Defender Nicky Devlin has warned new signings they must quickly learn to embrace the pressure of playing for Aberdeen.
Boss Jimmy Thelin has secured four signings in the summer transfer window – with more to come.
Dimitar Mitov (St Johnstone), Sivert Heltne Nilsen (SK Brann), Gavin Molloy (Shelbourne) and Peter Ambrose (Ujpest) have all been acquired on long-term permanent deals.
All four made solid debuts in the opening game of the campaign – a 3-0 defeat of Queen of the South in the Premier Sports Cup group stage.
Devlin knows there is constant pressure and expectation on Aberdeen to deliver success.
And he says new arrivals have to quickly learn to deal with that – and embrace it.
He said: “One of the harder things the new boys have to learn, and quickly, is the pressure playing for a club like Aberdeen.
“As a footballer, you want to play for a club that gets pressures like that.
“There is pressure on the club to be successful, the fans want to be successful.
“To play for a club like Aberdeen is brilliant – that’s what you want, that pressure.
“New players have to adapt to that quickly.
“The good thing for us is we started competitive games three weeks after we’ve been back (in pre-season).
“And they are games we have to win. There are no excuses not to win those games.
“You get that experience very early on as a new player and it can only stand them in good stead.”
‘The period he was at the club, I don’t think I was playing well’
Devlin experienced what it was like to be thrust into a club with pressure and high expectations of success.
He signed for the Dons last summer, having left Livingston when his contract expired.
The right-back excelled under the pressure and made 53 appearances last season in all competitions, with only one of those games off the bench.
It was a grueling first campaign for Devlin as Aberdeen balanced Europa Conference League group stage action with domestic commitments.
The only game he wasn’t involved in last season was a 2-0 home loss to St Johnstone under former interim boss Neil Warnock.
Devlin accepts that omission was merited as his form had dipped at the time – and the straight-talking defender admits it cost Aberdeen points.
The 30-year-old said: “We had some unbelievable highs last season, but they were probably matched by the lows.
“It was the most I have ever played in a season – hopefully we play a lot of games again as that means we will be in cup finals.
“St Johnstone at home was the only game last season I didn’t play in, which was under Neil Warnock.
“The period he was at the club, I don’t think I was playing well.
“I was making mistakes I previously hadn’t made earlier in the season.
“There were a couple of times it cost us points.
“At the time, I don’t think I could have had any complaints that I didn’t play in the game.
“As a footballer you know yourself if you are in good form or not, you’re not daft.
“And I knew I wasn’t. I was disappointed I didn’t play, but couldn’t have any complaints.”
Challenging for silverware again
Devlin returned for pre-season fired up and ready for a new dawn under Jimmy Thelin.
And the full-back was pitched in from the start by Thelin for the opening game of the season at Queen of the South.
He said: “One of the big attractions in coming to a club like Aberdeen is you want to play for teams that realistically are challenging to win things.
“That’s what we have to be.
“That’s what we have to get back to.
“We want to have successful cup runs this season, although we know we also have to improve a lot in terms of the league campaign.
“We want to play a lot of games because that means you are doing well.”
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