Aberdeen FC ditch the funny business as stars told what they REALLY need after Neil Warnock

With Neil Warnock in charge, Aberdeen were in danger of becoming a comedy club. But Connor Barron reckons Peter Leven’s cuddle club might just yet save the last laugh for the Dons.

Warnock’s wisecracks and one-liners didn’t do much other than to further depress a Pittodrie support that haven’t exactly had much to smile about this season. Barry Robson was given £1million-plus to spend in the summer but neither he nor the veteran drafted in by chairman Dave Cormack to turn things around could get much change out of the squad.

That sent fears sweeping around the Granite City that there could yet be an even costlier bill to pay with their team on a worrying slide towards the relegation play-off spot. But just as it was looking like the joke was on Aberdeen, caretaker gaffer Leven has finally managed to get their team to show its serious side.

Warnock may have been more interested in cracking bad gags and deflecting the blame but Leven has taken the time to figure out what this under-performing squad really needs – a bit of TLC. The dismal Dens defeat in midweek was another alarming result but it only served to convince Leven that Aberdeen’s players had forgotten how good they can be on their day.

So before Saturday’s trip to Fir Park, he set out to remind them. It was the arm around the shoulder they clearly needed – and led to hugs all round at full-time as the Dons celebrated climbing one place to ninth with a relieved Red Army after Leighton Clarkson’s strike sealed victory over Motherwell.

Leven – who has now taken four points from his three games in charge this term – will likely have stood aside again by the time the Pittodrie side return after the international break for a huge showdown with second-bottom Ross County,