It has been the latest of a number of tumultuous years for the Dons as the club searches for the stability and consistency lacking for far too long.
They have at least exited the old one with a little more reason to be optimistic, although we will find out fairly quickly if that is to be borne out.
Despite the alarming dip in form, the situation does feel more under control than 12 months ago when Aberdeen went into 2024 on the back of a 3-0 home defeat by St Mirren.
By the end of January, following a loss at Tynecastle and a 1-1 draw at home to Dundee – a result greeted by boos ringing around Pittodrie – and the team languishing in eighth place, Barry Robson was sacked. He has only just returned to the game, appointed by Raith Rovers, which seems a more appropriate post at this stage of his managerial career
Peter Leven was put in charge for the next game, another 1-1 draw, but that was against Celtic, and Peter coaxed a much more creditable performance out of the side. It would have made sense to put him in temporary control, but two days later we got the bombshell news that Neil Warnock had inexplicably been appointed for the remainder of the season.
I made my feelings clear at the time and have done so subsequently; it remains possibly the most baffling decision ever taken by the club
Mercifully Warnock lasted just 34 days, ironically leaving after his one decent result, a 3-1 Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock, allowing Peter to once again assume the role.
After losing at Dens in his first game, Leven put together an impressive run of ten matches during which his only defeat was on penalties to Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
In the midst of that, the appointment of Jimmy Thelin was announced, the Swede officially taking over in June, and he immediately had the fans onside with his approach to the role.
Highly impressive start from Swede
It would be fair to say Jimmy made the kind of start no-one could have anticipated, winning his first 13 matches in charge, then overseeing a 2-2 draw at Celtic Park in a game which looked lost at half-time.
Two more victories followed before the first setback, and it was a major one, a 6-0 Hampden loss to the champions.
The side bounced back, a 4-1 win over Dundee heightening dreams of sustaining a title challenge. Few would have expected that to last the course in the long term, but with Rangers struggling there was every reason to believe that, at the very least, second place was a more realistic target.
Then came a collapse of almighty proportions.
The first league defeat of the season in Paisley was followed by back-to-back draws in Edinburgh, and as the defence looked shakier by the game, heavy losses against Hibernian and Kilmarnock.
The manner of the defeat at Rugby Park on Boxing Day was particularly alarming, the side lacking fight and a basic organisation, and 2024 ended in heartbreaking fashion, more defensive frailty leading to a stoppage time loss at Tannadice.
The new year began in a similarly disappointing way, Ross County plundering the points at Pittodrie, and while the team is in a better place than it was 12 months ago, there has been a serious reality check of late.
Jimmy Thelin is going to have to perform surgery on a squad which, with the benefit of hindsight, was clearly overachieving during the late summer and autumn.
A long-lasting solution might have to wait until the summer, but he does need to sort out his central defence, and also find a replacement for Bojan Miovski.
Ester Sokler, Kevin Nisbet, and particularly Peter Ambrose, who looks way off the pace, have failed to fill the gaping hole left by the North Macedonian’s departure. Pape Gueye had a purple patch in August and September, but there is no guarantee he will rediscover that form when he returns from injury.
Those issues will be priorities for Jimmy in 2025; resolving them will go a long way towards ensuring the campaign recovers enough to be a successful one.
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