http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/822947?UserKey=

Sone Aluko has been surprised by the warm reception he has received from Aberdeen fans and is determined to surpass the Red Army’s lofty expectations.

 

The former Birmingham City attacker rejoined the Dons on transfer deadline day this week on a three-year deal following an impressive loan spell last term.

 

Dons supporters believe the England under-19 international can help the team push on after a steady start to the campaign. Aluko is a firm favourite among the Pittodrie faithful, which the 19-year-old discovered before he even set foot in the Granite City.

 

He said: “I did not realise what the supporters’ reaction was to me coming back until Wednesday.

 

“I was not even in Aberdeen when it hit me. I was driving up and stopped at a petrol station in Perth where someone came up to me, saying they were delighted I was back and wishing me all the best.

 

“I saw some of the newspapers in the city and it was an amazing feeling. It means a great deal to me. It is nice to feel wanted and, although it means there is added pressure on me, I am sure I can handle the responsibility.

 

“Expectations are part of the game and, hopefully, I can thrive. I think I can surpass those expectations because I can improve on last year.â€

 

Aluko paid tribute to Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood for the role he played in bringing him back to Pittodrie. The attacker also insisted the Dons can look forward to a successful season.

 

He said: “The manager was a massive influence on me coming back. I have a great relationship with him.

 

“He really looked after me when I came here last season and then he spoke to me a lot through the summer.

 

“It is great for a player to have that kind of manager. We do not always see eye to eye but I have a lot of respect for him. The squad looks more balanced, it feels more compact and there is greater competition for places.

 

“Last season we had some amazing highs — I will never forget the European run — but I think we can do better this year domestically. Third place has to be a goal and we want to get to a final and have the chance to lift a trophy.â€

 

and the daily rangers weighs in with a nice negative article

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/scottish-football/spl-football/2008/09/05/new-aberdeen-signing-sone-aluko-wasn-t-good-enough-for-birminham-says-boss-alex-mcleish-86908-20724670/

 

New Aberdeen signing Sone Aluko wasn't good enough for Birminham, says boss Alex McLeish

 

Sep 5 2008

 

ALEX McLEISH insisted he sold Sone Aluko because he wasn't good enough for Birmingham.

 

The 19 year-old midfielder spent last season on loan at Aberdeen and wrote his name into the club's folklore when he scored in the 2-2 draw with German giants Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup.

 

He returned to Pittodrie on Monday for around £50,000 after a miserable loan spell with Blackpool.

 

McLeish said: "Sone did the pre-season with us and did okay but I didn't think he showed enough to go ahead of anyone.

 

"He recognised he was well liked up there from his time on loan and the Aberdeen people had taken to him with the work he'd done there.

 

"He knows the area and the people and he's also looking at other examples of players going to Scotland, doing well and going on to even bigger things such as David Murphy, who came here from Hibs, or Anthony Stokes who went to Falkirk and ended up with a £2million move to Sunderland."

The Daily Record.

 

Even more retarded than you think.

As much as I like Alex McLeish, some of his signings during his time at Rangers prove that he doesn't know good players when he sees them.

 

It means a great deal to me. It is nice to feel wanted and, although it means there is added pressure on me, I am sure I can handle the responsibility.

 

Here's hoping he can handle the responsibility. And I also hope the fans won't get on his back if he doesn't deliver in his first few games. Don't expect hat-tricks every week from the lad.

O/T I saw Charlie Allan    last night when I was out for a jog.  His dog's a fat bastard too.

O/T I saw Charlie Allan    last night when I was out for a jog.  His dog's a fat bastard too.

 

 

When I read that at first I thought it said he was out for a jog.

 

 

*Shudder!*

O/T I saw Charlie Allan    last night when I was out for a jog.  His dog's a fat bastard too.

 

He's probably fattening it up before he has it killed, minced and put into pies.

As much as I like Alex McLeish, some of his signings during his time at Rangers prove that he doesn't know good players when he sees them.

 

Being honest, it wasn't really his squads that he had the successes with. His success at Rangers was with a squad that was primarily Dick Advocaat's squad. His winning squad at Hibs was still hugely influenced by his predecessor Jim Duffy. Even at Motherwell, he experienced success with Tommy McLean's players. Once he started bringing in his own players, Motherwell started sliding down the table and narrowly avoided the playoffs in his final season.

 

As good a player as he was, I don't have any faith in McLeish in a managerial capacity.

Totally agree with your opinions on McLeish.

(as a player Willie Miller used to dig him out of a few holes as well).

 

My point is this.

Typical anti-Aberdeen stuff from The Retard, as its a non-story.

 

If Sone HAD been good enough for Birmingham, he would still be there.

City are a bigger team, in a bigger league.

Off topic, why all the negativity toward Charlie Allan?  Has anyone here ever spoken to him, or does anyone know him? 

Off topic, why all the negativity toward Charlie Allan?  Has anyone here ever spoken to him, or does anyone know him? 

 

I've never spoken to Nacho Novo but i still think he's a cunt.

I've never spoken to Nacho Novo but i still think he's a cunt.

 

 

Allan has a reputation and record behind him that transcends ever having had to have met him, in much the same way as the remark by sheep_shagger.

I've never spoken to Nacho Novo but i still think he's a cunt.

 

Whereas I have had the misfortune and can confirm you are correct in your summary of him

I've been on a receiving end of a poorly written abusive e-mail from him in the past over something posted on the AFC mailing list that I used to be subscribed to. Pathetic clown of a man.

City are a bigger team, in a bigger league.

 

i don't believe that, there's certainly more teams in the championship if that's what you mean by bigger.  how many championship teams qualify for europe?  how many championship teams win national cup compitions? [national as in every team can enter, not hte johnston paint trophy] the championship certainly pays higher wages but that's about it.  aberdeen have won far more than birmingham ever has or will, if we were playing in the premiership i would expect aberdeen to have a far higher crwod to percentage of population average than birmingham have.

that Daily Retard article really pisses me off. I didn't see any negativity about Hibs resigning Riordan and that he "wasn't good enough for Celtic"

 

Shaun Maloney wasn't in the Aston Villa team, so there for St Martin of O'Neill must think he's not good enough, no mention of that when he resigns for Celtic.

Smith - Not good enough for Everton

Strachan - Not good enough for Coventry/Scotland

Caldwell - Not good enough for Newcastle

Donati - Not good enough for Milan

Mendes - Not good enough for the Premiership/Portsmouth

Weir - Too old for Everton

Dailly - Too shit for anyone

Cuellar - Too good for Rangers

Hartley - No longer required at LSC

Broadfoot - Not good enough for Remploy

Gow - Good enough for Rangers/Not good enough for Rangers

Riordan - Good enough for Celtic/Not good enough for Celtic

 

spot on funster, thats has made me chuckle

 

Miller - Good enough for the huns/not good enough for the huns/not good enough for the premiership/good enough for celtic/not good enough for celtic/not good enough for the premiership/good enough for the huns

Smith - Not good enough for Everton

Strachan - Not good enough for Coventry/Scotland

Caldwell - Not good enough for Newcastle

Donati - Not good enough for Milan

Mendes - Not good enough for the Premiership/Portsmouth

Weir - Too old for Everton

Dailly - Too shit for anyone

Cuellar - Too good for Rangers

Hartley - No longer required at LSC

Broadfoot - Not good enough for Remploy

Gow - Good enough for Rangers/Not good enough for Rangers

Riordan - Good enough for Celtic/Not good enough for Celtic

 

I know someone who'll be getting an unhappy call from Remploy soon!!

Let's not forget that McLeish thought that Ostenstad, Capucho, Emerson and Mladenovic were good enough for a Champions League side.

 

He couldn't spot a decent youngster if he was being robbed at gunpoint by Theo Walcott.

 

The Daily Retard never fails to amaze in its attempts to do AFC down. I'm amazed they haven't made up a quote from Aluko about Durrant deserving everything he got, to be honest.

 

A paper written by bitter, blinkered mongoloids, read by bitter, blinkered mongoloids. Shame on anyone in this neck of the woods who actually reads it.

Off topic, why all the negativity toward Charlie Allan?  Has anyone here ever spoken to him, or does anyone know him? 

 

NUJ picket, 1990.

 

Off topic, why all the negativity toward Charlie Allan?  Has anyone here ever spoken to him, or does anyone know him? 

 

A certain poster on here had a nice wee chat with him over his accusations that Aberdeen fans had been singing racist songs at the early games in Holland.

 

Oi you fat cunt, if I was to call you a fat cunt you fat cunt, would you report in the paper I called you a fat cunt you fat cunt?

 

Almost dropped my tray of beer laughing at the stunned Charlie Allan and scared photographer.

 

I also remember him getting abuse at Dublin airport, the ryanair flight and Edinburgh airport after the Bohs game.

Not surprised that Sone was surprised by his welcome. The boy was looking particularly dapper when he pimped up at Pittodrie:

 

 

He was heard by one fan to say 'Let's get this shit on mother fuckers'