Leighton Clarkson lifts lid on how Aberdeen's last trip to Dundee sparked winning run
Leighton Clarkson is well aware Aberdeen were at rock-bottom last time they made the trip down the A90 to face Dundee in the Premiership.
They crashed to a 1-0 defeat at Dens Park just days after Neil Warnock walked out of the club, with Peter Leven tasked with pulling the Dons away from relegation danger.
An angry Red Army turned on their own team and there were even chants of "You’re not fit to wear the shirt" as the dejected players trooped off.
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Since hitting the reset button, they haven't lost a single Premiership game. They're currently on a 11-game winning run and the only fixture they have lost in the last six months came via penalties in the Scottish Cup semi-final to Celtic.
The Dons have taken their red-hot form into the new season under Jimmy Thelin and now, more than six months since they last lost a league game, they're looking to make it 12-in-a-row at Dens, writes the Daily Record.
Clarkson admitted: "We were on a terrible run and that was the realisation after that game that we were in a relegation battle at that time. There were some harsh words said after that game.
"Pete had a week on the training ground after that game and to work on how he wanted us to play. From them, we all bought into it and we managed to get results."
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The former Liverpool midfielder admitted that Leven got them back to playing in a style that suited their squad.
Clarkson added: "It was a hard job he had. Everybody in the team loves him, his character and the way he coaches. We love the way he wants to play football and that certainly helped us in those last few games.
"He took the shackles off a lot of players. Instead of being a little nervous and going out and doing stuff you would do, he made sure we did what we needed to do and how we wanted to play football. That benefited us all.
"That is what happens after three or four games when you get that winning momentum and you don’t have to fear anyone in this league."
Clarkson knows Leven has helped lay the foundations from which Jimmy Thelin’s 100% Aberdeen side have kicked on from.
It is no surprise to the Aberdeen playmaker that St Johnstone have made the Dons’ first-team coach one of their top managerial targets.
Clarkson watched him transform Aberdeen’s fortunes. He said: "You could say that (he had helped lay the foundations). He has helped the manager and the fact he has remained in the coaching staff is a big plus for us all."
Aberdeen failed to win Dundee in all three games last season and that is something the midfielder is keen to rectify.
He acknowledged: "I don’t think we beat them last season. They are a good team, the way they set-up. They have some good players who we need to be wary of.
"At the same time we are going there full of confidence. Hopefully, if we play our game then we can get a good result."
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Clarkson will come up against an old familiar face tomorrow. Dundee have Billy Koumetio, who he played alongside at Liverpool. The Aberdeen star also urged him to make the summer move to Dens Park.
The playmaker explained: "Billy is a lad I know really well. I have played with him since I was 16 at Liverpool.
"He is a good centre half. I know the qualities he can bring. When he was coming up here, I mentioned he was going to be playing football and the Scottish game is a good move for English talent."
Duk returns to the squad and Thelin has one or two minor knocks that he will monitor ahead of the trip south.