Aberdeen’s Premiership campaign ends this afternoon as it began last August, with a game against Rangers. In between times, the Ibrox side has been outstanding and, so far, unbeatable, the Dons much less so.
In truth, it is a season which will be remembered for the end of an era and an empty Pittodrie and little else.
Records were set, but not the kind any Dons supporter would have wanted, and the embarrassing run in the first few months of this year when the side scored one goal in 10 matches summed up the misery.
If Aberdeen fail to breach the Rangers defence today it will be their joint lowest-scoring season in history.
There were seven 0-0 draws, 16 games in which the Dons failed to find the net and 10 others in which they managed a single goal. There were just three occasions when the team scored more than twice.
Those are truly appalling statistics and it was probably fitting that the battle for third ended in the way it did. The performance wasn’t bad, but they showed no composure, no clinical attitude in front of goal.
Hibernian deserved the finish they achieved and were, for much of the campaign, a joy to watch, playing the type of football Aberdeen fans would love to see.
They also have a cutting edge. Hibs’ front three of Nisbet, Boyle and Doidge have scored a total of 47 this season. The Dons, as a team, have amassed just one more.
In all matches during 20/21, only Dundee United and relegated Hamilton have netted fewer goals than Aberdeen. Motherwell have scored 54, Kilmarnock 55, St Mirren 59, St Johnstone 61 and Livingston 68.
There were a few heavy defeats along the way, but in general the defensive record was decent, conceding fewer than in several recent campaigns.
Stephen Glass has a lot of hard work ahead in the coming weeks but finding the answer at the top end of the pitch has to be his number one objective.
His recruitment has begun. Scott Brown will make a massive difference and Declan Gallagher will certainly stiffen the back line, while Gary Woods looks a capable deputy to Joe Lewis.
But he is going to have to bring in at least another four or five, perhaps more depending on how many of the out of contract players are to be retained.
I would expect an announcement on that in the next few days and then it will be an anxious wait for confirmation of the new arrivals.
Stephen and Allan Russell have now had time to assess the current squad, both in training and on the pitch during matches, and I know they have drawn up a list and made approaches to potential targets.
The success of those inquiries will be key to getting off to a flying start when next season kicks-off.
I have already seen some over the top, kneejerk reaction to missing out on third and some ridiculous criticism of the new manager. Now is not the time to make such an assessment.
Stephen must be allowed to get his own players onboard, to work with them and to settle properly into the job.
He has to be given until at least the end of the year before we can make any valid judgments.
A heartbreaker but Cove Rangers will rise
While the Dons’ season petered out, Cove Rangers’ campaign ended in the most heartbreaking of circumstances.
When Rory McAllister put them ahead in stoppage time at Airdrie it looked certain they would be heading for the play-off final, only for the home side to snatch their all-important equaliser right at the death.
It was a crushing way to lose out and everyone at the Aberdeen club will take some time to fully recover.
But it is still early days in their five-year plan and to have come so close in just their second season in the SPFL was a remarkable achievement.
Cove should be proud of how far they have come and I have no doubt the squad will be strengthened over the summer for another assault on the Championship.