Anthony Stewart and Vicente Besuijen handed Aberdeen FC second chances as Barry Robson wipes the slate clean

Barry Robson has given Vicente Besuijen and Anthony Stewart pre-season to salvage their Aberdeen careers.

The pair have returned to the Dons for training after indifferent loan spells last season. Dutch midfielder Besuijen went to Excelsior but his time there was wrecked by injury. One of Robson’s first moves as manager was to tell the-then captain Stewart he was unlikely to feature and he went out on loan to MK Dons on January’s deadline night.

Robson, when asked what he said to Besuijen and Stewart on their return, said: “Just come in and work hard. You have got the opportunity to perform in pre-season for yourself and myself. They are all good boys who are willing and wanting to do well. They came back in good shape. It is the same with everyone else, there is competition for places here.

"Everyone is going to need to work hard every day and everybody is going to need to perform. And if you don’t you will not find yourself in the team.”

The Dons head to Portugal this weekend for their pre-season training camp. It is where the hard work starts as Aberdeen gear up for their Premiership kick-off. They will head to Livingston and Robson knows what to expect from Davie Martindale’s side. Robson said: “I had a look through the fixtures this morning.

“It is always a difficult game down at Livingston, we understand that. We are desperate to get going.

“Any game is a good game in this league although it is hard. We are excited about the season starting. Have you ever heard that saying from me, a game at a time?

“I never get too carried away and I never get ahead of myself. I never let the players get ahead of themselves either. We have a plan. We are structured and organised and the main focus will be on that one game against