Celtic v Aberdeen: Nine reasons to worry but Craig Brown sure his team can cope

ABERDEEN manager Craig Brown insists there is no fear among his players as they return to the scene of their worst result from last season, and indeed the club’s history.

Aberdeen visit Celtic Park today with memories still raw of their 9-0 defeat in the corresponding fixture last season.

The thrashing helped spell the end of Mark McGhee’s disappointing spell in charge – and Brown has not found it easy to transform the team’s fortunes.

But successive wins over Dunfermline and Dundee United, scoring seven goals in the process, have lifted the mood at Pittodrie ahead of their trip to Parkhead.

And Brown believes there is a more resolute edge to his team this season following the summer arrival of the likes of Kari Arnason and Youl Mawene.

“We are not going there with any fear or trepidation or anything,” the former Scotland manager said.

“Certainly we are positive in most fixtures so we pick a team to suit the occasion. Not necessarily the same team but obviously the nucleus of the team in the last couple of games will stay the same.

“It is possible for us to go down there and give a good account of ourselves and it is possible to get a victory.

“We need to play very well to do that and that will test Celtic to the limit if we play to our ability.”

He continued: “I think we have a bit of steel about our team and we have got a winning mentality appearing in the side which is very, very good.

“We were very unfortunate to lose 1-0 down there at the end of last season and if we can repeat that performance we will do well.

“I thought we did well at Ibrox and against Motherwell and we were unlucky to lose these games so clearly we don’t go down there looking for a defeat, we go down looking for a victory.”

With Brown having brought in experienced players over the summer, he has no fears about his Celtic Park debutants being fazed by the atmosphere.

“We have half a dozen players or maybe more that haven’t played there before and all the new boys will be looking forward to going to a smashing stadium,” he said.

“It is a good atmosphere at Parkhead and it must be every player’s dream to play in front of as big of a crowd as possible.

“You can’t get a bigger crowd in Scotland than at Celtic Park and we could expect a good 45-50,000 so that’s a great incentive for the new players.”