’s at Tannadice and the man from Inverurie jumped at the chance to return home with the Dons following a spell at Sheffield United.
The giant Calvin Zola arrived to bolster the attack while Queen’s Park amateur Lawrence Shankland also landed as did midfielder Gregg Wylde, goalkeeper Nicky Weaver and loan signing, defender Michael Hector.
The Dons quickly found their feet in the top half of the SPL, a position they had not held for five years.
Three ninth-place finishes and one eighth place was all the club had to show for the previous four campaigns.
Miserable.
It was clear, for all the progress made, pieces of McInnes’ Aberdeen jigsaw were not fitting.
The unfortunate Chris Clark, back in his second spell with the club, was freed after suffering a knee injury in a pre-season game which ruled him out of the whole campaign.
Josh Magennis was sent out on loan to St Mirren in January of 2014 while Wylde, a player blessed with fantastic pace but with a wildly inconsistent end product, was also freed and he joined Magennis in making the move to Paisley.
Signing players is not an exact science, especially in the budgetary constraints McInnes works under and Wylde’s departure was a sign the manager was not averse to taking drastic action if a signing failed to have the impact required.
When Hector was recalled by Reading, experienced Swansea centre-back Alan Tate was brought in as his replacement, but his lack of pace was exposed.
The two other January recruits proved crucial.
Adam Rooney’s return to Scottish football with the Dons was, in hindsight, a no-brainer. A proven player following his exploits at Caley Thistley, the forward’s move from Oldham has been the Dons manager’s best piece of business.
Right back Shay Logan made his debut in the League Cup semi-final, slotting in brilliantly, and has not looked back.
His loan move developed into a two-year deal and just last month he signed a new two-year extension. A cult hero among the Aberdeen support, Logan’s feat of making the Premiership team of the season for the past two years speaks volumes.
The reinforced team would go on to win the League Cup, bringing silverware to the club for the first time in 19 years and the Dons were only pipped to second place on the final day of the season by a baffling decision from referee Steven McLean to allow Motherwell’s added time goal at Pittodrie stand despite goalkeeper Jamie Langfield being flattened in the build-up by Well forward Chris Sutton.
The hurt of that one still lingers.