The 2010–11 season was Aberdeen's 98th season in the top flight of Scottish football. Aberdeen competed in the Scottish Premier League, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.

Aberdeen began the season with successive league wins over Hamilton Academical and St Johnstone, but suffered a poor run of form in the following months, culminating in a club record 0–9 defeat to Celtic in November 2010. The following month, Mark McGhee was sacked as manager and replaced by Motherwell manager Craig Brown.

In the cups, Aberdeen reached the semi-final of the Scottish League Cup, losing 1–4 to Celtic in January 2011. Aberdeen also reached the semi-final of the Scottish Cup, losing 0–4 to Celtic in April 2011.

Pre-season and friendlies

Aberdeen announced a series of pre-season friendlies in May 2010, including a tour of England and games in Scotland and Germany. The first pre-season friendly on 17 July 2010 against Highland Football League club Fraserburgh ended in a 1–3 defeat for Aberdeen. The following day, Aberdeen won 2–0 against Peterhead, with Mitchel Megginson and Michael Paton scoring. On 21 July, Aberdeen lost 0–1 to Dunfermline Athletic.

Aberdeen's tour of England began in Tamworth on 24 July. Despite Aberdeen taking an early lead, Tamworth equalised early in the second half, and the game ended 1–1. Aberdeen's next game was against Port Vale, Aberdeen won 1–0 thanks to a Michael Paton penalty ten minutes before the end of the game. The tour of England concluded with a 0–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on 31 July 2010.

Aberdeen returned to Scotland to face Brechin City in a memorial match for former Brechin City chairman David Will on 4 August 2010. The result was a 2–2 draw, Fraser Fyvie and Andrew Considine scored for Aberdeen. Aberdeen's final pre-season game was in Germany against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on 7 August 2010. Aberdeen lost 0–2 to the Bundesliga club.

Transfers

Seven new players arrived at Pittodrie in the summer transfer window, including Scotland international Paul Hartley, who was appointed as team captain. Three players were signed on loan between September 2010 and the end of the January transfer window, in addition to three permanent signings. Full-back Ricky Foster joined Aberdeen's rivals Rangers F.C. on transfer deadline day in August on a season-long loan, with striker Andrius Velička moving in the opposite direction.

In

DatePlayerFromFeeContract lengthSourceJune 2010 Rory McArdle RochdaleFreeTwo years5 July 2010 Josh Magennis Cardiff CityFreeTwo years13 July 2010 Mark Howard St MirrenFreeOne year26 July 2010 Scott Vernon Colchester UnitedFreeTwo years26 July 2010 Yoann Folly Plymouth ArgyleFreeTwo years28 July 2010 Paul Hartley Bristol CityFreeTwo years31 August 2010 Andrius Velička RangersLoanEnd of Season6 September 2010 Nikola Vujadinović UdineseLoanEnd of Season24 December 2010 David McNamee Plymouth ArgyleFreeSix months31 December 2010 Myles Anderson Leyton OrientFreeSix months13 January 2011 Robert Milsom FulhamFreeSix months13 January 2011 Nick Blackman Blackburn RoversLoanSix months31 January 2011 Steven Smith Norwich CityLoanSix months

The end of the previous season saw three on-loan players return to their clubs. Paul Marshall, Jim Paterson and last season's top scorer Steven MacLean all left to go back to their parent club. Eight out-of-contract players departed Aberdeen on free transfers in the summer, including left-back Charlie Mulgrew, who rejoined Celtic, and former captain Mark Kerr, who joined Greek club Asteras Tripolis. Only one player left the club in the January transfer window, English defender Jerel Ifil, who was released from his contract.

Out

DatePlayerToFeeNoteSource31 May 2010 Charlie Mulgrew CelticFreeOut of Contract31 May 2010 Gary McDonald Hamilton AcademicalFreeOut of Contract6 June 2010 Mark Kerr Asteras TripolisFreeOut of Contract31 May 2010 Stuart Duff Inverness Caledonian ThistleFreeOut of Contract31 May 2010 Paul Marshall Manchester City–Loan Return31 May 2010 Jim Paterson Plymouth Argyle–Loan Return31 May 2010 Steven MacLean Plymouth Argyle–Loan Return31 May 2010 Stuart Nelson Notts CountyFreeOut of Contract1 July 2010 Davide Grassi Sorrento CalcioFreeOut of Contract Jonathan Crawford MontroseFreeOut of Contract Nicky Clark PeterheadFreeOut of Contract31 August 2010 Ricky Foster RangersLoanEnd of season31 January 2011 Jerel IfilFree transferReleased2 March 2011 Mitchel Megginson Brechin CityLoanOne month

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Disciplinary record

NumberNationPositionNameSPLScottish CupLeague CupTotal6DFAndrew Considine910100928MFPaul Hartley620010727FWChris Maguire610000612DFRory McArdle4100105119FWMichael Paton110000115DFZander Diamond7010008014MFDerek Young6000107016DFSteven Smith400000401GKJamie Langfield3000003042DFClark Robertson300000303DFDavid McNamee1010103013DFNikola Vujadinović3000003027FWNick Blackman200000204MFYoann Folly2000002016DFJerel Ifil2000002010FWDarren Mackie200000209FWScott Vernon2000002027MFRobert Milsom1010002011MFSone Aluko1000001043MFRyan Fraser1000001022MFRyan Jack10000010

Goal scorers RankPlayerSPLSCLCTotal1. Scott Vernon933152. Chris Maguire741123. Paul Hartley40484. Josh Magennis31045. Rory McArdle21146. Sone Aluko20027. Nick Blackman20028. Zander Diamond10019. Yoann Folly100110. Ryan Jack100111. Darren Mackie100112. Robert Milsom100113. Peter Pawlett100114. Andrius Velička100115. Nikola Vujadinović100116.Own goal1102

Results and fixtures

Scottish Premier League

Scottish League Cup

Scottish Cup

Competitions

Overall

SPL

League table

Results summary

Results by round

Results by opponent TeamResultsAberdeen's score is shown first.Points1234Celtic 0–9 0–1 0–3 0Dundee United 0–1 1–1 1–3 1Hamilton Academical 4–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 10Heart of Midlothian 0–1 0–5 0–0 1Hibernian 4–2 2–1 0–1 3–1 9Inverness Caledonian Thistle 0–1 1–2 2–0 1–0 6Kilmarnock 0–1 0–2 5–0 3Motherwell 1–1 1–2 1–2 1Rangers 2–3 0–2 0–1 0St Johnstone 1–0 0–1 0–0 0–2 4St Mirren 1–2 2–0 2–3 0–1 3

Source: 2010–11 Scottish Premier League article

See also List of Aberdeen F.C. seasons

References