mizer

 

Pittodrie players prepare for new campaign as calderwood’s fitness regime starts this weekend

Aberdeen’s Mair prepared to work for first-team place

 

By Paul Smith

 

Published: 13/06/2008

 

Aberdeen defender Lee Mair will begin work tomorrow as he bids to establish himself as a key man for the Dons.

 

Mair and his Pittodrie colleagues will launch into their individual fitness programmes this weekend, designed to lay the foundations for pre-season training when the squad gathers on June 30.

 

Mair believes the schedule will play a vital role in his aim of improving on the 18 starts he made last season.

 

He said: “We all received the manager’s schedule to keep fit during the summer and it starts this weekend.

 

“You know that if you come back for pre-season training overweight or out of shape, you won’t play.

 

“I’m not a naturally fit person. I’ve got to look after myself all the time and I’ve always done that by going to the gym and running regularly.

 

“It’s a matter of professional pride for me and I’m looking forward to his programme. It doesn’t bother me at all to do extra work which involves a lot of running and building it up as the weeks go on.

 

“It will ensure we come back as fit as we can and we’ll all benefit from it because we know pre-season will be tough.

 

“The manager is big on fitness and I believe Aberdeen were one of the fittest sides in the country last season.â€

 

Mair knows better than most a good pre-season is no guarantee the campaign will go to plan.

 

Last year, his first with the club following his switch from Dundee United, he suffered a knee injury in the second game of the SPL season and was sidelined for more than a month.

 

It was a stop-start season after that and Mair is desperate to make up for lost time.

 

He said: “It was frustrating for me. I had a brilliant pre-season and felt fitter than I’d done for years. I was in the team at the start then picked up an injury which kept me out for five weeks. After I recovered, there were a few niggles and I never felt as good again.

 

“It was a roller-coaster season – from the highs of Bayern Munich and the Scottish Cup win against Celtic to the lows of the two cup semi-final defeats.

 

“It wasn’t a bad campaign but we are looking for much better this time round. We finished very strongly over the last five matches and are looking to kick on now.

 

“These are exciting times at the club and the players set to come in can only be good for the future. Everyone will be looking over their shoulder and that will spur us all on.â€

The article in the metro this morning was far more blunt, keep fit over the next month or you are not getting a game.

http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/657667?UserKey=0

Miller promises more goals

 

By Andrew Moir

 

Published: 12/06/2008

 

LEE Miller has been a wanderer for most of his life, seeing many different sights.

 

Brockville, Ashton Gate, Tynecastle, Tannadice, and now Pittodrie have all been home to the towering striker.

 

But don’t expect the 25-year-old to be off on his travels again anytime soon.

 

Miller finally feels like he’s putting down some roots in the Granite City.

 

The Scotland cap, who recently married Donna Gilhoolie, committed his immediate future to the Reds when penning a new two-year contract last month after leaving Jimmy Calderwood hanging on for months.

 

Now he’s looking forward to a settled spell, claiming that will help bring out the best in him.

 

“I never at any stage said no to Aberdeen,†said Miller.

 

“I just wanted to see what other clubs out there might have been interested.

 

“But it was best for my career to stay with Aberdeen, and this is definitely the most settled I have ever been at a club.

 

“I’m happy here and it’s a great feeling.

 

“I’m still only 25, but have been at five different clubs, which is disappointing.

 

“But that’s been down to a change in managers which can happen in football.

 

“I’d like to stay in Aberdeen and make real progress here.â€

 

Miller netted 12 goals for the Dons last season, despite not enjoying a regular run alongside a settled strike partner.

 

Darren Mackie, Steve Lovell, Chris Maguire, Derek Young and Jamie Smith were among the players who have been paired with the Aberdeen talisman.

 

But with Jimmy Calderwood closing in on another, there’s every chance Miller could be pitched in with a new forward.

 

He added: “Darren has had a disappointing season with injury problems.

 

“I don’t mind who I play alongside although I do seem to connect well with Darren.

 

“But I’ve also done well alongside young Chris and Jamie.

 

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in terms of who the manager might bring in, but I’ll just be aiming to do my best for the club.

 

“It’s important to remember that Craig Brewster was the first choice striker at the start of last season.

 

“That was just down to the manager’s choice but it might have helped me a little bit.

 

“No-one likes to be stuck on the bench, so it was almost a wake-up call for me.

 

“I want to be playing every week next season, but there’s going to be more competition.â€

 

Miller has long been tagged a player of great potential and fortunately for Aberdeen he’s finally fulfilling his early promise.

 

Perhaps his spell as a nomad affected his form, but he believes he’s got lots more to offer.

 

“I’m coming on to a game now, so if I can rest up this summer, then I can come back even stronger next season.

 

“The fans can look forward to more goals from me as long as I am fighting fit.

 

“I’d love to get back into the Scotland team, but there are lots of good strikers in the team.

 

“But most importantly I’m concentrating on my club football.

 

“I still enjoyed my best run of form for Aberdeen towards the end of last season.

 

“The manager showed a lot of faith in me and an extended run of games really helped my confidence.â€

Where is his wife from?

I think it will be seve or Jackie Mac

This proves I know nothing about football! 

http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/684900?UserKey=0

Burton is keen on move to Aberdeen

Former Owl keen on move

 

By Andrew Moir

 

Published: 12/06/2008

 

BURTON O'Brien today refused to rule out a move to Aberdeen if Jimmy Calderwood comes calling again this summer.

 

The 27-year-old midfielder has now parted company with Sheffield Wednesday and is looking to return north now he’s a free agent.

 

Dons boss Calderwood has been a long time admirer of the former Livingston man who has also served St Mirren and Blackburn Rovers.

 

“I know there was a bit of interest from Jimmy Calderwood before I moved to Sheffield Wednesday a few years ago,†said O’Brien, who is also interesting Falkirk.

 

“If he was to show an interest in me again, then I wouldn’t rule out a move there, but I have left my agent to deal with things while I enjoy a summer break.

 

“When I come back I’ll assess all the options on the table and make a decision from there.

 

“My agent has been speaking to clubs both in England and Scotland.

 

“But at this stage I’m not aware of anything other than that, and I’ll wait until I return before deciding what to do.â€

 

O’Brien kicked off his career with St Mirren and made just 26 appearances before signing for Blackburn in 1999 in a surprise switch.

 

He moved south to Ewood Park when Brian Kidd was the Rovers boss in a double deal worth £700,000 along with Buddies colleague David McNamee.

 

But the shock move failed to work out and Graeme Souness eventually let the duo leave Blackburn.

 

The pair then signed for Livingston in 2002.

 

O’Brien impressed on his return to Scotland and played 99 times for Livi, scoring 15 times.

 

He then joined the Owls in 2005 as he rejected overtures from Calderwood to move to Pittodrie.

 

O’Brien has been capped by Scotland at U21 level.

 

His application to switch nationalities in order to represent South Africa was rejected by FIFA in 2005 as he was too old to apply.

 

McNamee, another former Calderwood target, signed for Coventry City three years ago and remains on the fringes at the Sky Blues.

 

If Alan Maybury was to turn down Aberdeen’s contract offer McNamee could come into the frame as a potential replacement.

Was that on Pro Evo cause it definitely wasn't at strikers

Looks better in these pics

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/1b/52/0,,10284~3691035,00.jpg[/img]

http://www.afc.premiumtv.co.uk/javaImages/1f/52/0,,10284~3691039,00.jpg[/img]

Team Recruitment Chairman Terry Allan explained the rationale behind the move, "We've been involved with the Club for many years as corporate clients and box holders and this was something that was always on the radar, both from an emotional and commercial perspective. Our organisation underwent a major restructure a couple of years ago and since then, we have been working with this in mind.

I think the problem with having a recruitment agency come from pertemps sponsoring a few temas from tinky towns across Scotland and the UK. This company looks quite decent and is for permanent jobs not a temp agency.

Im very dubious about this alleged sponsor. Having never heard of them I googled them

No results found for "Grampian Plastering".

106. Swooping seagull scores for dons

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football-news/scottish-football/spl-football/aberdeen-fc/2008/06/10/al-to-snub-dons-deal-86908-20602092/

ALAN MAYBURY dealt Aberdeen a fresh blow last night after admitting he wants to return to England.

 

The full-back has been offered a two-year deal by the Dons, who abandoned their move for Southend striker Richie Foran at the weekend.

 

But Maybury said: "I'd prefer to return to England but we'll wait and see what happens.

 

"My agent has been speaking to other clubs and it's a bit of a waiting game at the moment. But I hope to sort things out in the next 10 days."

http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=97118

Man Utd put aside £5M for Ferguson retirement celebrations

 

Manchester United are putting aside over £5 million to celebrate Sir Alex Ferguson's final year in the game.

 

The News of the World says a variety of ideas are being discussed to provide an emotional farewell to the club's most successful manager.

 

Fergie, 66, has announced his intention to retire within the next three years and United's owners, the Glazer family, have asked to be involved in the year-long series of events.

There are initial plans for two games at Old Trafford against Aberdeen and Bayern Munich.

 

A United source said: "The club wants to do something which is befitting of him."

Is he not injury prone?

38. Hearts win champions league

39. Calderwood: My sunbed shame

40. Pittodrie pie voted best pie by top chef

41. Trump buys the dons

42. Ricksen: My transvestite shame

Anyone any idea on who the new sponsor will be?

19. Aberdeen thrash Gretna

GK: Leon Mike

RB: Leon Mike

LB: Leon Mike

CB: Leon Mike

CB: Leon Mike

MR: Leon Mike

ML: Leon Mike

MC: Leon Mike

MC: Leon Mike

ST: Leon Mike

ST: Leon Mike

I used google maps to do mine, and was quite conservative (I never included the trip to the pet shop in Dortmund).

 

Domestic games: 2,038

Madrid: 2,266

Munich: 1,715

 

= 6019

Thought this was worth redoing at the end of the season:

Domestic games: 3,410

Madrid: 2,266

Munich: 1,715

=7391

Gutted 

A spoiler tag, so you can write what you want without anyone else having to look if they don't want. e.g. if talking about Neighbours and I said btw, does everyone know that Bouncer dies? And some poor soul might be stuck back in 1988 and had therefore been spoiled about what was going to happen.

[glow=black,2,300]

A spoiler like this? [/glow]

Lovell's from Amersham (Bucks) I think. Bournemouth's awfy far away from Bishopbriggs.

If he moves away they may break up 

am just crap at football so am DAN SMITH

You're about twice the hight of Dan Smith 

Which current Aberdeen player would you compare yourself to going on your style of play?

I run about the pitch a lot, mostly on the wings to little avail waving my arms and telling better players where to go. I score goals now and then but most of the time my shots are crap. Most of the people I play with are better than me.

Therefore I am Derek Young

So we should know in 10 days -----> Friday the 13th! 

That's the train for the globes booked, only question is will we make it to Aberdeen sober? 

Mizer has too much time on his hands.

Because copy and pasting whilst reading the thread takes sooooo long.......

1. The Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) flocks over pittodrie can reach numbers in excess of 50 gulls at any one time.

2. Don't spend too long eating yer pie or said Herring Gulls will sense dinner and head in for the kill.

3. It's a long way from the top of section Y to the bottom when you're tumbling head over heels.

4. Football is not worth the £21 ticket.

5. If you stand at the top of section Y your shadow is cast onto the pitch

6. There is no middle ground between the JMG and the JIG brigades.

7. When Mizer stands at the top of section Y - darkness falls on Bridge of Don

8.  sometimes apathy is just too difficult to attain.

9. You get a better class of lunatic in Section Y than you do in the top deck of the RDS.

10. Games in which Aberdeen are at home to teams from lower in the league whom we're expected to beat are invariably dreadful, disappointing affairs which end in draws.

11. NEVER, EVER include Aberdeen on a fixed-odds coupon (see #10).

12. Some Aberdeen fans really are only here to see The Rangers

14. We're Red.

15. They're Dead

16. We're bouncing on their heads.

17. Pittodrie is one of the coldest places on Earth.

18. Richie Byrne is not a footballer

18. The boilers in teh ground are the best sweets in the world

19. Not booing a player is our way of telling him we like him.  Actually singing his praises would be frowned upon.

20. We'll chant the good name of AFC, wax lyrical about our club, travel great distances to watch them play spending thousands of pounds to do so, but wearing their colours on a match day is out of the question.

20. Losing 6-0 to Livingston is neither entertaining nor exciting.

21. Ebbe Skovdahl is a fanny.

21.5. Taking your clothes off, including just removing a t-shirt, in a public bar will never, ever be cool

22. Every ref in scotland hates us

23. AFC highlights are only ever 3 seconds in length and will only ever be played after the witching hour after a whole hours worth of wanking over "great" and "exciting" teams who are below us in the league.

24. To people standing at the top of Section Y - the Pittodrie pitch is the most unique in that there is no corner at the junction of the Merkland and Main Stands.

25. If Aberdeen have to raise their game, they will win

26. If Aberdeen are favourites, they will lose

27. After every win AFC are always said "to be turning the corner" - the same corner we've been turning for years.

28. Anybody who is ex- Dundee United,Dunfermline or Dutch Sunday League would be worth signing

29. It is unreasonable to expect the club to sign a genuine, dedicated and decent left-back.

30. I am now 30 years old and have given up all hope of the Dons winning at Ibrox again in my lifetime.

31. There is more than one way to skin a Ricky Foster.

32. Funny, inventive and original chants about AFC players are to be treated with a mixture of suspicion and fear. All chants about players must consist only of a monotonous drone in which the player's name is incanted ad nauseam as if trying to put a curse on said player instead of sing his praises.

33. If someone attempts to start a funny, inventive and original chant about a player he must be drowned out with the usual quasi-Satanic drivel.

34. AFC do not win games comfortably. Even in matches where we have played the other team off the park and are winning 3-0 with 20 minutes to go, it is obligatory that there will be a fluke goal for the opposition leading to panicky defending, 14 men behind the ball and heart failure for those of us watching from the stands.

35. There will be no steak pies left by the time you reach the front of the queue, so don't even ask [has anyone actually successfully procured one of these mythical items? Do they in fact exist? If so, do you have to reserve them prior to kick-off, or perhaps several days in advance? Please enlighten me].

36. the Broadhill is a classy drinking establishment

37. The pain that women experience during childbirth is nothing compared to pain AFC have inflicted on their fans in the past 20 years.  Therefore number 37 is that I can only conclude that the modern Aberdeen fan is a  masochist.

38.  Stuart milne is bald but used to wear a silly wig

39. After 10 years, someone has worked out we are stuck on a roundabout.

40. The lesser known Stoneysappian or Negativstonius can not be found within the ground.

41. Steve Lovell would be better than Ruud van Nistelrooy if he was given a run of 600 games to find his feet.

42 When Aberdeen travel to visit top European sides, it is easy to accept humiliating defeat, as our inexperienced players are "on a learning curve".

43 Said "learning curve" (in reality a long-radius arc) is in fact the same corner that Aberdeen have been turning since 1995, as alluded to in point 27.

44 Stewart Milne is bald because he, as the one common denominator of the "turning the corner"/"learning curve" era, has developed a pig-headed lop-sidedness that meant that one side of his cranium had an imbalance of folic acid, leading to an embarrassing condition where he in fact only had half a head of hair which he only reveals in the flesh when he attends the freak-show night at his local Bieldside hostelry.

45. Its a little known fact that Aberdeens manger is friends with Martin Jol

46. Aberdeen fans don't deserve their manager and his free flowing attacking football

47. Aberdeen fans pick on players like Duff,Mackie and Foster purely because they are local lads.

48. The biggest debate revolving around Aberdeen FC away games in europe is whether it is okay to wear a kilt.  There is of course only one answer - is it fuck ya parochial stereotype see-you-jimmy hat fannies

49. Statistics prove Stavrum is a better striker than Larson - reality proves otherwise

50. Were shite and we know we are

51. I am now 40 years old and have NOT given up all hope of the Dons winning at Ibrox again in my lifetime

52, Watching Aberdeen win is one of the best feelings ever.

53. We are only sheep shagging bastards.

54. 10 men went to mow a meadow.

55.  Paul Sheerin could volley the ball into the back of the net from any part of the park, past any number of players, dispite the ball only moving at 2.7 miles per hour.

56.  The Merkland Stand roof had to be replaced due to safety reasons in 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009.

57.  The easiest way to get fans or figureheads to stop asking probing questions is to give them a seat on the board.

58.  The best time to seek alternative bus routes to the ground is to drive slowly through the harbour vicinity at 2am on a Saturday night.

59.  Angus The Bull is the fastest mascot on two wheels.

60.  Pensioners who want a slapping, ship's flares, snowballs and hares are more likely to make it trackside than Richie Byrne.

61.  Notebooks, scrunched up bits of paper and scarfs are more dangerous than Anthrax.

62.  The GUASC and The Globe Reds only go to games so they can touch each other when the Dons score under the guise of 'celebrating'.

63.  It definitely looked like Ian Durrant to me and sadly he did play for Rangers some more, although you'd think Simmy had butchered him and his whole family then ate their remains.

64.  Scott Severin can throw the ball so far that he can't see where it's going to land or who he's throwing it to.

65. Older People, no matter how many times they've seen it, still look round in utter disgust when the red ultras start banging there drum.

66. Its not just older people, i think of better things to listen too on a sunday when im hungover

67. Never ever turn up to watch Aberdeen sober, otherwise you will realise how bad it is and will head off early for a drink.