Dons legend McGhee takes charge at Aberdeen

Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen appointed former star Mark McGhee as their new manager on Friday.

McGhee has quit his job as Motherwell boss to return to Pittodrie, where he starred as a striker in the 1980s, as a replacement for Jimmy Calderwood, who resigned at the end of the season.

Former Wolverhampton and Reading boss McGhee was a member of the Aberdeen team that beat Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup-Winners Cup final under Alex Ferguson’s leadership.

Scott Leitch, McGhee’s number two at Motherwell, will also move to Aberdeen to continue his assistant’s role.

“It is fantastic,” McGhee told Sky Sports News. “When you set out as a manager, you have certain ambitions and one of mine was to manage the clubs I played for, Newcastle, Celtic and Aberdeen.

“I had great times here as a player and here I am, managing to fulfil an ambition to come back as manager, it’s unbelievable for me.

“Aberdeen was a huge part of my career, we had the European Cup Winners’ Cup win, three Scottish Cup final wins in a row with Alex Ferguson and I’ve got great friends from that team and that era.

“There are a lot of memories, it’s 25 years since I left but it looks as beautiful as ever and it just encourages me.”

Dons director of football Willie Miller, another key figure in Aberdeen’s 1980s triumphs, is delighted to be reunited with McGhee, who scored 63 goals for the club from 1978 to 1984.

“The board was unanimous in the choice of Mark for our new manager, as everyone knows, these situations can be extremely delicate and you have to allow for all eventualities,” Miller told the club’s official website.

“That said, we’re delighted Mark and Scott have agreed to join us and with the return of European football next month, these are exciting times here at Pittodrie.

“Mark is well known to most Aberdeen supporters and of course, having been here as a player, he also knows what the club means to them and he’s itching to get started.”

The new management team’s first official day in charge will be Wednesday July 1 when the players report for pre-season training.