Nothing can top McInnes capture for outgoing Milne

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne believes hiring Derek McInnes was the best decision he made in his 21 years of leadership at Pittodrie.

Milne will call time on his tenure as Dons chairman on December 16 when he hands over the reins to his successor, vice-chairman Dave Cormack.

Cormack’s elevation to the role of chairman will usher in a new era of fresh investment from the United States and a strategic partnership with Major League Soccer club Atlanta United.

Outgoing chairman Milne has presided over a rollercoaster couple of decades in charge at the club and he does not dispute some decisions were better than others, but he is in no doubt appointing McInnes as manager in 2013 has been the most significant of his tenure.

Milne said: “Without a doubt, hiring Derek is my best decision. That’s allowed me to get into this position where when I stand down at the AGM, I will genuinely feel that I’ve handed over the club in a better position than when I took over. Without Derek, I don’t know if I’d have been in that position.

“To me, there’s a lot of people around the club who can take immense pride and credit for the progress we’ve made. I believe that what Derek and the team have delivered. Without that platform, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver Cormack Park.

“What Derek has achieved on the park in his time here has given us the platform and momentum to really drive the club forward and get rid of the debt, double our turnover and develop Cormack Park.”