Barry Robson tells Aberdeen critics 'I'll be better in 12 months' as first year hasn't been ALL bad in his eyes

Under-fire Barry Robson insists he is a miles better manager than he was when he stepped into the Aberdeen hot seat a year ago today.

The heat has been turned up on the Dons boss after Saturday’s defeat at Hearts left them well behind in the fight for third place. Robson celebrates his first anniversary since he was catapulted into the job on 29th January 2023, but knows he needs to prove himself again with the Reds still toiling in the bottom six - although they have games in hand. This time last year, Jim Goodwin had just been sacked after the Dons had gone into freefall, losing to Darvel in the Scottish Cup sandwich in-between two heavy defeats to Hearts and Hibs.

The 6-0 drubbing at Easter Road was Goodwin’s final stance and saw the Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack and his board turn to Robson to hold the fort. The Inverurie man stepped up from Aberdeen’s development phase manager to take the first-team on an initial interim basis.

Such was his success he led Aberdeen from the bottom six to third. That saw him handed the Pittodrie post on a permanent basis in May. Robson led Aberdeen to third, the group stage of European football and to the Viaplay Cup final.

He is honest enough to admit he has made mistakes along the way but he has learned from them and is adamant he and his Aberdeen team will get even better. Robson stated: “I’ve learned a lot every single day. I’m a miles better manager now than I was a year ago and I’ll be miles better in a year’s time.

“The only way you learn is by making mistakes and I’ve made mistakes. I’ve made right ones and wrong ones, but you come back fighting every day trying to be better.

“The more mistakes you make the more you learn and you have to try to minimise the mistakes which is