Aberdeen Football Club has once again found itself at a crossroads, as the Pittodrie hierarchy pulled the trigger on manager Jimmy Thelin after a tumultuous 18 months in charge. The Swede, who just eight months ago delivered a historic Scottish Cup triumph—the Dons’ first in 35 years—has now paid the price for a disappointing first half of the 2025-26 campaign, capped by a dismal run that leaves Aberdeen languishing in eighth place in the Scottish Premiership.
Thelin’s dismissal was confirmed following a crunch meeting with chairman Dave Cormack, chief executive Alan Burrows, and new sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel, who will now spearhead the search for Aberdeen’s seventh managerial appointment in just five years. The club’s statement was unequivocal: “Results and performances have fallen below the required standard and have not been commensurate with the level of investment made in the first-team squad and football operation.”
It’s hard to argue with the numbers. Aberdeen’s league record under Thelin this season reads seven wins, four draws, and nine defeats from 20 matches. That tally, combined with a five-match losing streak, has left the Dons well adrift of the top six and, crucially, far below the expectations set by last May’s Hampden heroics. The final straw? A limp 1-0 defeat away to Falkirk, where Aberdeen failed to register a meaningful threat and were perhaps lucky not to lose by a wider margin.
Thelin, 47, accepted his fate with dignity. In a heartfelt statement, he said, “Today my time as manager at Aberdeen comes to an end. It is with great respect for this historic club that I accept this decision. Results ultimately decide the tenure of this profession, and as such I take my share of responsibility. I believe wholly in the work that was done; however, football doesn’t always allow time for belief to become results.”
He continued, “I would like to thank the players for their commitment and effort during my time as their coach, and the staff who worked every day with loyalty and pride. I would also like to thank the supporters. Your passion for your team never waivers, even in disappointment. Aberdeen will forever be a part of my journey, and it has been an honour to lead this great club and share that memorable day together at Hampden. I leave wishing success to everyone involved both on and off the pitch.”
Thelin’s tenure at Pittodrie was a rollercoaster from the outset. Appointed in the summer of 2024 after a successful spell at Elfsborg, he made an immediate impact, rattling off 14 wins and a draw in his first 15 games. That electric start included a remarkable 16-match unbeaten run, raising hopes that Aberdeen might finally break Celtic and Rangers’ domestic dominance. However, cracks began to show with a 6-0 hammering at the hands of Celtic in the League Cup semi-final last season—a result that foreshadowed the inconsistency to come.
Despite stumbling to a fifth-place league finish last term, Thelin’s crowning achievement came at Hampden, where Aberdeen stunned holders Celtic in a dramatic Scottish Cup final. After trailing at the break, the Dons forced extra time and ultimately prevailed on penalties, booking their ticket to the group stage of European competition for the first time in years. Chairman Dave Cormack was effusive in his praise: “These memories will last a lifetime, and Jimmy will be forever etched into Aberdeen’s history for delivering such a special day for our supporters, as only one of six Aberdeen managers to win the Scottish Cup in our storied 122-year history.”
But football is a results business, and Thelin’s inability to build on that momentum proved costly. A major summer recruitment drive raised expectations, but the new-look squad failed to gel. Aberdeen’s European campaign was particularly chastening—the Dons finished second bottom of their Conference League group, mustering just two points from six games, including heavy defeats to AEK Athens (6-0) and Sparta Prague (3-0). Thelin’s men managed only draws against AEK Larnaca and Noah, while a two-legged loss to FCSB dashed hopes of Europa League progress.
Domestically, the season began inauspiciously. Aberdeen failed to find the net in their opening six league matches, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table in October. A spirited response followed, with a seven-game unbeaten run restoring hope of a top-six finish. Yet, as winter drew in, the wheels came off—no wins in the last four league outings, including the decisive Falkirk defeat, sealed Thelin’s fate. As Cormack put it, “After significant investment in recent windows, we have not kicked on in the way we hoped or expected following that success. We have tried to give the situation as much time as possible, but recent performances have been significantly below the standards we expect, and we believe it is now right to take a different direction.”
Thelin’s assistant, Christer Persson, departs alongside him, while first-team coach Peter Leven steps in as interim manager. Leven, who previously oversaw the first team following Barry Robson’s and Neil Warnock’s departures last season, will be assisted by Craig Hinchliffe and, crucially, by Pfannenstiel, who is tasked with finding a permanent successor. Leven’s first test comes against Rangers on Tuesday, a daunting assignment as Aberdeen seeks to steady the ship.
For Thelin, the end comes with a sense of unfinished business. He reflected candidly after his final match: “I won’t talk much about the game, but more about ourselves. The desire, there’s too many individual decisions. Football is more than technique and systems. It’s how you act on the football pitch. It’s about responsibility. We’ve been here before, we’ve bounced back, but now we’re back some steps again. Even if you don’t have the perfect game, it should always feel like we give the fans everything, and right now we aren’t doing that. That’s not good enough. I’m the manager, I’m responsible, but sometimes the players have to look in the mirror and know what football is about. We have to drop our egos and play much better as a team.”
As the Dons prepare for yet another managerial search, questions abound. Can the next appointment finally bring stability to Pittodrie after years of upheaval? Will the club’s significant investment pay dividends, or will the cycle of short-term fixes continue? For now, the focus is on the immediate future, with Leven and his staff tasked with halting the slide and reigniting the spark that made last May’s Hampden triumph possible.
Whatever comes next, Jimmy Thelin’s legacy at Aberdeen is secure. The Swedish manager’s name will forever be linked with that unforgettable Scottish Cup victory—a rare bright spot in a period of turbulence. As the club moves forward, supporters will hope that the lessons of the past 18 months help lay the foundation for a more consistent and successful era at Pittodrie.