Brown’s contacts book could bring Dons some intriguing summer signings

The likes of Chris Maguire, Sone Aluko, Robert Milsom, Zander Diamond and Jamie Langfield have been told that contract negotiations will wait until after the Scottish Cup semi-finals, in an effort to avoid distractions and perhaps extract vital extra percentiles of effort in the coming weeks. It is equally likely that Brown will be well aware which players are more or less likely to be around next season, whether that decision is taken by the individuals or the manager.

One such target that has already been identified is Brechin’s Rory McAllister. The striker started his career at Aberdeen, but moved first to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and then Brechin, with a spell at Peterhead in between. McAllister has proven himself a goal-scorer of the most lethal kind at Second Division level, scoring 26 goals last season and a further 19 in this. Recent performances in the Scottish Cup have underlined the belief that he could return to playing at a higher level, and at just 23 years old there is plenty of time to continue his footballing education.

There remain reservations over any potential signing. There may be less of a quality chasm between the SPL and Division Two than there is some other countries, but the move would still be a considerable step up and as such something of a coin toss. Rory McAllister picks up almost as many bookings as he does goals, and as we’ve already seen, this is a player who scores a lot of goals. Would that overly physical approach be asking for trouble in the top division? Not least there is the question mark over whether the move back into full time football would be beneficial to a player completing his plumbing apprenticeship.

Ever careful to remain respectful of opponents, Craig Brown has made an effort to suggest his admiration for the player without explicitly naming him as a target. The phrase “I’m not going to be dishonest and say we’re not interested” contains so many double negatives it rivals Charlie “Can’t possibly fail not to score” Nicholas for labyrinthine linguistics, but the statement seems to suggest it is at least an avenue of possibility.

Brown has been less restrained in his praise for Steven Smith, currently on loan from Norwich, stating in no uncertain terms that he would like to keep the left back at the club permanently. Even if this is a viable option, the uncertainty over the futures of David McNamee and Richard Foster suggest that at least one full back will be needed when the summer sales open.

The manager has also been effusive in his praise for Richard Langley, the Jamaican international who was briefly on trial last month. Finances dictated that an immediate move would not be possible, but his signature could well be one worth pursuing in the summer. The creative midfielder has represented his country in games against some of the finest nations in the world – Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico – and remains an intriguing, if somewhat mysterious, prospect.

It is that mystery that suggests it could be the most refreshing summer Aberdeen have experienced in some time. While the free transfer market is often a blind auction, a manager with the knowledge and contact base of Craig Brown is trusted more than most to exploit such an open marketplace. They may or may not be realistic options, but the likes of Don Cowie, Richard Hughes, Steven Thompson, Gavin Rae, Callum Davidson and Russell Anderson are out of contract players that will be more than familiar with the Aberdeen boss.

As the season draws to a close Aberdeen still have considerably more than most to play for. A top six finish may be all but extinct for even the most optimistic of supporters, but the Scottish Cup semi final gives the players the chance to let the records show, slightly disingenuously, that 2010/11 was a successful year. Success in that competition could well be the difference between retaining players and bringing in improvements ahead of next season.
 

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