Scotland international defender David Bates signed for Aberdeen because he wanted to experience European group stage action.
Instead the centre-back will kick-off next season in the Premier Sports Cup groups.
It is not how the 25-year-old envisioned his debut season at Pittodrie developing.
Instead of pushing to qualify for the elite of the Euro groups, the Dons will face lower league sides in the Premier Sports Cup.
For the first time since 2013 Aberdeen will have no European action.
Next season will begin by facing Raith Rovers, Peterhead, Dumbarton and Stirling Albion in Group A in domestic cup action.
Manager Jim Goodwin is in the midst of a summer transfer window rebuild although the Reds have yet to confirm any signings.
Bates is determined the recently finished campaign will be an aberration and the Dons will qualify for Europe again next season.
He said: “I came to Aberdeen because I wanted to challenge to get into the European group stages.
“To not qualify for Europe is really disappointing.
“Everyone is disappointed as we all want to be in Europe.
“We need to achieve that next season and get up the league again.”
Bates missed Europe last season
Bates signed with Aberdeen last summer from German Bundesliga 2 side Hamburg on a three year contract.
He has yet to experience European action with the Dons.
The defender arrived at Pittodrie in late August in the final days of the summer transfer window.
Aberdeen had already been knocked out of the Europa Conference League at the play-off stages by Azerbaijan side Qarabag.
The Reds finished 10th in the Premiership table, the lowest position since 2004.
‘There’ll be a lot of players coming in’
Bates anticipates a summer of transition at the club as manager Goodwin drafts in players to deliver his footballing philosophy.
Aberdeen only have two senior centre-backs, Bates and fellow Scotland international Declan Gallagher.
Long-serving defender Andy Considine will exit the club and bade an emotional farewell to supporters in the final game of the season.
A one year contract extension for Scotland international Considine, 36, was withdrawn after contract talks broke down.
Scotland cap Mikey Devlin, 28, had his contract terminated early.
St Mirren’s left-sided defender Charles Dunne, 29, is a summer transfer target.
Bates said: “It will be a big summer and the gaffer will get players in for his style of play.
“I think there’ll be a lot of players coming in.
“The gaffer will have a pre-season so we will see what happens.”
âš½ David Bates with our goal at Easter Road yesterday. #StandFree | @DavidBates_ pic.twitter.com/cx2Q1Owxl8
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) May 8, 2022
A bad season to miss out on Europe
The failure to qualify for Europe was made all the more painful with the added returns up for grabs.
Hearts are guaranteed group stage football next season having finished third in the Premiership and reached the Scottish Cup.
The Edinburgh side lost the Scottish Cup final 2-0 after extra-time to Rangers.
Hearts will land a minimum £3.5m cash payout as reward for qualifying for Europe.
The Tynecastle club go into the Europa League at the play-off stages, just one round away from the groups.
Should Hearts lose the play-offs they drop into the UEFA Conference League group stages.
Despite twice slumping to 10 game winless streaks Aberdeen still had the chance of European qualification on the final game before the Premiership split.
All they had to do was beat Ross County at Pittodrie to secure a top six finish.
They lost 1-0 to end European hopes and be consigned to a first bottom six finish since 2013.
Aberdeen blew top six and Europe
Hearts’ success only hammers home the extent of Aberdeen’s failure.
Bates insists every player must stand up next season and prove they are good enough to be at Aberdeen.
He said: “Hearts had a good season and will now be in Europe until Christmas.
“When you look at that it is really disappointing for our squad as we know we should have done better.
“There has been a lot of changes and a lot of things going on.
“But as a team we should have dug performances and wins out.
“If you look at it we could still have made top six after not playing great at all.
“We just had to beat Ross County to get into the top six.
“If we had made top six the season would have been a lot better than it was.
“We need to go and show next season why we are at Aberdeen football club – all the players that are here.”
The honesty of boss Jim Goodwin
Aberdeen will return for pre-season training in mid July in preparation for the Premier Sports Cup which begins on the weekend of July 9/10.
Bates is confident the Reds will be back on track under Goodwin next season.
He insists the Pittodrie gaffer is honest with the players if they have a poor performance.
He will then tell them what to work on to improve.
Bates said: “The manager has said to us he is straight up and honest and I think he has been that with the boys.
“To us all really.
“If you have a bad performance he will tell you during the week and what you have to work on.
“He is straight up and honest.”
