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SCMP Reporter

ABERDEEN boss Roy Aitken takes his side to Ibrox tomorrow with the spectre of Alex Ferguson looming ever-large above him.

  The visit comes after a midweek UEFA Cup loss that looks set to maintain Dons' 10-year habit of early exits from Europe.

  It is no coincidence that the defeat by Danes, Brondby, also marks 10 years to the week since Ferguson left Pittodrie.

  He joined Manchester United in a blaze of glory after making the Dons a powerful European force.

  Ferguson's finest hour came 13 years ago with Aberdeen's victory over the mighty Real Madrid to lift the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup. Aberdeen are only a shadow of their former greatness and the potential for Aitken to develop the side is limited.

  He is the fourth Dons boss since Ferguson to try and make full points a real possibility against Old Firm sides.

  But Aitken refuses to be daunted by the European or domestic challenges and remained upbeat after the midweek defeat.

  He said: 'There are so many variables in football and too many things can happen that can change the fate of a team.

  'Quite often there is a mountain to climb but we have to try to climb it.

  'Be assured, we'll pick up our confidence and be back in our stride for the Ibrox match.'   Aitken saved the club from relegation two years ago but the gulf between averting defeat and ensuring victory is vast.

  Compared to the Old Firm, Aitken has limited financial resources.

  His club simply can't afford contracts that pay millions and is therefore unable to copy Celtic and Rangers and attract top-drawer foreign talent.

  But it remains that, for Aitken to be accepted as successful as Ferguson was, he must use the available resources at hand.

  With only eight matches played this season the Dons are already five points behind Celtic and seven behind Rangers at the top. Yet, for all the comparative cash shortfalls compared to the Old Firm, Aitken boasts two of the most lethal strikers in the league.

  Billy Dodds and Dean Windass have shared 21 goals this term and look sharp enough to remain top of the scoring charts.

  Their goals have earned Dodds a Scotland cap and Windass the interest of England boss Glen Hoddle.

  Aberdeen paid only GBP1.5 million for the pair and for Aitken's side to be successful tomorrow he'll need them to prove to be bargains.

  Rangers could be without goalkeeper Andy Goram who was ruled out of Wednesday's European Champions' League 4-1 defeat by Ajax Amsterdam with a hip injury.

  The Scotland international was replaced by former Aberdeen Dutch 'keeper Theo Snelders, who returned to his home country to play only his third match for Rangers.

  Manager Walter Smith's side are already missing Stephen Wright, Alan McLaren, David Robertson, Trevor Steven, Ally McCoist and Gordon Durie.

  Rangers' Danish striker Erik Bo Anderson is struggling to recover from a hamstring injury and Dutch striker Peter van Vossen, who was taken off on a stretcher in a league match at the weekend, is doubtful.

  Mid-table Motherwell welcome managerless Hibs who are in confident form after last week delivering Rangers first league defeat. The match will prove interesting for neutral observers with Hibs' known to be ambitious to sign 'Well manager Alex McLeish.

  Bottom club Raith Rovers take on second-bottom Kilmarnock and Dundee United visit Dunfermline.

  Sunday's big match will see back-in-favour Pierre Van Hooydonk take the field for Celtic at Tynecastle.

  The striker settled his differences with the club to make a heroic return last week and score the winner against Motherwell.

  Celts will be hoping that a Van Hooydonk-inspired win will take them top should Aberdeen beat Rangers.

  Meanwhile, Hearts' chairman Chris Robinson could be punished for his behaviour during his side's stormy defeat at Rangers last month after being ordered to appear before the Scottish football authorities.

  Robinson appeared on the touchline as his club had four men sent off in their game with Rangers at Ibrox which was widely condemned as a farce.

  Robinson has been summoned to explain his actions to the Scottish Football Association's (SFA) Disciplinary Committee at their next meeting on November 18.

  However, no further action will be taken against the four players. An SFA spokesman confirmed: 'The committee felt that the normal disciplinary procedures were sufficient.' 



Aitken struggling to recapture Ferguson's Granite City glory