Matchday 31 - Rangers

Relegation Fears Grow After Ibrox Defeat, But Women Shine Against Accies

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Welcome to the show notes for Sunday, March 22nd’s episode of the AFC DONScast. It was a weekend of extreme highs and crushing lows for Aberdeen fans, and Graeme is here to break it all down.

Ibrox Heartbreak for the Men

  • Aberdeen suffered a commanding 4-1 defeat to title challengers Rangers at Ibrox.

  • Dennis Geiger provided a brief glimmer of hope by scoring Aberdeen’s only goal, ending an agonising run of three consecutive goalless outings at Ibrox.

  • The Dons remain in 9th place with 30 points, but our safety cushion has practically vanished, leaving us a mere three points ahead of St Mirren and Kilmarnock.

Fan Reaction on DonsTalk

  • The mood among the fanbase is bleak, with some supporters labeling the weekend’s performance an absolute embarrassment.

  • Younger defenders Jack Milne and Dylan Lobban took heavy criticism for their performances.

  • There is a growing campaign among fans to move Nilssen to the middle of the defense for his experience and leadership.

  • On a positive note, fans highlighted Dennis Geiger’s goal and Topi Keskinen’s effort, naming Keskinen as Aberdeen’s best player on the day.

Pittodrie News

  • Coaching Restructure: First-team coach Peter Leven has officially departed the club, while Ian Burchnall will remain on staff until at least the summer.

  • Summer Rebuild: Manager Stephen Robinson is preparing for massive player turnover, with decisions looming on out-of-contract key players like Graeme Shinnie and Tom McIntyre.

  • Injury Boost: Centre-back Mats Knoester is out of his neck brace and has been cleared by a specialist to begin recovery.

  • Legends Day: Aberdeen announced an inaugural “Legends Day” on April 11th against Hibs to honor record goalscorer Joe Harper.

Aberdeen Women Victorious

  • Manager Scott Booth made six changes to the starting lineup following a loss to Motherwell.

  • Aberdeen Women secured a thrilling 3-2 away victory against Hamilton Academical.

  • 16-year-old Mia Selbie made a massive impact on her full debut, creating the first goal and scoring the second.

  • Francesca Ogilvie and Hannah Stewart also found the back of the net to seal the three points.

  • Keira MacPherson made her return to the bench for the first time since February 2025 following a long ACL recovery.

Looking Ahead

  • The Dons: Aberdeen faces a massive relegation six-pointer away to St Mirren on April 4th.

  • Scotland: The Tartan Army is preparing for 2026 World Cup warm-up matches against Japan at Hampden Park (March 28th) and away to Ivory Coast (March 31st).

  • Podcast Schedule: The AFC DONScast will take a week off for the international break and return on Easter Sunday, April 5th.

AFC DONScast

AFC DONScast