The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Fergie: Let’ s do it for the old boss – and the new one
Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson says the Dons want three points and a performance in the New Firm derby against Dundee United today to cap Sir Alex Ferguson’s Pittodrie homecoming.
It also marks new Dons manager Jim Goodwin’s first home game in charge.
Sir Alex, the greatest manager in the club’s history, was at Pittodrie yesterday for the unveiling of a statue in his honour and will take his seat at today’s game.
The game is a sell-out and Ferguson is determined to add to the feel-good factor by delivering a first league win of 2022.
He said: “With the new gaffer coming in there is a bit of excitement about the place. With a sell-out crowd and Sir Alex Ferguson there you couldn’t set it up for a better day.
“It should give us that extra bit of motivation, not that we should need it, but having Sir Alex there, the gaffer’s first home game and a sell-out crowd, it’s all added up to a good day.
“Hopefully we can prepare well and get the three points, that’s the most important thing.”
Sir Alex will take his seat at Pittodrie to watch two sides who competed regularly for honours in his time in charge, vying for a place in European football come the end of the season.
The Dons are in eighth but know they can leapfrog fifth-placed United if they take all three points and Aberdeen midfielder Ferguson insists the players still believe they can clinch a European spot.
He said: “Of course, everybody still believes that. We’ve just got to keep putting points on the board and keep winning games.
“It’s really tight in the middle of the table so you never know where you could end up if you go on a good run. We’ve got tough fixtures coming up but ones we should be looking forward to and with a new manager coming in and excitement around the place we can put a run together and get into those European spots.”
It has been a frustrating season for the club with Goodwin replacing Stephen Glass following the club’s Scottish Cup exit at Motherwell two weeks ago.
Ferguson is surprised to see his side languishing in the bottom half of the table but believes the team can rally in the remaining 11 matches.
He said: “We’ve got a great squad and if you looked at it at the start of the season you would be looking at us to finish in the top three and go far in the cups if not win one.
“We’ve got lots of quality. For whatever reason we’ve just not been able to go on that good run to keep us high up the table.
“Our away form has been really poor and we’ve lost so many points throughout the season which we feel we shouldn’t have.
“We do feel as if we have underachieved but there is still time to grab that European spot and end the season on a high,” added the midfielder.
Glass’ final game in charge was marred by ugly scenes after the full-time whistle at Fir Park with Ferguson involved in an angry exchange with fans who jeered the team as they made their way back to the dressing room following the cup exit.
The midfielder admits he let his emotions get the better of him.