JIMMY Calderwood spent five years at Aberdeen before parting company with the club in May.
He is now back in the Scottish Premier League as Kilmarnock boss and faces an emotional return to the Granite City on Saturday.
"He was here for a long time and he was hugely successful and popular," said his successor, Mark McGhee.
"For me, I sincerely and genuinely hope that when Jimmy comes out on Saturday that every single Aberdeen fan in the stadium stands up and gives him a standing ovation because I think he fully deserves it.
"Jimmy did a brilliant job here and he moved on and is now in a different job.
"I think he should be welcomed back here with open arms and then they should get behind the team and hope that we beat them."
Meanwhile, McGhee had nothing new to report in terms of movement in the January transfer window but was refusing to rule out activity before the month is out.
He said: "Every option is open to us, whether it be loans or permanent transfers, in or out. We've got to keep our minds wide open to every possibility.
"Nothing has happened yet. Nobody has come in for any player yet and we have not so far managed to secure another player coming in.
"Every option is open to us and I will consider every option that improves the team and improves the squad."
McGhee is resigned to missing out on Plymouth striker Steven McLean but Falkirk captain Darren Barr remains a target.
The Dons boss told RedTV: "I said on Friday that, as far as I understood, Steven McLean was likely to sign for a Championship team.
"I've not heard yet that he has but I'm told that is still the possibility. I'm not holding my breath on that one.
"Darren Barr is a player I'm interested in and that's all I can say about it. The ball is first of all in his court and after that in Falkirk's court.
"They know our feelings, he knows our feelings. At the moment, none of that has changed."
Source: Team Talk
Source: Team Talk