Aberdeen: Derek McInnes criticism 'absurd and preposterous' - Tony Docherty

Criticism of Derek McInnes is "absurd and preposterous", and his loyalty to Aberdeen should be "reciprocated", says assistant manager Tony Docherty.

Some fans voiced their anger at McInnes after a draw at St Mirren on Sunday left them four points off third-placed Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

But Docherty defended McInnes, who has been in charge for almost seven years.

"Everyone at the club finds that hugely disrespectful. Some people in the game should know better," he said.

"He is not just a manager with a proven track record, but a manager that has shown real loyalty to this club and most of all to its supporters, so when we are going through a wee bump in the road - which we will address - you expect that loyalty to be reciprocated."

• Aberdeen held by St Mirren

McInnes has been in charge at Aberdeen for almost seven years, replacing Craig Brown. Since then, the Pittodrie club have been in four cup finals, a further four semi-finals, and finished second in the league on four occasions.

However, last term they finished fourth behind Celtic, Rangers and Kilmarnock, and they trail the Old Firm and Motherwell this season, having won just two of their last eight Premiership games.

"I think we need to put into perspective that it was a minority of fans - there is massive support out there," added Docherty of the criticism in Paisley.

"We have had loads of correspondence from people saying they were embarrassed by it. There is an anger about that it is disrespectful and it is something that I know will drive Derek and the rest of us on.

"Yes, we are going through a period just now where we need to take responsibility for getting more points on the board. But for the narrative to be the way that it is just now, I find is totally disrespectful."