DONS midfield enforcer Mark Kerr has today been controversially announced as the new Aberdeen captain — with last season's vice-captain and fans' choice Zander Diamond overlooked.
New Dons boss Mark McGhee decided to have a look at several players in the captain's role in pre-season, but with obvious candidate Zander Diamond suffering from a mystery injury, Kerr was elevated to pole position in the chase for the armband.
The 27-year-old midfielder has been a midfield mainstay since his move from Dundee United last season, and it is difficult to think of another player in recent years who has arrived at Pittodrie and slipped so comfortably into his Dons role.
But Kerr missed crucial games last season due to indiscipline — twice because of needless red cards, where he showed complete lack of composure on the pitch, and once because of an off-field nightclub altercation.
Many fans explained on Aberdeen-Mad's messageboards that the reason they did not pick Kerr as their Aberdeen-Mad Player of the Year was due to this lack of discipline late in the campaign.
And a poll held in June asked Aberdeen-Mad visitors to vote who they'd like to see as the new captain, with 67.2% voting for Zander Diamond and Kerr a distant second with 10.3% of the vote.
Kerr said: "I'm delighted to be given the opportunity to captain Aberdeen.
"I'm confident I can do a good job without having to change my game too much.
"I know what it means to skipper this club and what this club means to its tremendous supporters.
"There is a lot of responsibility on my shoulders, not only on the park but off the park as well, but I feel I am up to the task."
It is thought that the decision will place question marks over Diamond's future at the club, as the 24-year-old former Scotland Under-21 skipper was desperate to be handed the role.
Diamond has also been linked in recent weeks with a move to Saturday's season-opening opponents Celtic.
