Three years after surviving Armageddon, Aberdeen have pulled off one of their best European results in 20 years.
Skonto Riga and Sigma Olomouc have stood out like tombstones over the Dons in recent seasons as the joys of qualifying for Europe have been overtaken by some humiliating defeats.
Those results came while the club toiled for former glories up against a club with a limitless overdraft before switching to a scheme where players were signed on the promise of large tax free loans with no repayment schedule.
When Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs put Rangers into liquidation three years ago the short sighted claimed that the Scottish game was doomed with little or no interest beyond the artificial ‘Old Firm’ contest that had been turned into a freak show.
From the ashes at Ibrox clubs have discovered a level playing field where they have a fair chance of success and are no longer handicapped by paying their social taxes.
Aberdeen and St Johnstone have enjoyed trophy successes while Dundee United have developed players, brought an element of success to the club and taken in close to £7m in transfer fees.
From their League Cup Final win in March 2014- in front of 40,000 of their own fans- Aberdeen have grown as a club and are edging towards a windfall payment of reaching the group stage of the Europa League.
Last season a 2-0 win away to Groningen provided the club with a great confidence boost but the feel good factor was quickly ended in the next round with defeat from Real Sociedad.
In Croatia last night Derek McInnes’ side were up against fancied opponents in Rijeka who hadn’t lost at home in their last 12 European ties.
Goals from Andrew Considine, Peter Pawlett and Kenny McLean produced an unlikely 3-0 win and assures the Dons of a place in the third qualifying round assuming that they avoid the biggest catastrophe in Scottish football since Craig Whyte wrote a fateful cheque for £1.
Almost as importantly Aberdeen will go into today’s third round draw alongside seeded Rijeka meaning that the winners of the tie will avoid clubs such as Athletic Bilbao, Bordeaux or Sampdoria.
A place in the play-off round is a distinct possibility but having cut short their close season break for the second year running McInnes won’t be getting carried away after 90 minutes in Croatia.
“It’s a job well done from everybody tonight, it’s immensely satisfying,” the Aberdeen boss said after watching his side’s 3-0 win. “We should enjoy it and feel good about ourselves.
“I was pleased to get the water break to be honest. We just needed to be a bit braver with our pressing game because I felt they were enjoying the game in the first 20 minutes, but from there we gave a very competent, mature, smart performance and we were clinical.
“It shows what can be done with the players because Rijeka are a good team. The level of teams that they’ve managed to see off would suggest that was a very good job from everybody at Aberdeen.”
For the second season running Aberdeen are on course to sell a record number of season tickets with a similar story at Tynecastle where Hearts can realistically aspire to matching Aberdeen over the next three or four seasons.
Before being consigned to liquidation Rangers won just once in 25 European ties as Scotland’s co-efficient nose dived.
