Former hero Irvine is sure Aberdeen will battle their way back
Brian Irvine is convinced Aberdeen will rapidly become a major force again – if the current team recover as well as his did in 1995.
The Dons legend admits watching his old club struggling this season brought back painful memories of his worst time at Pittodrie.
Defeat against Latvian minnows, Skonto Riga, in Europe and Stenhousemuir in the Scottish Cup were major embarrassments.
Willie Miller was replaced by assistant Roy Aitken as manager before the latter humiliation, and Aberdeen only avoided relegation following a play-off against Dunfermline.
It’s a tale of woe that is strikingly similar to the current campaign that has seen Stephen Glass sacked with Jim Goodwin taking over.
Now the Dons round-off a miserable season needing a win against the new manager’s former club, St Mirren, to move off 10th place.
At least they’ve been spared a play-off, but Irvine hopes the overall experience will bring the same positive response all these years on.
Irvine said: “It’s been a very disappointing season, but at least they avoided dropping into the play-off like we did under Roy Aitken.
“I never thought I’d see another Aberdeen team in danger of being dragged into that situation, but there can be positive parallels to the team of 1994-95.
“Obviously there will be big turnover in the summer, but those players Jim Goodwin keeps must show they have what it takes to bounce back.
“That’s what we did after a similar season in terms of embarrassing defeats in the cups, poor league form and a change of manager.
“We had great players like Eoin Jess, Duncan Shearer, Billy Dodds and Stewart Mckimmie in the team, but only survived by beating Dunfermline over two games.
“What that actually did was galvanise us as a squad, and just a few months later we won the League Cup and finished that next season third behind the Old Firm.
“That’s got to be the aim of the current generation. They’re at a big club, with fans that demand better than they’ve seen recently.”
Ironically a young Stephen Glass was one of the major factors in the transformation under Aitken that resulted in silverware.
Glass scored in both legs of the playoff as the Dons fought off the ultimate embarrassment of relegation by beating Dunfermline 6-2 on aggregate.
The then 20-year-old Glass was voted Man of the Match when goals from Shearer and Dodds saw them beat Dundee in the League Cup Final.
That made it all the more disappointing for Irvine that his old Pittodrie team-mate lasted less than a year as manager.
He added: “The expectations with Stephen were very high, and he always spoke very well and positively.
“I thought bringing in Scott Brown as his assistant was a good move, and adding Christian Ramirez was positive.
“They made a good start, but it was downhill after losing to Raith Rovers in the League Cup.
“Now the new manager is in and, while it’s been another disappointing spell, you can’t judge him on that.
“This is where Jim Goodwin really gets the chance to show what he can do by getting his own players in.”
Glass, Jess and Scott Booth were promising youngsters in Irvine’s day, and one positive is the emergence of academy graduates Calvin Ramsay, Jack Mckenzie and Connor Barron.
Liverpool lead the chase for £4-milion rated Ramsay, but even that’s not a bad thing as far as the former Scotland cap is concerned.
Irvine said: “The young boys coming through from the academy has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise poor spell.
“Unfortunately, it looks like Calvin Ramsay will be on his way to a bigger club in the summer. But that’s a sign that the production line is working.
“Jim Goodwin will get the benefit as even if he is sold, it gives him the funds to strengthen the squad to get the club moving in the right direction.”