Aberdeen

Interim boss Peter Leven says being in hospital for an emergency operation last weekend didn't stop him having an input in Aberdeen's win over St Johnstone.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Interim boss Peter Leven has rejected any suggestion the pressure is off Aberdeen now they have secured their Premiership status.

Last weekend's 1-0 home win over St Johnstone - which Leven missed as he underwent emergency surgery - ended any lingering fears of the Dons being dragged into a battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot.

Next up is a trip to face Hibs on Sunday and Leven said: "There is always pressure at Aberdeen. Obviously I hid it a wee bit, I didn’t want to be that manager to take Aberdeen down, but I always believed in myself.

"I believed in the players that we could put on a good show at the end of the season – collect points, good performances - and I think we have shown that.

"They have played with a wee bit of freedom since I came in. I have asked them to express themselves, get on the ball.

"Nothing changes - we want to win every game even though we are safe. I have still put that pressure on them, I want to finish seventh so hopefully we can go there and win."

With just three games remaining, Leven is nearing the end of his second spell as interim head coach this term, having stepped up following the departures of both Barry Robson and Neil Warnock.

He will remain as part of new manager Jimmy Thelin's coaching staff when the Swede arrives from Elfsborg next month.

"I have loved it," said Leven. "It helps when you are winning. I’m going to enjoy these last three games and three wins would be a good end to the season."

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Aberdeen have announced the appointment of Stuart Glennie as the club's new youth academy director.

Glennie took up a post with the Dons in 2023 as head of academy coaching, but will now step up to lead the club's youth set-up.

He also coached in the Scottish FA's performance school for 11 years, and was co-manager of Highland League side Deveronvale for over two years.

“It’s a real honour for me to be appointed as youth academy director," Glennie said.

“I have a real passion for developing young players. We’re fortunate to have one of the best academies in the country, and I am going to be relentless in the club’s pursuit to be the best developer of young talent."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Caretaker manager Peter Leven has been speaking to the media before Aberdeen's Premiership game at Hibernian on Sunday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• Having missed last weekend’s game after being admitted to hospital for an emergency operation, Leven says he's "on the mend". He wanted to push the operation back but was told by the medics "it needs to be done straight away".

• With their Premiership status now secure Leven says: "Obviously I didn’t want to be that manager to take Aberdeen down."

• He rejected the suggestion the pressure is now off, saying "there is always pressure at Aberdeen" and they want to win all three remaining matches.

• Leven is expecting a difficult game against a Hibs side who have attacking options that can hurt any team.

• On Connor Barron, who is out of contract in the Summer, Leven says the midfielder's future is for others to sort out, but described him as "a breath of fresh air".

• Team news: "Everybody is fit and healthy".

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Jack Butland, Bojan Miovski, Matt O'Riley and Lawrence Shankland have been named on the shortlist for the Scottish Football Writers' Association player of the year award.

Hearts striker Shankland will be looking to add to his PFA Scotland Premiership player of the year prize, having already pipped Rangers' Butland and O'Riley of Celtic to the award.

Miovski, who has scored 24 goals for Aberdeen this term, was omitted from the PFA's nominees, with Rangers captain James Tavernier included.

But having been a rare highlight in a disappointing season at Pittodrie, the Macedonian has carried a struggling side on his back and made his mark in Europe, as well as against the Old Firm.

Butland has enjoyed a stellar first campaign north of the border, filling the sizeable gloves left behind by Rangers legend Allan McGregor with authority this season.

The Englishman has kept 18 clean sheets in 35 Premiership games and has helped the Ibrox side boast the best defensive record in the top flight, conceding just 25 times.

On the other side of Glasgow, midfielder O'Riley has enjoyed his most productive season in green and white, racking up 12 goals and 14 assists - a league high.

With Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate missing at times, the Denmark international has stepped up this season and his impact could see Celtic retain their title despite increased pressure from their rivals.

But as the Premiership top scorer and with one award already claimed, Shankland could be the man to beat.

While his goals have rightfully grabbed the headlines, the 28-year-old has also been crucial in Hearts' build-up play en route to third place and has taken the role of captain in the absence of Craig Gordon.

• Hibs are unbeaten in five league meetings with Aberdeen (W3 D2), keeping four clean sheets while scoring 12 goals themselves in this stretch.

• Aberdeen have lost five of their last six league visits to Hibs (D1), including their last three in a row.

• After a six-game unbeaten run in the league from February to March (W3 D3), Hibs have since lost three of their last five (W1 D1), including a 2-1 defeat to Ross County last time out.

• Aberdeen are unbeaten in six league games (W4 D2), winning their last two. They have also kept a clean sheet in their last four league fixtures, their longest such run since April 2023 (5).

• Bojan Miovski has 15 league goals this season, one shy of his tally last term (16). He is the first player to score 15+ league goals in two successive seasons for Aberdeen since Adam Rooney in 2014-15 (18) and 2015-16 (20).

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Aberdeen’s victory over St Johnstone finally ended any thoughts of being dragged into the relegation play-off and maintained the club’s unbroken history of top-flight football.

They can now consign a miserable Premiership campaign to the history books and look forward to the Jimmy Thelin era beginning.

Thelin’s Elfsborg side defeated Swedish champions and league leaders Malmo 3-1 on Sunday - a stunning result for the incoming Dons manager who officially starts in a month’s time.

Interim boss Peter Leven wasn’t present having undergone emergency surgery on Friday evening, but he has done a terrific job since Neil Warnock's departure.

Aberdeen are now unbeaten in six league games, double their previous best run this term.

They’ve also kept four consecutive clean sheets. That is no mean feat considering they’d only managed three in the league all season before that.

Leven will now try and finish above Hibernian and top the bottom six before making way for Thelin, but it is clear that he has a big role to play for the club moving forward, if he wants it.

Twice he has stepped into the breach this season, with his second stint proving crucial; the club were spiralling downwards under Neil Warnock. Chairman Dave Cormack must look back at that episode with a great deal of regret as Warnock left without a single league victory.

Club legend Willie Miller said after Leven’s sole game in his first interim stint - a 1-1 draw with Celtic - that he should be given the chance to lead the side until a permanent manager was secured. The ambition of European football may well have been achieved had the board agreed with their greatest ever player.

Leven has had an interesting coaching career to date with spells in Belarus and Russia following his time at Kilmarnock and Middlesbrough. His relative success in charge of Aberdeen will have done his reputation no harm.

For now, he seems keen to work with Thelin, and that can only be to the Dons’ benefit as they look to a more prosperous campaign in 2024-25.

Aberdeen travel to Hibernian on Sunday looking to extend a six-game unbeaten run in the league.

Should they stick with the winning formula or make some changes? Pick your XI here.

Aberdeen's "unbelievable" defensive transformation - five clean sheets in a run of six Premiership games unbeaten - has been masterminded by interim boss Peter Leven, says defender Jack MacKenzie. (Press & Journal)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

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Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron, Lennon Miller and David Watson have been named on the shortlist for the Scottish Football Writers Association's young player of the year award.

Kilmarnock teenager Watson claimed the PFA prize last week and will be looking to make it a double, but the teenager faces competition from fellow midfielders Cameron (Dundee), Miller (Motherwell) and Barron (Aberdeen).

Cameron and Miller, along with Rangers' Northern Irish winger Ross McCausland, were also in contention for the PFA award, but Aberdeen and Scotland Under-21 midfielder Barron replaces the Ibrox forward on the SFWA shortlist.

Since 2019, the SFWA prize has been restricted only to players who are eligible to play for Scotland's U21s.

Red tape means there is no plan for Aberdeen's new manager, Jimmy Thelin to move to Scotland early from Elsfsborg as things stand. (Press & Journal - subscription), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

This man is making himself a regular in my team of the week.

Junior Hoilett has lit up what has been a dull season for Aberdeen fans with his energy and trickery.

After threatening all afternoon against St Johnstone, the Canadian only amplified calls for him to sign a new deal at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen players spoke to Peter Leven via video call as the interim manager was in hospital and forced to miss the weekend win over St Johnstone. (Record), external

Defender Nicky Devlin is eager for Leven's swift return to duty at Aberdeen. (Press and Journal - subscription), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip

We asked for your thoughts after Aberdeen's 1-0 victory over St Johnstone ensured their Premiership survival.

Here's what you had to say:

Taffy: It wasn’t a pretty game to watch, but a win is a win is a win.

Mike: Thank God that’s over, a turgid slog of a season with the only real bright spots being Bojan Miovski, and Peter Leven. We've had a good run of form late in the season, but haven't played great football. Jimmy Thelin has a big job on his hands.

Niall: Another three points and safety in the top flight assured. A much better second half with Junior Hoilett continuing his fine form. We had chances aplenty to finish the game off, but woeful finishing again frustrated the home crowd. Let's now please drive forward and finish the season on a high to help lift the gloom of a real season of lows.

Fred: A good match but we missed numerous opportunities to score, fortunately Miovski converted the penalty. Great to record another clean sheet but we desperately need forwards capable of scoring on a consistent basis. Careful summer recruitment will be essential to get us up the table and back into Europe.

Ewan: Very relieved to be officially clear of relegation. Thanks to Peter Leven for steadying the ship in what has been a horrible season. I dread to think where we would be without him.

Kieran: Safety confirmed so now it's all about getting ready for next season. Lots to look forward to and be positive about.

Andrew: Score line did not reflect the game. On another day it could have been three or four goals, which is encouraging considering the normally stuffy opposition. The players are beginning to play with a bit of confidence again. Some of the starting team will exit over the summer but there are signs to be hopeful for next year. Wish Peter Leven a speedy recovery.

Stand-in boss Scott Anderson was pleased with Aberdeen's 1-0 win over St Johnstone and is hopeful it'll kick them on to finish as high as possible in the league.

Were you at Pittodrie on Saturday or following the game from home? What did you make of Aberdeen's performance?

Give us your thoughts here.

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Aberdeen coach Scott Anderson tells BBC Scotland: "We're pleased to win the game and another clean sheet.

"I don't think there was a lot in the game in the first half but in the second we had much more control.

"We got the goal and managed to keep the back door shut.

"Can we improve? Absolutely and we'll look to do that over the course of the last three games.

"The opportunities we create, we should have taken one or two more and made it a bit more comfortable.

"We want to finish as high as we can within the bottom six. We'll continue to look to do that and gather the nine points if we can."

The Dons attacker looked a threat all afternoon and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet himself when his wonderful free-kick struck the crossbar.

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Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Aberdeen had been on the up since the split but it was a contentious penalty at Pittodrie that secured the win for the Dons.

For a striker that has been so reliable this season, Bojan Miovski really struggled in front of goal all afternoon and missed several big chances to give Aberdeen the lead.

Despite a tough afternoon, he still managed to convert from the spot when Andrew Considine’s challenge on Nicky Devlin prompted the referee to point to the spot.

There were positives for the struggling side in Junior Hoilett who looked a threat all game and even hit the crossbar with a wonderful free-kick and the rebound should have been converted by Stefan Gartenmann who was one on one with Mitov but couldn’t keep his effort on target.

It’s been a tricky season for the Dons but the win today means they’re all but safe for another season.