Aberdeen could not have dreamed of a better start to the season.
Not even the most optimistic Dons supporter would have been expecting the emphatic 5-1 victory against BK Hacken.
It looked a Europa Conference League qualifier fraught with danger.
The Swedes had made a terrible start to their league season and were sitting bottom of the league when the draw was made.
But the appointment of Per-Mathias Hogmo sparked a sudden resurgence in form and they arrived in Aberdeen on the back of three successive wins.
They were well into their season and didn’t have the match sharpness concerns that Stephen Glass would have had over his players, particularly after a couple of his side’s pre-season friendlies were cancelled due to Covid-19 reasons.
Having remained behind closed doors at Cormack Park for their preparations, this was the first glimpse of the new-look Dons.
There has been plenty of talk in recent months about Aberdeen producing a high-pressing, attack-minded side with youngsters given their opportunity to shine.
These can be easy targets for a new manager to speak about when appointed but far harder to deliver, particularly when the pressure is on.
But when the Dons team was read out on Thursday night, it was clear Glass had set up his side to take the game to their Swedish opponents.
There were only two natural defenders in the starting line-up – Andrew Considine at centre-half and 17-year-old Calvin Ramsay at right-back, who pushed forward to support the attack at every opportunity.
The first legs in European ties can often be slow, tactical and low-scoring contests with teams reluctant to take too many risks.
But after 20 minutes of Thursday’s tie it was evident that a few goals were almost guaranteed with both teams committing players forward at will.
In the end, it was Aberdeen who took their chances and head to Gothenburg on Thursday with what should be an unassailable lead.
Most encouraging was the role the three debutants played in guiding the Reds to victory.
Scott Brown, the newly-appointed Aberdeen captain, provided the necessary protection for a makeshift Dons defence and prevented Hacken’s counter-attacks from reaching the final third.
Christian Ramirez marked his debut with a goal, a fitting reward for a tireless shift, while Jay Emmanuel-Thomas almost stole the show with his eye-catching display.
The former Livingston striker lit the game up with his neat touches and intelligent passing to create chances for his teammates.
Lewis Ferguson also proved the recent speculation over his Aberdeen future would have no impact on his efforts for the Aberdeen cause.
The midfielder handed in a transfer request earlier this summer after a bid from Watford was turned down but the 21-year-old produced a man of the match display and chipped in with two goals to help the Dons to victory.
It is easy to get carried away after one good performance but Thursday’s win bodes well for the upcoming season.
The Dons have been handed a reasonable start to the Scottish Premiership campaign and they won’t meet the three sides that finished above them – Rangers, Celtic and Hibernian – until October.
They will look to finish the job in Sweden this week before turning their attentions to Sunday’s Premiership opener against Dundee United.
Whatever the result, Thursday’s match was going to be a special night for the Aberdeen support as they made their return to Pittodrie after so long way.
I have been at countless Aberdeen games over the years with two or three times as many Dons fans present at Pittodrie when the atmosphere has been nowhere near as lively and engaging as it was against BK Hacken.
The old adage about not appreciating what you have until it’s gone seems certainly true in this instance.
For the vast majority, it would have been their first trip to Pittodrie since before the pandemic halted the Scottish football season in March last year.
After such a long wait, it was fitting the Dons produced a performance to match the occasion and make it even more memorable for the 5,665 who were there.