Jimmy Thelin says Aberdeen must continue growing as he hails club ‘togetherness’

Jimmy Thelin welcomes the growing togetherness in Aberdeen amid a storming start to the season which has excited the Dons fans.

Since the Swede took over the Pittodrie club in the summer, the Dons have won 12 out of 12 games in all competitions and after six William Hill Premiership fixtures they sit second behind leaders Celtic only on goal difference.

Pittodrie will be packed for the visit on Sunday of bottom side Hearts which is encouraging for Thelin.

He said: “It’s really important having a full Pittodrie on Sunday.

“It says so much about the atmosphere, not only at Pittodrie but in the city, the feelings around the football club and the city, and the togetherness.

“The players are excited and so are the supporters, so hopefully, we can show that on the pitch.

“For me, it’s like you always have to grow as a club to be competitive in the long term.

“You have to add more things. Every department has to be the best, and it’s not only the football team.

“It’s everything together with the power of the football club. It is long term, not only one season or some moments. We have to keep growing and do it together.”

Thelin, however, is reading little into Aberdeen’s start to the season, their lofty position in the table, or the fact they can go 19 points clear of a Hearts side who finished 20 points ahead of them last season in third place.

After a run of eight successive defeats cost manager Steven Naismith his job, the Jambos have shown signs of recovery under caretaker boss Liam Fox.

The Gorgie outfit snatched a late 1-1 draw against Ross County last Saturday and in Azerbaijan on Thursday, substitute Yan Dhanda’s last-gasp header gave the visitors a 2-1 victory over Dinamo Minsk in the Europa Conference League.

Thelin said: “We have a lot of games to play, our only focus is this game and also how well they have performed in the last two games.

“Liam (Fox) has made some changes; he has added some good things to their team. So, we need to be 100 per cent prepared for the game on Sunday.

“We can talk about the table, when we have one game to play at the end of the season, but not now.

“Hearts have done good things, and it was a good result for them on Thursday. It was a late goal, so, good for them, but it does not change our preparation and how we think about the game.

“Everything can turn really quick in football.

“It’s difficult to say the reason sometimes for a team to be struggling, but I think they have shown in the last two games they have good things inside the team and have good ideas, and let’s see what happens.

“It’s going to be a tough, tight game, but it’s also going to be full house at Pittodrie, so we are so happy with that. We’re looking forward to the game.”