The Daily Record

Aberdeen striker Darren Mackie won't be given new contract by boss Craig Brown

ABERDEEN'S longest serving player Darren Mackie has been axed in his testimonial season.

The striker, whose golden goal against Ukrainians Dnipro in 2007 earned the Dons entry into the UEFA Cup knock-out stages and a record £2.5million turnover, will not be offered a new contract.

Mackie was gutted to learn he is being chopped by his hometown team just months after his testimonial.

The 30-year-old hitman has clocked up 355 games putting him in the top dozen Reds in terms of appearances.

But the veteran marksman has become a bit-part player under Brown.

This season he has fallen down the pecking order behind Scott Vernon, Mohamed Chalali, Rory Fallon and Josh Magennis with just seven starts in all competitions - and was a spectator at this month's Scottish Cup win at Forfar.

Mackie's Pittodrie career almost ended in 2004 when bungling boss Steve Paterson loaned him to Inverness.

But the player returned after three months and played a prominent role in the UEFA Cup run to the last 32 under Jimmy Calderwood.

He managed 67 goals in 13 years at Pittodrie but compensated with his pace and commitment - qualities that will ensure a demand for his services.

The Scottish Sun

I won't see £1m I got club

CRAIG BROWN has banked a cool £1million for Aberdeen — but doesn't expect to see any of it as he bids to strengthen his Dons side.

The Dons boss has raked in the cash for the Pittodrie club through the transfers of Chris Maguire to Derby, Ricky Foster to Bristol City, Sone Aluko to Rangers and, just this week, youngster Jack Grimmer to Fulham.

He revealed he won't be banging down the board-room door to demand cash to fund new players as he prepares to deal in the bargain basement in the transfer window.

He said: "I have not discussed the income against expenditure with the board.

"We have a player budget which we stick to although the budget does not include transfer fees.

"If you add up all the money from the likes of Maguire, Foster and Aluko it won't be far off £1million — but I won't be asking for more money.

"If someone emerged as a stellar signing, we might go and request that though.

"At the moment, we are still looking for players who won't cost a transfer fee.

"I'm not complaining about it.

"When we took the job, we knew about the financial situation and we knew the club was in debt.

"Part of the job here is to make the club a profit and managers should not just be judged on the league position."

The Scotsman

Mackie's Dons days over

DARREN Mackie's 13-year career at Aberdeen will end in May as the striker has been told there's no chance of a new deal at Pittodrie.

Manager Craig Brown broke the news to the player earlier this week but it won't have come as a major shock to the 30-year-old, who has found himself behind Josh Magennis, Mohamed Chalali and even Mitch Megginson in the pecking order recently.

Mackie is just six games short of the top ten players in terms of Aberdeen appearances having made 355 so far.

A local boy and product of the Pittodrie club's youth academy, he made his debut against Dundee in August 1999 when Ebbe Skovdahl was in charge. He even rejected the offer of higher wages at Dundee United to stay at Aberdeen when Jimmy Calderwood was manager and went on to score one the most valuable goals in the club's history against Dnipro that led to the Dons' money spinning Uefa Cup clash with Bayern Munich.

The striker's contribution to the club was recognised at the start of the season when over 10,000 supporters turned out for his testimonial match against La Liga giants Villarreal.

Now he has started the search for another club but is expected to be on the bench when Aberdeen travel to Glasgow to face Rangers in the SPL tomorrow.

Evening Express

Former Aberdeen FC player Glass joins Shamrock Rovers
Stephen to be assistant boss with Irish league champions

FORMER Aberdeen FC midfielder Stephen Glass today admitted he is delighted to get his first crack at management.

Glass, 35, has hung up his boots and accepted the offer to become the assistant boss to Stephen Kenny with Irish league champions Shamrock Rovers.

McDougall recounts Aberdeen FC's glory days at Ibrox
'We had top players and the greatest ever manager'

FRANK McDougall believes the reason for Aberdeen FC's success at Ibrox in the 1980s was simple.

Aberdeen FC won in Govan nine times during the best decade in the club's history.

McDougall claims having top players and the greatest ever manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was why they enjoyed so many glory days at Ibrox.

Darren Mackie's uncertain future with Aberdeen FC
Long serving star may not be offered a new deal

DARREN Mackie's love affair with Aberdeen FC could be about to end.

The club's longest serving player faces an uncertain future after manager Craig Brown admitted he has yet to decide if the 30-year-old, whose contract is due to expire in the summer, is to be offered a new deal.

Whether Mackie will survive beyond the summer is open to debate, especially after Brown admitted he's keen on signing other strikers for Aberdeen FC.

'Aberdeen FC will show no fear at Ibrox'
Craig Brown's vow to fans

ABERDEEN FC boss Craig Brown is determined to end more than 20 years of hurt for the Red Army this weekend.

Brown's men travel to face Rangers in the SPL, hoping to become the first Aberdeen side to beat them at Ibrox since 1991.

Brown would love to finally give the travelling Aberdeen FC fans, who have snapped up all the tickets available to them, reason to be cheerful when they travel back from Glasgow on Saturday night.

The Press and Journal

Brown defends signing policy

Craig Brown has defended his policy of shopping in England and beyond as he searches for reinforcements at Aberdeen.

The Dons manager has focused his attention outwith Scotland throughout his tenure at Pittodrie with the acquisition of players such as Rob Milsom, Jason Brown, Rory Fallon, Isaac Osbourne and Kari Arnason.

Brown banks on spending some of Dons £1m cash

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown has banked more than £1million for his club since last summer and is hoping some of the money can be used to land a marquee signing before the end of the month.

The departure of midfielder Jack Grimmer to Fulham has swelled the Dons coffers by another £200,000, with more to come if the player reaches the English Premier League side's first team or is sold on.