The 2023–24 Aberdeen F.C. season was Aberdeen's 111th season in the top flight of Scottish football and the eleventh in the Scottish Premiership.[1] Aberdeen also competed in the League Cup, the Scottish Cup and the UEFA Europa Conference League, entering the latter as debutants of the competition. Aberdeen competed in European Group Stage football for the first time since 2007.[2]
On 6 June, Ross McCrorie left for English Championship side Bristol City for an undisclosed fee. On 13 June, the club announced the departures of coach Liam Fox, first team players Marley Watkins, Connor McLennan, Dean Campbell and Matty Kennedy, and youth team players Mason Hancock, Milosz Ochmanski, Timi Fatona and Blessing Oluyemi.[4] Pre-season was finalised with a trip to Deepdale to play English Championship side Preston North End, Chief Executive Alan Burrows confirming all friendlies were away from home due to preparations needed at Pittodrie for the season ahead. On 15 June, Leighton Clarkson, on loan last season from Liverpool, signed for an undisclosed fee which is believed to have broken the clubs transfer record. The following day, former Slovenian under-21 international Ester Sokler also signed for an undisclosed fee. Captain Graeme Shinnie joined from Wigan Athletic for a third time, signing a three-year deal. On 26 June, former manager and non-executive director Craig Brown died at the age of 82.[5]
July
After seven years, goalkeeper Joe Lewis left the club by mutual consent. American midfielder Dante Polvara returned from his loan spell.[6] The Dons kicked off pre-season matches with an impressive 9–0 victory at Turriff United. They continued with two more victories against fellow Highland League sides Fraserburgh and Formartine United winning 2–0 and 1–0 respectively with the latter behind closed doors. Aberdeen completed their pre-season friendlies with two away matches in England, losing 2–0 at Preston North End, followed a week later by a 3–2 win at Charlton Athletic.
August
Aberdeen started the league campaign with a 0–0 draw away at Livingston, then a 3–1 home defeat to Celtic. This was followed by a 2–2 draw away to St Mirren, where Aberdeen scored a very late equaliser, with a penalty from Bojan Miovski after 10 minutes of injury time. Aberdeen progressed to the quarter-final of League Cup with a 2–1 victory at Stirling Albion, but dropped down into the Europa Conference League following an aggregate loss of 5–3 to BK Häcken. The club signed four new players, James McGarry, Jamie McGrath, Richard Jensen and Pape Habib Guèye but lost Ylber Ramadani who moved to Italian club Lecce for a reported £1.1 million.
September
Following the defeat to BK Häcken in the Europa League playoff round, Aberdeen were drawn in Group G of the Europa Conference League, along with Eintracht Frankfurt, PAOK and HJK Helsinki. Aberdeen's poor run of form in the league continued with two 2–0 defeats at home to Hibernian, then away to Heart of Midlothian. Aberdeen then travelled to Germany, and took a travelling support of over 2,500 to the Deutsche Bank Arena to see Aberdeen go down to a 2–1 defeat in the Europa Conference to Eintracht Frankfurt, in which Dante Polvara scored his first goal for the club. Aberdeen returned to Pittodrie three days later, and had their first league victory of the season, a 4–0 win over Ross County in which Jamie McGrath scored his first goal for the club. Aberdeen ended the month with a 3–1 victory over Rangers at Ibrox, in a match that saw Stefan Gartenmann's first goal for the club, as well as goals from Jamie McGrath and Jack Mackenzie. This was the first time Aberdeen had scored three goals at Ibrox since the 1997–98 season.
October
On 1 October, the death was announced of former Aberdeen striker Frank McDougall, at the age of 65. The Dons drew 1–1 with HJK in the Conference League with Miovski scoring which was followed up with a 0–0 draw against St Johnstone. The International break seen Slobodan Rubežić called up to the Montenegro national team for the first time. The SPFL and Police Scotland called off the Dundee match due to Storm Babet with the club confirming part of the stadium was damaged due to wind and flooding.
November
Aberdeen were eliminated from the Europa Conference League despite Jamie McGrath's sensational free-kick snatching a point against PAOK. They also reached the League Cup final thanks to a goal from Miovski at Hampden Park against Hibernian. But Celtic then dismantled a dismal Aberdeen 6–0 in the Scottish Premiership in Glasgow.
December
The winless run in the League continued with back to back defeats to Hibernian and Kilmarnock but a come from behind win at home Hearts stopped the rot. Aberdeen finished their European campaign with a 2–0 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt but days later they lost the League Cup Final at Hampden Park to Rangers thanks to a single goal from James Tavernier. The League match away to Dundee was controversially called off less than an hour before kick off. The home league match against Motherwell was postponed because of adverse weather conditions due to Storm Gerrit. They ended the year with a very unhappy Pittodrie crowd, a 3–0 loss to St Mirren.
January
The Dons began the year with a comfortable 3–0 away win at Ross County. Rhys Williams was recalled to Liverpool and Or Dadia to Hapoel Be'er Sheva with both players not making a single competitive appearance for the club. Vicente Besuijen was allowed to leave on loan with many youngsters. The clubs only January signing was Killian Phillips, a loan deal from Crystal Palace. However, following a poor run of results with the club lying in eighth place, they parted company with manager Barry Robson on 31 January.[7]
February
Peter Leven was put on interim charge for the home match against Celtic which ended with a competitive 1–1 draw. The club appointed Neil Warnock on an interim basis until the end of the season. His first match in charge was a 2–1 loss at Rangers. This was followed up with a 2–0 win at home to League Two side Bonnyrigg Rose in the Scottish Cup. Warnock admitted it was his aim to win a cup as he had never done before in his managerial career. This was followed with a remarkable 3–3 home draw with Motherwell. It was the first time since 1951 the Dons had come from 3–0 down in a match. Warnock signed up Junior Hoilett as he had worked with him three times before and felt he could offer a benefit to the squad. Another draw followed, 2–2 at home to Hibernian with the Dons now hoping for a top-six finish but still languishing in eighth.
March
Warnock left Aberdeen on 9 March, following a 3–1 win against Kilmarnock in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.[8] Following Warnock's departure, Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack said that the club were at an "advanced stage" of finding a longer-term appointment.[8] Assistant coach Peter Leven was put in interim charge until the end of the season.
April
After a 0–0 home draw with Dundee which seen the visitors secure top six, Aberdeen lost their Scottish Cup semi-final to Celtic in an enthralling game at Hampden Park which finished in a 3–3 draw, losing out on penalties.
May
Aberdeen's youth side were crowned Under-18 league champions and qualified for the UEFA Youth League. 16-year-old Fletcher Boyd scored on his debut in the 4–0 hammering of Hibernian. The club finished as 'best of the rest' in seventh place, having gone unbeaten since the league's split.
Aberdeen returned to European football in the Play-off round for the Europa League. They were guaranteed European Group Stage football for the first time since 2008. They were knocked out of the UEFA Europa Conference League placing third in Group G.
