Aberdeen 0-0 St Mirren: Andrew Considine says goodbye after 19 seasons at Pittodrie

Andy Considine left in tears with an injury in the second half as he prepares to leave Aberdeen

Aberdeen and St Mirren played a dismal goalless draw in the Scottish Premiership as the home side bid farewell to defender Andy Considine after nearly two decades at the club.

Considine – who missed most of the season with a knee injury – had to be substituted early in the second half to tears and a standing ovation when his 571st appearance ended early.

The tie means St Mirren fall one spot to ninth place, while Aberdeen end a dismal season in 10th place, their lowest result since Considine’s debut season in 2004.

Aberdeen seemed the more likely side to end the season in victory as Lewis Ferguson and Connor Barron both forced good saves from Jak Alnwick and Ross McCrorie had the ball in the net only for his try for what appeared to be Handball was excluded.

Referee Don Robertson also reversed his decision to give Aberdeen a penalty just before half-time after consulting with the opposite side’s assistant after initially penalizing Scott Tanser for a handball.

St Mirren also had chances as they looked to consolidate eighth place and improve on last season’s overall score.

Marcus Fraser’s header forced Joe Lewis to act in the first half and substitute Eamonn Brophy shot just wide of the post after the break.

Overall, however, a game between two teams with practically nothing to play passed with precious little excitement in a season of very little joy for either club.

Man of the Match – Jak Alnwick

The St Mirren keeper made some excellent saves in what may be his last appearance for the Paisley side

What did we learn?

It was a sad end to a remarkable Aberdeen career for Considine, who received an honor guard before kick-off.

Only Willie Miller, Alex McLeish and Bobby Clark have played more often for the Pittodrie Club. And while he can’t match the trophy haul of those three, he’s shaped his boyhood club like no other over the past 19 seasons, despite being written off at various stages.

The emotions of saying goodbye in such circumstances overwhelmed him as he left the field and the club’s decision to withdraw his initial contract offer after Considine’s team countered is hotly disputed among supporters.

He brought much-needed reassurance in the first half, although the fact that he was substituted could strengthen the club’s argument to let him go at 35 after a serious injury, cruel as it may sound. His next step will be fascinating.

Manager Jim Goodwin said this week he had told 10 or 11 players they were overwhelmed and with speculation about the future of Calvin Ramsay and Lewis Ferguson a massive rebuild was likely.

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson will also look to reshape his squad in its image after replacing Goodwin at Paisley in February.

His start was terrible as they slid towards relegation but a four-game unbeaten streak means they will be back in Premiership football next season and able to build back up.

Alnwick appears to be on the way out when his contract expires and will be difficult to replace, but there is a core of young players like Jay Henderson to try to build around.

There is so little between so many teams in the Premier League that a few smart signings and Robinson’s experience could see them pushing into the top six next season.

player of the game

considerAndreas Considin

Aberdeen

1. squad number4player nameconsider

2. squad number29player namebaron

3. squad number2player nameMcCorrie

4. squad number21player nameDust

5. squad number10player namevisit

6. squad number17player namehay

7. squad number19player nameFerguson

8. squad number3player nameMacKenzie

9. squad number1player nameLewis

10. squad number7player nameWatkins

11. squad number48player nameHarvey

12. squad number27player nameBates

13. squad number16player nameOyo

14. squad number33player namekennedy

15. squad number5player nameGallagher

St Mirren

1. squad number1player nameAlnwick

2. squad number21player nameGreive

3. squad number11player nameKiltie

4. squad number13player namegogic

5. squad number9player nameBrophy

6. squad number6player nameperfomance

7. squad number3player namedancer

8. squad number22player nameFraser

9. squad number2player nameTait

10. squad number12player nameHenderson

11. squad number5player nameMcCarthy

12. squad number44player namemillar

13. squad number16player nameErhahon

14. squad number8thplayer nameFlynn

15. squad number46player nameGilmartin

lineups

Aberdeen

formation 4-2-3-1

1Lewis

2McCorrie27Bates4consider3MacKenzie

21Dust19Ferguson

10visit29baron17hay

7Watkins

• 1Lewis
• 2McCorrie
• 27BatesBooked at 71 minutes
• 4considerReplaced byGallagherat the 48′protocol
• 3MacKenzie
• 21DustReplaced byOyoat the 61′protocol
• 19Ferguson
• 10visit
• 29baron
• 17hayReplaced bykennedyat the 79′protocol
• 7WatkinsReplaced byHarveyat the 60′protocol

substitute

• 5Gallagher
• 11Montgomery
• 16Oyo
• 18McLennan
• 25forest
• 28Ruth
• 33kennedy
• 39Milne
• 48Harvey

St Mirren

formation 3-5-1-1

1Alnwick

22Fraser13gogic5McCarthy

2Tait12Henderson6perfomance16Erhahon3dancer

11Kiltie

21Greive

• 1Alnwick
• 22Fraser
• 13gogic
• 5McCarthy
• 2TaitReplaced bymillarat the 51′protocol
• 12HendersonReplaced byBrophyat the 51′protocol
• 6perfomance
• 16ErhahonBooked at 28 minutesReplaced byFlynnat the 74′protocol
• 3dancer
• 11Kiltie80 minutes booked
• 21GreiveReplaced byGilmartinat the 90+1′protocol

substitute

• 8thFlynn
• 9Brophy
• 26Lyness
• 36Thomas
• 44millar
• 46Gilmartin

Referee: Don Robertson

Number of visitors: 14,906

live text

1. Game ends, Aberdeen 0, St Mirren 0.

2. Second half ends, Aberdeen 0, St Mirren 0.

3. attempt failed. Matthew Kennedy (Aberdeen) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide on the right. Assisted by Vicente Besuijen.

4. Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

5. Foul by Matthew Millar (St Mirren).

6. Substitution, St Mirren. Aiden Gilmartin replaces Alex Greive due to injury.

7. Corner, Aberdeen. Cashed in by Marcus Fraser.

8. attempt blocked. Vicente Besuijen (Aberdeen) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Liam Harvey.

9. Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

10. Foul by Ryan Flynn (St Mirren).

11. Foul by Ross McCrorie (Aberdeen).

12. Eamonn Brophy (St Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

13. Corner, Aberdeen. Cashed in by Scott Tanser.

14. Corner, Aberdeen. Goal by Jak Alnwick.

15. attempt saved. Declan Gallagher (Aberdeen) header from the center of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Funso Ojo with a cross.

16. Corner, Aberdeen. Goal by Jak Alnwick.

17. attempt saved. Liam Harvey (Aberdeen) header from very close range is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Matthew Kennedy with a cross.

18. Away from St Mirren. Eamonn Brophy tries a through ball, but Alex Greive is caught offside.

19. Foul by Vicente Besuijen (Aberdeen).

20. Scott Tanser (St Mirren) wins a free kick in the defensive half.