Mcinnes expects panel to rule in Dons’ favour over Ferguson row

Derek Mcinnes in adamant Aberdeen won’t get drawn into a war of words with Hamilton Accies over the value of Lewis Ferguson ahead of next week’s transfer tribunal.

However the Dons manager remains confident the panel’s decision will be closer to the Pittodrie club’s offer than the Lanarkshire team’s increasing demands for someone who moved north under freedom of contract at the end of last season.

The pair remain poles apart when it comes to the assessing the price to be paid for the teenage midfielder who made 15 appearances for Accies top team.

Aberdeen have offered £100,000 as compensation for the loss of Ferguson while Hamilton were originally believed to be looking for a fee of £900,000 for the player.

Now following Ferguson’s instant impact at Pittodrie, including a stunning overhead kick goal against Burnley in the recent Europa League qualifier at Turf Moor, their current demand is even greater.

They are now hoping to equal the £1.2 million they got when James Mccarthy moved to Wigan Athletic in 2009. It’s believed that Aberdeen will argue that what has happened since Ferguson moved to Pittodrie should have no bearing on the SFA tribunal’s assessment.

Mcinnes wouldn’t be drawn into a public argument ahead of Monday’s meeting, though. He said: “We have nothing to add, we will speak at the right and proper time.

0 Lewis Ferguson, left, moved to Aberdeen from Hamilton Accies.

“We will have a chance on Monday to put our case across. Will it be closer to our valuation? It will be, I’m pretty sure.” Meanwhile Tommie Hoban, Scott Mckenna, Greg Tansey and Mark Reynolds will all miss tomorrow’s Betfred Cup tie against St Mirren through injury while Shay Logan completes a threegame suspension.

New signing James Wilson is expected to make his debut after being signed on a season-long loan earlier this week. The striker has recovered from an injury sustained playing for Manchester United’s under-23 side last week.

But whoever plays, Mcinnes has warned that Aberdeen are determined not to repeat last season’s setbacks in the cup competitions when Motherwell knocked them out of both.

The Aberdeen manager added: “The cups disappointed us last season and that hit home hard.

“Against Motherwell we made uncharacteristic mistakes and got what we deserved as a team.

“In the league you can make up for bad performances but in the cup you’re either in or out.

“Sowehavetobringastrong performance this weekend because it’s very important for us to do well in the cups.

“St Mirren are a good side and they will have had a bounce from going up, the club has a feel-good factor around it.

“They will bring a big support up and we know it’s going to be a test.”