1991 title decider: Rangers beat Aberdeen on final day
Rangers and Aberdeen meet at Ibrox this weekend, 34 years to the day since the teams went to head for the title.
The Dons required just a draw to win the league, but failed to convert early chances and were made to pay as Rangers triumphed 2-0 thanks to a Mark Hateley double.
Image source, SNSAberdeen's Jimmy Thelin has made it a hat-trick by being named Premiership manager of the month for April.
The Swede takes the award for the third time this season after steering the Dons to 1-0 wins over Ross County and Hibs either side of a 2-2 draw with Rangers.
Aberdeen also set up a Scottish Cup final against Celtic by seeing off Hearts in extra time at Hampden.
"I am very grateful to accept this award for the third time this season," said Thelin.
"We are all in this together at Aberdeen, so this award is recognition of the part that everyone has played and the work they have put in.
"It's been an exciting journey so far and an emotional first year for me personally in Aberdeen.
"There is a good atmosphere around the club and it feels like everybody shares the same vision for our future."
Image source, SNSRangers have lost just one of their past 13 home games against Aberdeen in all competitions (W10 D2), winning their last three in a row since a 3-1 reverse in September 2023.
The past eight league matches between Rangers and Aberdeen have an even head-to-head record: three wins each, two draws, and 11 goals each.
Rangers are winless in their past seven home games in all competitions (D2 L5), their longest ever run without a home win.
Since winning their opening three away league outings of this season, Aberdeen have only won two of their past 14 on the road (D4 L8).
Cyriel Dessers has scored in Rangers' past two league games, and could score in three successive Scottish Premiership appearances for the first time. With 10 home league goals last season and nine this, Dessers could become only the third player to reach double figures for home goals in both of his first two Scottish Premiership seasons since the competition's rebrand in 2013, after Louis Moult (2015-16 & 2016-17) and Bojan Miovski (2022-23 and 2023-24).
Image source, Getty ImagesGetting winger Nicolas Milanovic from A-League outfit Western Sydney Wanderers for less than £400,000 is a good deal for Aberdeen, say Australian pundits. (Press & Journal), external
Image source, SNSAberdeen's Jimmy Thelin has been nominated for the Scottish Football Writers' Association manager of the year award.
The Dons boss is vying with Celtic's Brendan Rodgers, Hibernian head coach David Gray and Falkirk manager John McGlynn for the SFWA prize.
After arriving last summer from Elfsborg, Aberdeen enjoyed a record-breaking 16-game unbeaten start to the campaign under the Swede.
But the Pittodrie side's season took a dramatic dip when they remarkably went on to endure a winless run of 14 league games throughout the winter.
However, Thelin's men have recovered to book a place in the final of the Scottish Cup against Celtic while remaining in the hunt for third spot in the Premiership.
Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator
Aberdeen turned in a toothless performance in Paisley at the worst possible time in what was a hammer blow to their hopes of finishing in the Premiership's top three.
Zero shots on target tells the story as the Dons once again toiled against St Mirren in what has become something of a bogey fixture for them in recent years, particularly in Renfrewshire.
Worryingly for Jimmy Thelin, his team has averaged a paltry 3.74 shots on target per game in the Premiership with only Motherwell and relegation-haunted Ross County and St Johnstone worse off.
The same old problems reared their head against Saints as the Swede's side struggled against a well-organised machine in Stephen Robinson's team who have had the Dons' number in the past three meetings.
A sloppy goal was also lost from a set-play while the lack of a tangible Plan B was exposed not for the first time this season.
To have no attempts on target in what was essentially a must-win game disappointed the big travelling .
Jeppe Okkels did have the ball in the net but in this day of VAR, that type of handball by Kevin Nisbet is seldom overlooked. His arm was deemed to be in an unnatural position, however there was still plenty of the game to go.
Coupled with Hibernian swatting Dundee United aside as the Dons toiled at the other end of the M8, they will now need an effective two-result swing in the final three games given the Edinburgh club's big goal difference advantage.
It may be Aberdeen need to win all three of their remaining fixtures to stand a chance which would mean beating both Glasgow sides and winning at Tannadice on the final day.
Of course, the Dons could take the guaranteed European league phase prize by winning the Scottish Cup. But if they can't cause a shock in the final against holders Celtic, they will have to try to hold on to fourth place at worst as that would give them two bites at progressing through the European qualifiers with a place in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
Their main season aim in the league is now in the long shot category, albeit Hibs go to Celtic Park at the weekend before the Dons travel to Ibrox to take on a beleaguered Rangers.
But, even taking into the Ibrox side's ills this campaign, they will have to be a whole lot better than Saturday's timid showing if they are to win that one.
Glen Schreuder
Fan writer
Boy am I glad we don't need to play St Mirren again this season.
What a difference a week makes in football. From being right back in the race for third to a performance our mid-season slump would be proud of.
Defeat in Paisley put a big dent in our hopes of a third-place finish and with the way our fixtures play out it does feel now the priority is to ensure we don't slip any further than fourth.
The club's player of the year ceremony was held on Thursday night, but what we saw from those in red on Saturday wont be winning any awards.
Playing Topi Keskinen in the number 10 role as opposed to left wing where he has flourished recently was baffling given the recent inclusions of Jamie McGrath and Dante Polvara, while Alexander Jensen's pace and energy were missed on the right-hand side of defence.
Jimmy Thelin and Dave Cormack spoke about a team who would give maximum effort and show the desire to play for Aberdeen, yet it feels like there is a degree of effort missing.
Now that may be harsh, but is late-season fatigue coming into it? We haven't had a heavy fixture schedule and with the cup final looming, fitness and fatigue concerns are a worry if true, especially given the club's hopes for next season and playing European football.
Another worry is our inability to break stuffy teams down. As well as player recruitment, a Plan B when teams sit deep is something I hope to see improved next season.
We have four huge games left this season - a trip to Ibrox beckons on Sunday - and it is time for the players to put in a complete performance.
Jimmy Thelin needs to stop tinkering players out of their best positions and get back to giving fans confidence and momentum going into the cup final.
Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external
Celtic are considering bringing goalkeeper Ross Doohan back to the club when his Aberdeen contract expires in the summer to help meet Champions League regulations on home grown talent. (Glasgow Times), external
Montenegro central defender Slobodan Rubezic has confirmed he will be returning to Aberdeen following his loan to former club Novi Pazar. (Daily Record), external
Image source, SNSAberdeen's Scottish Cup final allocation will be almost double the amount of fans they took to the semi-final win over Hearts
Aberdeen have sold out their Scottish Cup final allocation of more than 20,000 in a matter of hours.
Tickets for the showpiece encounter with Celtic later this month went on sale from 08:00 BST on Monday morning and the Pittodrie club confirmed each of them had been snapped up by 17:30 on the same day.
The Dons had agreed to underwrite the cost of any unsold tickets, but that will not be required now after rapid sales.
"Never in doubt," the club posted on X, external (formerly Twitter) with confirmation that all tickets had been sold.
Sportscene analysis: 'Aberdeen want space but St Mirren don't give you it'
Watch the Sportscene analyse the performance of both St Mirren and Aberdeen in the Buddies' 1-0 victory in Paisley.
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Watch highlights of St Mirren's 1-0 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.
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We asked for your views on Aberdeen's defeat to St Mirren on Saturday.
Here's what some of you said:
Pete: Seemed like typical end of season fare. We were didn't seem as hungry as the Saints and the disallowed goal really seemed to hamper our confidence. Considering the ups and downs of this campaign we should be fairly happy to be in the position we are. As long as we give our best in the last few games, and of course the cup final, I look forward to next season with renewed optimism, and a few new faces to strengthen the squad of course!
James: I cannot understand when we know that St Mirren are a physical team why the manager drops Pape Gueye, our most physical player. The players let the fans down, we never put the opponents under pressure. A very poor display when Europe was within reach.
Andrew: Season 24/25 has had more up and downs than normal but one thing that was for sure was a positive result in Paisley was never going to happen after VAR chopped off the goal for hand ball. After the VAR decision we never got a grip of the midfield battle. The players, after a good spell of form, had an off day. It happens, but whether it will cost us third place remains to be seen. In a season of so many twists and turns, a predictable outcome for third was never on the cards.
David: Drove 380 mile round trip from Peterhead with my grandson to watch them huff and puff. The build up is far too slow allowing teams to set themselves for when the ball is finally pumped up the field. Crossing is diabolical, either hits first man or over hit. No plan B I'm afraid. Playing Topi [Keskinen] as no.10 must've been Jimmy Thelin's plan to outfox St Mirren. Fair play to St Mirren they play to their strengths.
Carol: Year one of a three-year project. Some good players taken in this season, they will be better next season. Cup final, cup semi final and probably fourth in league is not a bad start to JTs term. We weren't at it yesterday, but still had two big refereeing decisions go against us. Not good enough on the day, but the future looks good.
Rob: It is a set back for third spot but not a fatal one. The old firm fixtures are huge now and we need to get points in both. Despite the lack of chances we created we need to find a way not to lose these games. St Mirren are a decent side but we should not have lost three times to them this season if we harbour hopes of top three.
Image source, SNSSt. Mirren are undefeated in their last three games in the Premiership, their last t longest unbeaten streak was from 14 December to 26 December 2024.
Mikael Mandron attempted five shots in this game, the t-highest total for a St. Mirren player in the Premiership this season.
Aberdeen have a record of W0, D2, L8 when conceding the opening goal away from home in the Premiership this season.
The Dons failed to attempt a shot on target in this game. It's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Livingston on 5 August 2023.
Dons fans, did you make the trip to Paisley on Saturday or were you following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the performance. How are you feeling about that third-place spot?
Image source, SNSAberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin: "We wanted more.
"The game was what we expected, we were not good enough to deserve to win but maybe we were not bad enough to lose. It was a classic 0-0 game but they used the opportunity from the set play to score that goal.
"The final today didn't arrive in the right spaces, that's football sometimes. Today was not the perfect game but also St Mirren did things well. Our performance was not what we had to do to deserve to win. We need to improve some parts in the away games and do better because we now have three more important games in the league. We have to do better in these games to deserve to win.
"We have to believe and try and do some things better in our away games."
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSAberdeen had taken on the fight for third with a bit of momentum building ahead of this fixture.
Unbeaten since the end of February until this defeat showed a level of consistency but this outcome is a real blow.
They've lost crucial ground on Hibs and face a trip to Ibrox next before hosting Celtic. Anything from those games in normal circumstances would be deemed a positive but may well be required now with games running out.
The disallowed effort for handball against Kevin Nisbet will be a major talking point. It was given for his arm being in an unnatural position. However, was he nudged causing that?
There's little room for error now, although Hibernian face a testing trip to Celtic Park next weekend as they look to cement their position.
Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSAberdeen winger Shayden Morris has described being named as Aberdeen's Player of the Season as "the biggest achievement" of his career so far and has vowed that the best is yet to come from him.
Morris, 23, received the accolade, voted for by the Dons' fans, at the club awards night on Thursday.
"It is a massive moment for me and my family," he said.
"'For it to be voted by the fans is a massive feeling, because I know it hasn't always been easy times, so to be in this position, to be voted Player of the Season, I am really happy.
"I do feel like I have had to be patient this season at times and I have always trusted in myself in what the coaches say to me.
"I have just wanted to work hard, give everything I can every time I do step on the pitch and for it to be rewarded like that is such a massive achievement."
Morris has been a key player for the Dons who are currently fourth in the Premiership and who also have a Scottish Cup final against Celtic to look forward to.
And he believes he has gone some way to showing he can make his mark from the start of games, rather than as a super sub coming off the bench.
"I definitely do think I have shown I can do it from the start as well," Morris added.
"For me this season, I have had a lot of people watching closely, game by game 'is he going to do it">
