The battle to finish third in the Premiership between Aberdeen and Hibs should deliver a clear message to trigger-happy clubs to show patience.
Pittodrie chairman Dave Cormack and the club’s hierarchy are reaping the rewards for standing firm in their commitment to boss Jimmy Thelin.
Pressure and criticism mounted on the board amid a calamitous 14-game winless league collapse that threatened to completely derail Aberdeen’s season.
However the Dons’ powerbrokers held their nerve to retain faith in the three-year plan under Thelin to bring sustained success to the club.
Thelin was also bankrolled during the January transfer window with a signing spree costing more than £1million.
It paid off as the Dons are now in the Scottish Cup final and fighting to finish third in the Premiership.
Aberdeen’s board have ended the destructive cycle of sacking managers after a disastrous winter.
Damaging sacking cycle ends
For four seasons previously they wielded the axe either during or shortly after a January transfer window.
The Pittodrie hierarchy axed Barry Robson (January 2024), Jim Goodwin (January 2023), Stephen Glass (February 2022) and Derek McInnes (March 2021).
The optics of sacking a manager for the fifth successive season would have been disastrous.
Yet there was never any loss of faith in Thelin within the Pittodrie board during the winter slump.
Mangers at Pittodrie and other clubs have been sacked for far shorter winless runs than the one endured under Thelin from late November to February.
When appointing Thelin last year Cormack admitted that as a squad builder the revolution under the Swede would take time.
The club gave him that time.
Thelin’s transformation of Aberdeen
Let’s not forget Thelin inherited a team that finished in the bottom six last season and also flirted with the threat of relegation.
In his debut season at Pittodrie, he has led the Reds to a final and remains in the race to finish third and secure European qualification.
Which is why Thelin must be in the running for Scotland’s manager of the year.
Another contender is surely Hibs’ gaffer David Gray.
It seemed the Easter Road club would face a battle against relegation after a disastrous start to the Premiership season.
Hibs were bottom of the table after winning just once in the opening 14 league matches.
Yet the Easter Road powerbrokers Ian Gordon (executive director) and Tim Bezbatchenko (Black Knight director) stood by Gray.
Sliding doors moment for both clubs
That faith has been rewarded with Hibs sitting third in the Premiership after a remarkable 18-game unbeaten league run.
The catalyst for Hibs’ transformation can be traced to the dramatic 3-3 draw with Aberdeen at Easter Road on November 26.
Aberdeen looked certain of a valuable win when scoring a dramatic goal in the 95th minute via Ester Sokler to go 3-2 up.
However the inability to retain concentration and see out the game was brutally punished.
Rocky Bushiri netted an unlikely leveller in the 96th minute.
It was a sliding doors moment for both clubs as in the immediate aftermath Hibs’ season took off and Aberdeen’s nosedived.
Had Aberdeen held on for the win Thelin’s side would have moved 25 points clear of Hibs.
Fast forward five months and the Reds trail the Edinburgh club by three points.
Aberdeen and Hibs both suffered horrific crashes in form.
It is testament to the hierarchy of both club’s that the manager’s that began the season are rightly still in the dugout for the mouthwatering fight to finish third.
Other clubs should perhaps take note.
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