Daily Record

Russell Anderson: I'll tear up Aberdeen contract if injury strikes again

RETURNING hero Russell Anderson predicted a bright future for Aberdeen - but will play no part in it if he's hit by another bad injury.

The Scotland international rejoined the Pittodrie club yesterday after his spells with Sunderland and Derby were wrecked by long spells on the sidelines.

And the 32-year-old defender admitted he will tear up his 19-month contract if the injury jinx hits again.

Anderson, expected to come back from surgery on a ruptured hamstring in six weeks, said: "There have been a couple of times where I thought injuries were happening too often so this is probably the last throw of the dice.

"I appreciate the position Aberdeen are in bringing me back and I am not just going to sit here picking up my wages. If that's the case I will tear my contract up and move on - whether that's in football or something else.

"However, there is a huge part of me that wants to play football again as I have hardly played for the last five years and should be fresh as a daisy.

Anderson is convinced Craig Brown and Archie Knox will give him the chance to capture a cup before he hangs up his boots.

He added: "Craig and Archie are the right people to take the club forward. They have bags of experience and the future is good at Aberdeen. I'd love to win something before my career is over. I spent 10 years here trying and failing to do that so it would be great."

Aberdeen starlet Jack Grimmer quitting for Fulham is bad news for Scottish football, says club chief exec

ABERDEEN chief executive Duncan Fraser believes Jack Grimmer's decision to quit Pittodrie for Fulham is bad news for Scottish football as a whole.

The Barclays Premier League club have confirmed the 17-year-old midfielder will join their development squad for the remainder of the season, having signed a deal until 2015.

The Dons had hoped to retain the youngster's services and claim his departure is another worrying example of young talent being lured south of the border by wealthy English clubs.

Fraser told his club's official website: "There is a bigger issue here for the SPL and Scottish football in that we are beginning to see young Scottish talent moving south before they have fully developed with the teams they signed for as youngsters.

"The economic climate means nurturing home talent is the only way forward for all clubs in this country.

"However, if, after investing huge sums bringing youngsters through the ranks, top-flight English clubs can simply sign players for relatively small training compensation levels given the television income in England, and before the players have even had the opportunity to make an impact at top team level, then we have real challenges ahead of us.

"It is an issue we will seek to raise with the SPL and the SFA to see what further steps can be taken to safeguard our clubs' interests."

The Scottish Sun

I'd rather quit than take cash

RUSSELL ANDERSON will tear up his new Aberdeen contract and quit football if his latest injury comeback fails.

The stopper has signed an 18-month deal with the Dons, four-and-a-half injury-blighted years after leaving Pittodrie for Sunderland.

Anderson is still weeks away from fitness after suffering a hamstring injury that saw Derby cancel his deal by mutual consent last month.

Ruptured ankle and cruciate ligaments, along with hamstring and calf problems, blighted his time down south. And the defender said: "There have been a couple of occasions where I did think the injuries were happening a bit too often.

"So this is probably the last throw of the dice now to be honest.

"I appreciate the position Aberdeen are in, bringing me back to the club, and I'm not just going to sit here picking up my wages.

"If that is the case I'll tear my contract up and move on with the rest of my career.

The Scotsman

SPL Fanzone: Aberdeen

A STERILE, forgettable draw against Kilmarnock on Saturday gives us the chance to take stock of what's been a somewhat more lively start to 2012 for Dons fans.

Victory at Tannadice and progress in the cup were more than welcome, and perhaps it's a sign of the times that the departure of our somewhat controversial captain to Bristol City was met with glee from some quarters. The window has already brought us skipper Russell Anderson and perhaps some much-needed width in Mark Reynolds, with Brown also expressing his desire to bring in a creative winger. Interesting days and weeks ahead as the window slides shut.

To this weekend and another trip to Ibrox. Our allocation is again sold out, with fans eager to see that first win in Govan since '91.

Dons return the 'last throw of the dice' for Russell Anderson

RUSSELL Anderson is ready to tear up his new contract with Aberdeen and quit football if his latest comeback from serious injury ends in failure.

The defender, 33, has signed an 18-month deal with the Dons four-and-a-half injury-blighted years after leaving Pittodrie in a £1 million transfer to Sunderland.

However, the man who made 300 appearances for the club first time round is still weeks away from fitness as he recovers from a hamstring injury that saw Derby County cancel his contract by mutual consent in December.

He admits he has doubted his powers of recovery in the past but is determined to give it one last chance to play regularly again. If it doesn't work out he is ready to walk away without a pay off. Anderson said: "There have been occasions where I did think the injuries were happening a bit too often so this is probably the last throw of the dice.

The Herald

Russell Anderson enters the last chance saloon with Aberdeen

Russell Anderson last night admitted that his new deal with Aberdeen takes him into the last chance saloon of professional football and that he would walk away from the game should injuries once more blight his career.

The Scotland international centre-back, who left the club in a £1m move to Sunderland more than four years ago, has returned to his home town team following a decision between his last employer, Derby County, and himself to terminate his contract.

His time in England was interrupted by a series of injuries virtually from the beginning and Anderson's availability was seized upon by Craig Brown, the Aberdeen manager. However, while the defender has agreed an 18-month deal, he insisted that he would quit should he be sidelined once more.

Daily Express

ABERDEEN'S RUSSELL ANDERSON HAS ONE FINAL CRACK AT KICK-STARTING CAREER

INJURY-JINXED Russell Anderson has admitted he is in last chance saloon and if he doesn't prove his fitness at Aberdeen then he will walk away and rip up his contract.

The Dons defender, who has been named as club captain, sealed his emotional return to Pittodrie when he signed an 18-month contract -even though it could be two or three months before he is ready to make his comeback.

The 33-year-old, who is fighting back from a hamstring tear, has been to hell and back since he moved to England with Sunderland and Derby County and has now come back to his former club to give it one final crack.

Evening Express

Considine happy to give Anderson armband
No problem giving up captaincy for Andy

ANDY Considine today insisted he had no problem giving up the Aberdeen FC captaincy to returning hero Russell Anderson.

Considine was named skipper at the weekend and led the team in the 0-0 SPL draw with Kilmarnock.

Just days later, he had to relinquish the captain's armband to Anderson, who signed an 18-month deal with Aberdeen FC.

'I want my sons to see me lead Aberdeen FC again'
Russell Anderson determined to win battle to save his career

RUSSELL Anderson today claimed the chance to make his sons proud is a major motivation as he battles to prove he's good enough to lead Aberdeen FC again.

Russell, 33, admits he's in the last chance saloon as far as playing football again goes, as he fights to recover from a serious hamstring injury.

But the desire to ensure his sons - Jevan, 11, and Cole, 9 - see him captain Aberdeen FC for the second time has made him determined to win the biggest battle of his career.

Aberdeen FC boss ready to swoop for striker
Craig Brown aims to bolster attack

CRAIG Brown today revealed Farid El Alagui of Falkirk and Borussia Monchengladbach's Mathew Leckie are on Aberdeen FC's radar.

Both strikers are possible targets for a summer swoop as Brown looks to bolster Aberdeen FC's attack.

Moroccan El Alagui, 26, is Falkirk's top scorer this season with 21 goals and Australian Under-20 cap Leckie scored twice in Monchengladbach's 5-2 friendly win against Aberdeen last summer.

Former player Ian Taylor remembers day Aberdeen FC beat Rangers
'My goal scuppered Gers' chance of winning league'

AS Aberdeen FC prepare to face Rangers on Saturday, former player Ian Taylor remembers when he struck a dramatic late winner at Ibrox.

Taylor said: "We won 3-2 and that scuppered Rangers' chances of lifting the league title and it got us into Europe.

"I was a substitute that day. Any goal you score against Rangers at Ibrox is a great one."

Aberdeen FC's Grimmer on his way to Fulham
Jack agrees three-and-a-half-year deal

ABERDEEN FC's Jack Grimmer completed his move to English Premier side Fulham today.

The clubs agreed a compensation package for the 17-year-old Scotland youth cap, believed to be in the region of £200,000.

Grimmer, the youngest ever Aberdeen FC debutant, travelled to London to discuss personal terms and agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract.

The Press and Journal

Anderson will tear up his Dons deal if fitness fails

Russell Anderson has not returned to Aberdeen simply to top up his pension. The defender is back to play and if he cannot he will rip up his contract.

The 33-year-old has completed his 18-month deal with his hometown club four-and-a-half years after leaving Pittodrie for the English Premier League with Sunderland.

Anderson's time down south was soured by a cata- logue of injuries and he is rehabilitating from hamstring surgery which ended his spell at Derby County.

But he is determined to prove the tough, composed leader who left is not just a distant memory.