Derek McInnes

“We all wanted today to be a bit more memorable for the right reasons.

“We wanted it to primarily be about Barry Robson’s last game and going out for him on a winning note.

“We introduced a few youngsters and gave some debuts just to try and get something positive. It’s not very often that I have the luxury of having nothing riding on a game so I am able to play some of the younger ones and sometimes it is important to find out about them.

“We were up against a very experienced and good Ross County team today and I felt that we were a bit naïve, not just the younger ones, with some of our play and certainly with some of our defending.

“Obviously disappointed with today’s work but on reflection it is what the players have done up until now that I will remember for this season. While today didn’t got the way we wanted it to, hopefully some of the youngsters will be better and recognise what’s required if they get back in next time round.

“All in all it’s a disappointing day, can’t mask it any other way.

“Up until Thursday we had something to play for in terms of trying to break last season’s points record but today was only about pride and winning the game for the reasons I spoke about earlier. I do think the players efforts up until the last couple of games has been excellent. Even on Thursday I thought they tried to get the right result.

“The squad has been stretched the last while which I think is something for us to recognise that the January window is equally as important as the summer window. We have been stretched and in recent results and performances I think that has played a part.

“We will make an announcement tomorrow regarding which players are leaving but obviously that was Barry’s last game.

“We want to thank him for his efforts. Along with Willo Flood three years ago they were my most important signings. We moved thirteen players out and we brought five in and those two were pivotal at that time for what we wanted to try and do and to get an identity and a type of person in the building to help us go forward.

“I want to thank Barry for the way he has approached his job at Aberdeen.

“His influence has been less over the last couple of seasons but he is a fantastic player to have worked with. I played with him and I knew him as a youngster, played alongside him at United and obviously I have managed him here and in all that time he has always gave good value. He has treated his profession properly and it’s not just his left foot that has got him the career he has had, it’s his whole approach to the game and it’s something that a lot of our younger ones can learn from.

“I know what’s required (regarding adding to the squad) and we are on our way to doing what needs to be done.

“We have already made one signing and we are hopeful that there will be another couple in the next week or so and certainly another couple before the start of the season.

“Aaron Lennox has done great since he came in. He is a young player with good attributes and it is a difficult position to get a run of games in and experience in.

“Hopefully some of the younger ones will remember their involvement over the last couple of games and I think that they will know what’s required.

“Like I say, I don’t have too many opportunities to try youngsters out. There has always been a demand on us to keep winning every week. There is a time and a place to do it and I think today was the right time to have a look at some of them but ultimately the result wasn’t what we wanted.”

“Like I say, I don’t have too many opportunities to try youngsters out. There has always been a demand on us to keep winning every week. There is a time and a place to do it and I think today was the right time to have a look at some of them but ultimately the result wasn’t what we wanted.”