as new management team

Aberdeen Football Club can confirm Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty as their new football management team with the pair set to officially take charge following the SPL split in just under a fortnight’s time.

The duo, who worked together at both St. Johnstone and Bristol City, have signed until the summer of 2015, with the option of a rolling contract thereafter, to the delight of Pittodrie Chairman Stewart Milne. “From the moment Craig Brown announced his intention to step down, Derek and Tony were at the forefront of our thoughts alongside other potential candidates. Our Board had a clear vision of the type of person we needed to drive change going forward and having reviewed and worked through all of the available options in detail, the consensus was very much that they ticked all of the right boxes for us.

George Yule, Duncan Fraser and myself initially met with Derek last week, with the remainder of the Board subsequently meeting him, and we were all hugely impressed with his assessment of the Club, its potential, and what they believed was required to move it on from the strong platform that Craig and Archie have established over the past two or so years.

” We also felt that it was important to confirm the new team as soon as possible to allow them enough time to assess the playing squad prior to the start of next season, but it was equally important that we carried out a full review of all the potential managerial candidates to ensure we secured the correct people. To that end, there has been a great deal of hard work undertaken at the Club over the past ten days.

“Craig and Archie also spoke with Derek to establish the most appropriate timing for a handover of duties and all agreed that bringing them in now would enable the incoming management team to have time to familiarise themselves with their new club, while Craig and Archie continue with their preparations over the next two games for a final push towards a top 6 SPL position.

“I would again like to extend our appreciation to Craig and Archie for their contribution to Aberdeen Football Club as they have moved the Club a long way forward and left behind a solid platform for Derek to further build on and deliver that desperately needed success for everyone connected with AFC.

“Craig will continue to be part of Aberdeen Football Club through his new role as a non-executive Director and having been involved in the appointment of Derek and Tony, believes we have appointed a top class team, capable of delivering success for the Club.”

Scotland international Derek (41), who played for Morton, Rangers, Toulouse, Stockport County (loan), West Bromwich Albion, Dundee United, Millwall and St. Johnstone, added. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity to manage a club of the stature of Aberdeen Football Club and I’m determined to repay the faith the Pittodrie Board has shown in me. Having been given an outline of the Club’s vision of the future I can clearly see the ambition here and I can assure, fans, players, sponsors and everyone associated with Aberdeen Football Club that I will do everything within my power to build a team that will entertain the fans and more importantly bring long-awaited success back to this great Club.

“First and foremost, we still have a chance to make the top six and while Tony and I do not officially take charge for a couple of weeks, there remains plenty for us to get on with in the interim.

“In tandem with trying to finish the current campaign in as high a league position as possible, I will also of course be assessing the squad with next season in mind. There is so much to do, so many opportunities and I’m really looking forward to get started.”

Former Dunfermline player Tony Docherty (42), a former SFA Development Officer, was assistant manager at Falkirk, before moving to Dundee United as part of the management team, before teaming up with Derek at St. Johnstone in 2007. He is recognised as one of the best coaches in the game and someone with undoubted man-management skills on the training ground to match his technical abilities.