Seems fairly accurate, can we do it?

 

Aberdeen FC point the way to Europe

Dons boss sets players a target in race for SPL’s coveted third spot

 

By Charlie Allan

 

Published: 12/02/2009

 

 

ABERDEEN FC players have been set a 63-point target to win the race to qualify for Europe.

 

The Dons will need to win nine of their remaining 14 games to be guaranteed of reaching the magic mark that manager Jimmy Calderwood is convinced would be their passport into next season’s Europa League.

 

But he has challenged his men to go for it if they want to beat Dundee United and Hearts in the fight to claim third spot and guarantee another crack at European glory.

 

Aberdeen FC boss Calderwood said: “If we all keep on dropping points the final target might drop a wee bit.

 

“But at the moment I reckon if we hit the 63-point mark it would be enough to guarantee third place and a return to Europe.

 

“We got 65 points the last time we finished third, so we know we can achieve our target.

 

“I’ve always said if you gather 15 points in each section of 11 games you are guaranteed to make the top six.

 

“But if you get 20 points every 11 games then you will be in Europe.

 

“We gained 22 points over the last group of 11, which was a massive boost as we fight to get to where we want to be.

 

“The pressure is growing now and the games will get harder.

 

“But there is a big incentive because third place would mean avoiding having to play Europa League qualifying games in early July.

 

“That would wreck our whole summer and mean the players only getting about two weeks off, so we have to set our sights as high as possible.â€

 

The Dons are currently a point behind United and Hearts, who they now face back to back in the league.

 

Calderwood would love to beat both to put the Dons in with a better chance of being in pole position when the SPL splits in the middle of April.

 

He said: “It would be a bit much to expect the players to clinch third spot before the split, although it is mathematically possible.

 

“The more sensible target is to attempt to win nine of the 14 league games we have left.

 

“If we get the bulk of those wins before the split, then even better.

 

“But if we are in third spot after the next nine, I’m convinced we will take a bit of stopping.â€

 

Calderwood accepts Saturday’s trip to Tynecastle is a tough way to continue their quest to finish third for the second time in three seasons.

 

But he says his men are heading for Edinburgh with their confidence high.

 

“We’ve not lost to Hearts this season, so we have good reason for believing we will do well down there,†he said.

 

“We were also unfortunate not to win both clashes with United, we were done in by daft defensive mistakes.

 

“They are massive games but we know how valuable two victories would be.

 

“We are desperate to grab the initiative in the race for the European places.â€

 

Remaining Fixtures:

 

Hearts (a)

United (h)

Killie (h)

St Mirren (a)

Hamilton (h)

Hibs (a)

Motherwell (a)

ICT (h)

Celtic (a)

 

Top 6 Games:

? Celtic, Hearts, (h)

? Rangers, United (a)

+ 1 other

It was a sign of better times, a time when we all enjoyed fitba, when doings a-plenty marked our season, ah, halcyon days.

 

I'll take this fight for 3rd any day over the "should've been relegated, but for the league expanding" fiasco that was the 1999/2000 season.

 

Season before that (I think) we beat Hearts but not by enough of a margin to get into Europe.

 

Don't think that was the season before, tbh. But I do remember that season. It was the end of the season before Hearts became a Lithiuanian team. Hearts couldn't get into Europe. Hibs could if they drew with Rangers on the final day at Fester Road. Even if they lost, it would take Aberdeen to win against Hearts by 6 or more goals to overtake Hibs.

 

Rangers and Hibs were drawing and really couldn't be bothered playing, as the result suited both of them. Aberdeen, meanwhile, were trying their best to beat a Hearts team who were almost willfully passing the ball to Aberdeen players. But we just couldnae score enough goals.

 

Then it was all over when Scott McDonald scored two at Motherwell against Celtic to hand the title to Rangers. What a weird weird final day of the season that was.

i'm fairly sure rangers beat hibs 1 nil that game but they got the early goal then hibs just sat and passed the ball in their defence cos it suited both teams. not a draw tho.

Rangers in dramatic title triumph

 

FT Aberdeen 2-0 Hearts

Match report

 

FT Hibernian 0-1 Rangers

Match report

 

FT Motherwell 2-1 Celtic

Match report

 

That was the day Aberdeen fans were singing Lee Miller's name through-out the game as we were under the impression he was going to sign for us that summer.

 

We needed to win by five if the Hibs score stayed at 1-0, we absolutely battered Hearts, although it was to no avail.

 

Then it was all over when Scott McDonald scored two at Motherwell against Celtic to hand the title to Rangers. What a weird weird final day of the season that was.

 

*edit* It's OK I'm talking shit.

We hit the post/bar a couple of times though. If we had more luck we could have scored a couple more.