As well as Russell Anderson another player playing his final game in a red shirt on Sunday will be the very popular Nicky Low, who is joining Dundee. Nicky spoke to RedMatchday ahead of his final day at Pittodrie.

“All in all, I have been with the club for around 15 years. I joined the Youth Academy when I was about eight or nine. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Naturally I would have liked more game time for the first team, but it has all been a great experience.

“Being part of the club over the last few years when it has been on an up has been fantastic.

“I did not fully appreciate how big a club Aberdeen was before I arrived. It was actually my granddad, who when I was a youngster used to take me to all my training sessions in Glasgow, who understood just how lucky I was to be joining such a great club.

“During my time at the club, I have been unlucky with injuries. For example this season I would have probably have played as boys in my position were out injured, but I was out for a good part of the season. I featured in a few games at the start of the season, so it was desperately disappointing to get the injury when I did. But that is football, these things happen.

“It will be very hard walking out of the players’ entrance for the last time but I am also looking forward to the new challenge at Dundee.

“I have come right through the youth set up all the way up to the first team and made a lot of friends. There have been a lot of great lads at this club and we have had some great times in the changing room. The fortunes of the club really have turned around in recent years and the manager has done an incredible job. The highlight was last March when we lifted the League Cup. It was an occasion I will never forget.

“Actually, other people will never let me forget it! People come up to me in the street and ask about my penalty. I have hardly paid for a taxi or a meal in Aberdeen since I scored that day! All my mates will put it on the TV or computer when I with them. I still get a bit embarrassed about my celebration! I have no idea what I was doing! I can’t remember anything about the penalty. It was all a complete blank.

“I am just relieved I scored! During my time at the club, I have only ever missed one penalty. That was a U20 game up at Balmoor. As I was about to take it, I slipped and the keeper saved it. That is the only one I have missed and I have hit a fair few, so I have a decent record.”

As well as picking up a League Cup winner’s, medal Nicky recently won a Development League medal. It was a fitting way for him to go out, as he has been a huge part of the youth team in recent years.

“It’s a special moment and I must have played around 200 games for the team! It was something that actually really annoyed me, because we have always had good youth teams since I have been at the club and we had not won anything before. You look back at in recent years, we had teams with Peter Pawlett, Ryan Jack, Fraser Fyvie, Ryan Fraser, Jamie Masson, Craig Murray, Jack Grimmer etc, so to finally win something with them before I left was really good. I will leave Aberdeen with a heavy heart but I can say I have left with two medals.”

Nicky has scored some stunning goals for the U20s and the first team over the years. Does he have a favourite?

“My favourite was probably on my debut for the U19s as they were then. I had not signed full-time at that stage. I was still at school and Aberdeen Football Club last week announced that a number of players will be leaving Pittodrie as their contracts come to a conclusion. on a three month trial, I was only 15. We were playing Gretna away and we were 1-0 down at half-time. Myself and Mitch Megginson were on the bench and Neil Cooper, who had only seen us for a week in training, showed a lot of faith in us by putting us on at half time. Mitch scored an equaliser and I scored the winner with a half volley from outside the box with a few minutes remaining. I did not even know the boys but I was running up the touchline and they were all jumping on top of me. After that, I got a contract!

“I have a lot of people to thank at Aberdeen. All the coaches who have worked with me in the Academy, especially Peter Weir for showing so much faith in me. Neil Cooper who did a lot for my career. Neil was the one who converted me from a left winger/striker to a central midfielder. Neil did a lot for my career.

“I have been fortunate enough to have had a great relationship with the Aberdeen fans. I think I am a player who wears his heart on his sleeve and in every game I go out and give it my all. I think the supporters respond to that. Even if I am not having a good game, I will keep trying my best. I cannot thank them enough for the support they have given me. I would also like to thank the staff for all they have done for me.

“It will be sad day leaving Aberdeen for myself and my flat mate Joe Shaughnessy. I will miss big Joe. He has been a very good friend. I am not sure how we became friends! He was this quiet, well-mannered lad from Galway.

“The first day Joe arrived at the club he walked into the changing room and saw me jumping about in the corner in my Lacoste tracksuit. He apparently said to some of the other boys, “I need to make sure I stay away from him!”

“A couple of years later we became flatmates!”

Pittodrie will certainly be a quieter place without Nicky, but we all wish him well and thank him for all the memories.