Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee wants fans to end abuse

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McGhee urges fans to lay off Dons

Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee is pleading with supporters to get behind his players rather than barracking them from the stands.

"I think the fact is that players here do receive more abuse from the fans than at other clubs," said McGhee.

"I've been at enough clubs as a player and as a manger to measure that.

"We want them to turn up, of course we do. Taking 3,500 fans to Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup is fantastic. But we need them to believe a bit more."

The Dons needed a goal deep in injury to rescue a draw at Stark's Park and McGhee and his players were the subject of much heckling as they struggled against First Division opponents.

Aberdeen have been up and down in McGhee's first season in charge, following an excellent 3-0 win at Tynecastle with two home defeats in their most recent league outings.

Supporters were furious throughout those losses at Pittodrie to Motherwell and Falkirk and reached boiling point when a Scottish Cup exit looked likely on Saturday.

I don't care what anybody says, we're still in the mix, we're still in the cup Mark McGhee

"As a player, I would have wanted to challenge that, prove them wrong," added McGhee, when quizzed about the unrest in the stands. "But I think we live in different times and different players take different attitudes.

"Some may feel 'to hell with this, I'm not taking any more'.

"You've got a player, for instance Darren Makie, who has suffered as much, if not more, abuse from the supporters than any other player. Yet, on Saturday, I was getting abuse for taking him off.

"There are two aspects to that. It shows that if you have the character to come through it you can. It also questions the attitude of the supporters again, as to the ones who used to slag him off.

"It's a case of me being prepared to challenge them (the fans) and to say to them 'hey, come on, we need more help than that'."

McGhee's arrival from Motherwell was heralded with much fanfare amongst the Dons faithful, who had fond memories of him as powerful centre-forward during the club's most successful period.

MY SPORT: DEBATE Give your reaction to Mark McGhee's comments

However, much of that goodwill has dissipated, with Aberdeen sitting seventh in the Scottish Premier League, while the club's top scorer is midfielder Gary McDonald with four goals.

"I've come here and I was told that I was an Aberdeen legend and that was going to count for something," continued McGhee.

"I made it quite clear that I had a long-term plan. This season, I was going to try and make some changes but along the way I still hoped to bring some success. I don't care what anybody says, we're still in the mix, we're still in the cup.

"This season is secondary to my long-term plans. But I don't feel as if there is any sympathy or understanding of that from the crowd.

"I don't go out and about in Aberdeen and get greeted with a huge wave of sentiment and warmth. As far as I'm concerned, I am another manager at a club who is subject to the same (treatment) as other managers, regardless of the circumstances. You, win, you win. You lose, you get stick.

"I think that's a shame because I have a longer term vision for what I'm trying to do here. But it takes time. It takes several windows to make the change.

"What I'm trying to do is to persuade them (the fans) that we are doing our best. It will get better and in the meantime get behind the team that's out there."