Aberdeen FC

[LAF]

Craig Bryson scored his first two goals for Kilmarnock to secure their first league win in 15 matches as they dominated Aberdeen at Rugby Park.
Former Clyde star Bryson scored with a close-range volley after 14 minutes.

Bryson turned provider minutes before half-time, crossing for Frazer Wright to head in from six yards.

And Bryson sealed the points with a close-range third 15 minutes from time, before Darren Mackie slipped in a late consolation for the Dons.


Aberdeen were first to threaten when, within minutes of kick-off Lee Miller flicked on for strike partner Mackie to force a fine save from Combe.

However, it was one of few first-half opportunities for Aberdeen as the home side took control of proceedings.

The Dons defence was struggling to adjust to their 3-5-2 shape, and confusion among the back line gifted Danny Invincibile an opening.

The Australian's control was poor and he shot wide, but after 14 minutes the home side were rewarded for their industry.

Jamie Hamill did well to rescue a stray Mehdi Taouil pass, and release Allan Johnston on the right.

His cross into the box was met at the far post by Bryson, who volleyed the ball past Dons keeper Derek Soutar.

With Aberdeen unable to find any fluency, manager Jimmy Calderwood shuffled his pack as early as the 27th minute.

Striker Sone Aluko replaced defender Josh Walker as Calderwood reverted to a 4-4-2 formation.

Aluko added more urgency to the Dons' play, and his cross after 30 minutes was met by Miller only for the striker's header to be blocked by teammate Mackie.

However, Jim Jefferies' men were dominating the play and they doubled their lead four minutes from half-time.

Bryson swung in a corner and Souter parried Hamill's fierce shot but he ball arrived again at the feet of Bryson, who picked out Wright, and the defender nodded into the net.

Calderwood made more changes at the break with his team emerging in a 4-2-4 shape.

But Kilmarnock were first to go close when Hamill intercepted a stray Dons pass and carried the ball 30 yards before unleashing a powerful drive that went just wide.

Lee Mair should have put Aberdeen back into the match, but he contrived to head Barry Nicholson's cross over from close range.

Soutar saved at the feet Johnston but with 15 minutes remaining a number of the travelling support decided to begin the long journey home.

Invincibile's cross from the right was converted by Bryson from an almost identical position to the midfielder's opener.

With the game already beyond them, Aberdeen forced in an untidy consolation.

As the clock ran down Kilmarnock keeper Combe fumbled the ball under pressure from Mackie, who slipped the ball into the net.



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Kilmarnock: Combe, Corrigan, Lilley, Frazer Wright, Hay, Bryson, Fowler, Hamill, Invincibile, Taouil (Dalglish 84), Johnston (Fernandez 84).
Subs Not Used: Harpur, Gibson, Di Giacomo, O'Leary, Clancy.

Booked: Johnston, Invincibile.

Goals: Bryson 14, Frazer Wright 41, Bryson 75.

Aberdeen: Soutar, Maybury (Maguire 46), Duff, Mair, Diamond, Foster, Nicholson, Severin, Walker (Aluko 28), Mackie, Miller (De Visscher 71).
Subs Not Used: Langfield, Lovell, Considine, Bus.

Goals: Combe 86 og.

Att: 6,113

Ref: D Somers.

BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | Kilmarnock 3-1 Aberdeen

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen v Motherwell
Scottish Premier League
Wednesday 27th February 08
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Aberdeen defender Stuart Duff will miss the visit of Motherwell with a hamstring injury.
Jamie Smith, Richie Byrne and Jackie McNamara are out with similar injuries while Derek Young is sidelined with a knee problem.

Well's David Clarkson suffered an eye injury during Saturday's loss to Hearts but may still feature at Pittodrie.

However, left-back Danny Murphy has returned to Cork City following a lack of opportunities since joining Well.




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Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Mair, Maybury, Diamond, Considine, Bus, Foster, Walker, Nicholson, Severin, Aluko, Miller, Lovell, Mackie, Maguire, De Visscher, Touzani, D Smith, Soutar.

Motherwell (from): G Smith, Quinn, Hammell, Craigan, Reynolds, Hughes, Lasley, Fitzpatrick, Clarkson, McCormack, Porter, McGarry, J Murphy, Archdeacon, McLean, Lappin, D Smith, Daniels.

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen v Celtic
Scottish Cup 1/4 Final
Sunday 9th March 08
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Aberdeen's Jamie Smith has returned to training and may be available for Sunday's Scottish Cup quarter-final.
But Darren Mackie, Steve Lovell and Jackie McNamara are injury doubts, Zander Diamond is struggling through illness and Barry Nicholson is banned.

Derek Young, Richie Byrne and Stuart Duff are missing through injury.

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown is suspended but Andreas Hinkel returns to the squad after being cup-tied for the Champions League defeat by Barcelona.


On-loan striker Georgios Samaras may be given a start by the visitors and the Greek international is determined to make his mark in Scotland.

"I believe that we can win the cup and the league," he said.

"I will do my best to go back home for my holidays with two medals around my neck."

Meanwhile, Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood reckons his side must make the most of home advantage.

"I think if we are going to go through then we will need to win the game here in Aberdeen because it will be difficult to go back to Parkhead and do that," he said.

"Obviously if you are losing one nil and you score in the last minute then you would settle for going to Parkhead.

"But at this moment in time if we are going to progress then we have to give winning at home our best shot.

"We have caused some upsets here before and looking at our home record this season, it has not been too bad."



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Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Mair, Maybury, Diamond, Considine, Bus, Foster, Walker, Severin, Aluko, Miller, Maguire, Jamie Smith, De Visscher, Touzani, Dan Smith, Jonathan Smith, Soutar.

Celtic (from): Boruc, Hinkel, Wilson, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Hartley, McDonald, Donati, Sno, McGeady, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Samaras, Mark Brown, Pressley, Robson, O'Dea.

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen 3-0 Gretna
Scottish Premier League
Satruday 15th March 08
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Chris Maguire and Lee Miller combined to fire Aberdeen to victory and complete a miserable week for Gretna.
Maguire's flashing drive just before half-time gave the Dons the lead against a Gretna side boasting a number of under-19 squad players.

Miller grabbed the second from the penalty spot after he was brought down by keeper Artur Krysiak.

Barry Nicholson compounded Gretna's misery with a superb 20-yard strike in the 72nd-minute.

Aberdeen made one change from the team that drew 1-1 with Celtic in the Scottish Cup on Sunday, as Nicholson replaced the injured Jamie Smith.

Gretna, who entered administration this week, had an unfamiliar look after several first-team regulars refused to play in the absence of medical insurance.

The side showed six changes from the defeat by Dundee United as Krysiak, Rostyn Griffiths, Ben Wilkinson, Abdul Osman, Ryan Baldacchino and Henry Makinwa were all handed starts.

Gavin Skelton dropped to the bench, while Greg Fleming, Chris Innes, John Paul Kissock, Mickael Buscher and Craig Barr were not named in the squad.

Aberdeen started brightly and Jeffrey de Visscher had the first shot on goal in the second minute, an effort comfortably saved by Krysiak.

Gretna struggled to retain possession and failed to give lone striker Makinwa any decent service.

The visitors did give Aberdeen a scare in the 36th minute when Baldacchino's cross was flicked towards goal by Wilkinson, but Derek Soutar saved well.


Gretna managed to field a side against Aberdeen

Maguire fired the Dons in front with an impressive drive just as it seemed the first-half would finish goalless.

Gretna rallied after the break but found it difficult to breach the Aberdeen defence.

And the Dons extened their lead in the 67th minute when Miller was felled in the box by Krysiak and the striker took the spot kick to score.

Nicholson made it three moments later when he collected Steve Lovell's pass before arrowing a superb shot past Krysiak.



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Aberdeen: Soutar, Maybury, Diamond, Considine, Foster, Nicholson, Touzani, Severin, De Visscher, Miller, Maguire. Subs: Langfield, McNamara, Lovell, Mackie, Mair, Aluko, Walker.

Gretna: Krysiak, Griffiths, Hall, Meynell, Naughton, McGill, Wilkinson, Osman, Baldacchino, Deverdics, Makinwa. Subs: Grant, Skelton, Hogg, Murray, Fisher, Schultz-Eklund, Taylor.

[DavidMc]

Celtic 0-1 Aberdeen
Scottish Cup QF Replay
Tuesday 18th March 08
Celtic Park, Glasgow

Aberdeen bundled Scottish Cup holders Celtic out of the tournament thanks to Darren Mackie's second-half strike.
Celtic laid siege to the visitors' goal in the first half but strikers Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink wasted good opportunities.

And in a rare Aberdeen attack, Mackie slammed in a smart 69th-minute finish.

Celtic poured forward in the closing stages but it is the Dons who will now meet First Division Queen of the South in the semi-finals.


Aberdeen had been denied by a last-minute goal in the first tie but turned in a stubborn defensive display to make the most of the replay.

Celtic started strongly and midfielder Massimo Donati drove over from 30 yards with less than a minute gone.

Moments later, Vennegoor of Hesselink headed a Lee Naylor cross over the crossbar from eight yards after good work from Aiden McGeady on the left flank.

Celtic remained camped in the Dons half and visiting midfielder Karim Touzani had to react quickly to block Shunsuke Nakamura's drive.

Vennegoor of Hesselink then stretched awkwardly to volley Nakamura's perfectly weighted cross over the bar from only six yards out.

On the half hour, McDonald found space on the edge of a congested six yard box but his mistimed header from Nakamura's corner flew wide via a deflection.

The Dons defence survived another scare when the Australian striker flashed a shot wide from close range after collecting a neat back-heel from Vennegoor of Hesselink.

Aberdeen did not threaten until the 41st minute but a lunging interception from Celtic skipper Stephen McManus prevented Barry Nicholson from getting a touch to a dangerous low cross.

McManus was then guilty of a slack back-pass but keeper Artur Boruc was quick off his line to save at the feet of Richard Foster.

Celtic did not have it all their own way after the interval as the visitors worked hard to close them down and the game grew increasingly scrappy.

The ball fell kindly to McGeady on the edge of the penalty area on 59 minutes but the midfielder skewed his shot wide of the target.

Donati fired another effort over the top before Aberdeen stunned the home crowd by taking the lead.

Celtic failed to clear their lines and Lee Miller flicked it on for Mackie to lash a shot beyond Boruc from 10 yards.

Nakamura tried his luck with a dipping long-range free-kick but Derek Soutar got down smartly to prevent it creeping in at the base of his post.

Soutar had to punch away a Georgios Samaras header and Zander Diamond got a fortunate block on a net-bound nod from Vennegoor of Hesselink.

The tall Dutch striker then sent a header narrowly wide and Foster had to clear when Soutar spilled an effort from Samaras.

Celtic continued to press forward with Boruc joining in the final attack but the Dons held on for a famous win.



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Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell (Riordan 84), McManus, Naylor, Nakamura, Scott Brown, Donati, McGeady, McDonald (Samaras 73), Vennegoor of Hesselink. Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, O'Dea, Sno.

Booked: Donati.

Aberdeen: Soutar, Maybury, Diamond (Mair 64), Considine, McNamara (Walker 79), Nicholson, Touzani (Aluko 46), Severin, Foster, Miller, Mackie. Subs Not Used: Langfield, Lovell.

Booked: Maybury.

Goals: Mackie 69.

Att: 33,506

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen v St Mirren
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 22nd March 08
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond is a doubt after sustaining an eye injury in the midweek Scottish Cup win at Celtic.

Striker Steve Lovell joins Jamie Smith, Richie Byrne, Stuart Duff and Derek Young on the Dons' casualty list.

St Mirren central defender John Potter remains sidelined with injury, along with long-term absentees Richard Brittain and Stephen O'Donnell.

Striker Jim Hamilton returns, having been ineligible for Wednesday's Scottish Cup defeat to St Johnstone.

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen 1-1 St Mirren

Aberdeen's top six hopes were dealt a blow by 10-man St Mirren at Pittodrie.
Andy Dorman continued his recent scoring record with a fine goal on 10 minutes after lifting the ball over Lee Mair and volleying home.

Aberdeen equalised as Mair made amends with a header from a Barry Nicholson corner for his first Dons goal.

Buddies' David Barron was sent-off for a second bookable offence in the second half as the game petered out with the visitors looking the more likely.

Aberdeen made three changes to the side that defeated Cetic in the cup with Mair in for Zander Diamond.

Elsewhere, Sone Aluko and Chris Maguire came in for Jackie McNamara and Karim Touzani in an attacking looking side.

John Potter, Hugh Murray, Jim Hamilton and Franco Miranda replaced Mark Corcoran, Ian Maxwell, Craig Dargo and Andy Millen for the Buddies.

Despite opening brightly enough, the Dons went behind after just 10 minutes.

Dorman burst forward from midfield, flicked the ball over Mair and lashed it passed Derek Soutar for his fourth of the season.

Mair made up for that as the home side continued to dominate possession and he headed home the equaliser on the half hour mark.

The former Dundee United defender found himself in space in the box and took full advantage of the slack defending to convert Nicholson's corner from the left.

St Mirren had to make a switch up front not long before half-time when Billy Mehmet failed to shake off a knock and was replaced by Stewart Kean.

The second-half began with both sides struggling to create any clear-cut chances.

Mair had another opportunity from a Nicholson corner but failed to connect with the ball.

Midfielders were struggling to adapt to the poor playing surface and there was a lack of crispness about both sides' passing.


Lee Mair flicks Aberdeen back on to level terms

The visitors were reduced to ten men when Barron was booked twice in the space of just seven minutes - the first for a foul on Lee Miller.

Then he petulantly threw the ball off the back of Jackie McNamara's head in full view of referee Crawford Allan.

Within minutes of being reduced in numbers, the Buddies almost went back in front as Soutar somehow clawed a Kean effort away for a corner.

The visitors had the better of things as the clock ticked down, while Aberdeen spluttered their way to a point.

With Hearts and Falkirk drawing at Tynecastle, this match will go down as a missed opportunity for the Dons' top-six prospects.

But St Mirren thoroughly deserved the point they earned and it could easily have been a victory they went back to Paisley with.



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Aberdeen: Soutar, Maybury (Walker 81), Mair (Bus 61), Considine, Foster, Maguire (McNamara 59), Nicholson, Severin, Aluko, Mackie, Miller. Subs: Langfield, Touzani, Pawlett, Jack.

Goal: Mair, 29.

St Mirren: Smith, van Zanten, Haining, Potter, Miranda, Barron, Mason, Dorman, Murray, Mehmet (Kean 40), Hamilton. Subs: Howard, Corcoran, Maxwell, Dargo, Docherty, McGinn.

Goal: Dorman, 10.

Booked: Barron.

Sent off: Barron.

[DavidMc]

Celtic 1-0 Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 19th April
Celtic Park, Glasgow

Celtic moved to the top of the SPL table for the first time this year with an unconvincing victory over Aberdeen.

Scott Severin struck both posts with a rasping drive in the fourth minute in a rare Aberdeen foray forward.

Georgios Samaras rose unchallenged to head home Barry Robson's free-kick after 56 minutes.

Zander Diamond's injury-time shot was ruled out for handball as Celtic held on to lead Rangers by two points, having played three games more.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan made four changes to the side that won the last Wednesday's Old Firm game.

Bobo Balde replaced the suspended Gary Caldwell to make his first appearance since December.


Lee Naylor, Paul Hartley and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink were all sidelined with knocks and were replaced with Mark Wilson, Massimo Donati and Georgios Samaras.

Aberdeen's Jamie Langfield was recalled in goal in place of Derek Soutar.


Jeffrey De Visscher, Stewart Duff and Derek Young also started ahead of Jackie McNamara, Sone Aluko and Chris Maguire.

Severin almost gave Aberdeen the lead in the fourth minute when his 20-yard drive struck a post before rolling along the line and hitting the other upright.

Balde spurned Celtic's best chance in the opening quarter when he stabbed at Andreas Hinkel's cross, but his effort sailed wide.


Bobo Balde made his first start for Celtic since Boxing Day


Aberdeen were content to hit Celtic on the break and were camped in their own half for long spells.

Paul Caddis replaced Hinkel at the break and his drive on the right-hand side offered some much-needed spark.

Shunsuke Nakamura shot wide moments after the break after collecting Mark Wilson's long-throw as Celtic looked to break the deadlock.

Samaras, who was having a poor afternoon, had a shot blocked when he could have played in McGeady.

Soutar then blocked Scott McDonald's shot as Aberdeen struggled to stem the tide.

The Greek international made amends moments later when he rose unchallenged to head home Barry Robson's free-kick.

Celtic toiled in their efforts to get a second goal as their laboured passing and slow counter-attacks frustrated the home supporters.

Miller almost made Celtic pay when he looked certain to score, but Caddis reacted brilliantly to clear the danger.

Langfield then palmed away McDonald's shot from just inside the box and McGeady headed over with the goal at his mercy.

Diamond thought he had equalised deep into injury-time, but his effort was chalked off after Barry Nicholson was adjudged to have handled as a nervy Celtic held on for victory.



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Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel (Caddis 46), Balde, McManus, Wilson, Nakamura, Robson, Donati, McGeady, McDonald (Killen 84), Samaras. Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, McGowan, Sno, Pressley, Mizuno.

Booked: Donati, McGeady.

Goals: Samaras 56.

Aberdeen: Langfield, Maybury, Diamond, Considine, Duff, Nicholson, Young, Severin, De Visscher (Aluko 80), Foster, Miller. Subs Not Used: Soutar, Lovell, Maguire, Bus, Jonathan Smith, Walker.

Booked: Nicholson, Diamond.

Att: 55,766

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen v Hibernian
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 26th April 08
Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen

Aberdeen will have Darren Mackie and Karim Touzani back for the visit of Hibernian after injury.

Jackie McNamara left the club during the week and Jamie Smith, Richie Byrne and Lee Mair are joined on the sidelines by Sone Aluko.

Hibs will be without Merouane Zemmama for the rest of the season as they continue their European push.

Chris Hogg, Kevin McCann and Brian Kerr are still injured, although skipper Rob Jones returns.



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Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Maybury, Considine, Diamond, Bus, Touzani, Nicholson, Foster, Walker, Severin, Duff, De Visscher, Young, Lovell, Miller, Maguire, Mackie, Jonathan Smith, Soutar.

Hibernian (from): McNeil, Gathuessi, Canning, Jones, Zarabi, Beuzelin, Murray, Rankin, Shiels, Nish, Fletcher, Ma-Kalambay, Benjelloun, Morais, Stevenson, Chisholm, Donaldson, Campbell.

[DavidMc]

Aberdeen v Dundee United
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 3rd May 08
Pittodrie Stadium

Forward Darren Mackie and defender Alan Maybury are the latest Aberdeen players to be ruled out of Saturday's game against Dundee United through injury.

Maybury, who has suspected broken ribs, joined Richie Byrne, Lee Mair and Jamie Smith on the long-term absence list, while Zander Diamond is suspended.

Dundee United midfielder Danny Swanson is available again for selection after his three-game ban.

And winger Willo Flood has recovered from a thigh injury.



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Aberdeen (from): Langfield, Considine, Bus, Touzani, Foster, Walker, Severin, Duff, De Visscher, Young, Lovell, Miller, Maguire, Aluko, Jonathan Smith, Pawlett, Jack, Soutar.

Dundee United (from): Zaluska, Dillon, Dods, Kenneth, Grainger, Wilkie, Kalvenes, Conway, Swanson, Kerr, Flood, Robb, Gomis, Buaben, Hunt, De Vries, O'Brien, Odhiambo, Daly, Robertson, Kovacevic, McLean.

[DavidMc]

Motherwell 2-1 Aberdeen
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 10th May 08
Fir Park Stadium

Motherwell all but clinched third spot in the SPL with a deserved victory over Aberdeen at Fir Park.

The hosts took the lead after 61 minutes when Darren Smith stabbed the ball home from close range.
But Motherwell's lead lasted only six minutes as Sone Aluko volleyed a superb equaliser past goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

Both sides attacked in a pulsating second-half and Chris Porter swept home the winner in 80 minutes after a quick counter-attack to floor the Dons.

Well and Dons were looking for victory to boost their hopes of securing third place and a Uefa Cup spot for next season.


Motherwell started the game in third place, three points ahead of the Dons with a game in hand.

After Dundee United's defeat by Rangers, the home side knew victory coupled with a Celtic win over Hibernian on Sunday would put them in the Uefa Cup for the first time in 13 years.

Motherwell went close to breaking the deadlock after 12 minutes following good link-up play between David Clarkson and Porter.

Clarkson headed on Mark Reynolds' pass and confidently controlled Porter's instant return, but the striker volleyed over from 12 yards.

Aberdeen had to shuffle their defence when centre-back Andrew Considine limped off to be replaced by Dave Bus.
Walker looked the most threatening player for the Dons in the first-half and Smith had to look lively to save his flashing drive.

Smith gave Motherwell a deserved lead in the 61st minute when he stabbed the ball home from close range for his fourth goal of the season.

Porter headed down a dangerous cross by Hughes and the teenager poked the ball into the bottom corner at the second attempt.

But the Dons restored parity six minutes later when substitute Aluko volleyed home Darren Mackie's cross.

Aberdeen looked far more dangerous after carving out an equaliser, with Barry Nicholson's shot adjudged not to have crossed the line and Aluko going close for the Dons.

Porter put Well back in front when the frontman finished a superb counter-attack to sweep Stephen Hughes' cross past the stranded Jamie Langfield.



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Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Brian McLean, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell, Hughes, McGarry (McCormack 66), Malcolm, Fitzpatrick (Darren Smith 46), Porter, Clarkson, McCormack (Lappin 85). Subs Not Used: Daniels, Lasley, Murphy, Meechan.

Booked: Lappin.

Goals: Darren Smith 61, Porter 81.

Aberdeen: Langfield, Maybury, Touzani, Considine (Bus 17), Foster, Duff, Nicholson, Walker (Aluko 64), Severin, Mackie (Maguire 81), Miller. Subs Not Used: Soutar, Lovell, De Visscher, Ross.

Booked: Touzani.

Goals: Aluko 67.

[LAF]

Preston poised to sign Nicholson

Preston boss Alan Irvine is on the brink of signing midfielder Barry Nicholson on a free in a two-year deal.

The 29-year-old former Aberdeen player will become Irvine's first capture of the summer on Tuesday - subject to his passing a medical at Deepdale.

Irvine told BBC Radio Lancashire: "I'm delighted. He made it very clear from the start that despite all the interest he wanted to sign from Preston.

"I'm happy to have a player who desperately wants to play for us."

Nicholson, who started his career with Rangers, had been linked with a move to Deepdale for several months.

He will join on a Bosman free transfer after making more than 100 appearances for the Pittodrie club, before rejecting a new deal.

Irvine added: "We wanted to get some new faces in before pre-season started and we've done that - there's still plenty of time before the season starts to get more in but Barry Nicholson is a good player to start our summer recruitment."

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Preston | Preston poised to sign Nicholson