The club confirmed on May 30th that "agreement has been reached with Jonny Hayes on a two year deal that will commence at the end of his present contract with Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC".
Chief Executive Duncan Fraser said on official website RedWeb: "We met with Jonny's agent Des Byrne prior to the last game of the season and both Jonny and his agent felt that this was the right move for him.
"Negotiations were carried out in an extremely professional way and I am pleased to say he has chosen Aberdeen ahead of a number of potential clubs. Jonny was a key target for Craig and we are delighted with the outcome."
The sentence that immediately followed that triumphant statement slightly undermined the conclusive tone of Fraser's quote, and explained why there was no accompanying 'broom cupboard' photo.
It said: "Jonny will sign the deal after undergoing a medical on his return from holiday."
Hmm. So he hasn't actually signed yet - and worse was to come for Dons fans when they checked-in to Twitter, where Hayes denied that any agreement had been reached.
Hayes first tweeted: "I must have a doppelganger because I've managed to sign for teams even tho I'm halfway across the world!.... Leave it out."
Then, when quizzed about what he mean, Hayes replied (tweplied?): "No I have not signed for Aberdeen! My agent was speaking to them before I went on holiday 10 days ago, il kno what's happening when I'm Back."
Later he twadded: "I wont be making a decision Til I get back!"
The confusion is just another embarrassment for AFC and the long-suffering support, who in 2012 alone have had to put up with:
- Creating celebratory banners for Kari Arnason then days later discovering he rejected a contract
- Listening to Craig Brown's cringeworthy interviews where he defends defeats by claiming "the keeper didn't have a save to make"
- Spending huge money, time and effort on a Scottish Cup semi-final display only for the team to serve up a woeful display of tactical ineptitude
- Hearing the club admit that the new Loirston stadium will not in fact be built on schedule and has been delayed for at least a year
- And yet again watch their team dismally slide to yet another ninth-place finish putting up no fight in the process.
Another worry for Dons fans will be a quote from Craig Brown regarding winger Hayes.
While much of the support is convinced that a lack of width has hamstrung the team under Brown, and will be delighted at the potential acquisition of a winger, Brown described Hayes in the Scotsman as: "a creative, goal-scoring player." Not a winger. So we can expect to see him playing centrally then...
However, and ultimately, that the club can't sign a player from Inverness Caley Thistle without a very public humiliation yet again demonstrates that the club's woes transcend much further than the pitch - and with season tickets on sale now, AFC will need to get their house in order sharpish if they want to see any fans through the turnstiles next term.