Stephen Robinson Named Aberdeen Head Coach

Aberdeen appoint Stephen Robinson as manager

Aberdeen appoint Stephen Robinson as new head coach, replacing Jimmy Thelin. The 51-year-old joins from St Mirren on a contract until 2029, with Brian Kerr as his assistant.

“There is a strong desire to re-establish a clear identity for our club, to become harder to play against...”

Stephen Robinson is the new head coach of Aberdeen, taking over from Jimmy Thelin who was sacked in January. The 51-year-old Northern Irishman joins from Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren, bringing assistant Brian Kerr with him on a contract until 2029.

Robinson, known for his achievements at Motherwell and St Mirren, aims to bring stability and direction to Aberdeen. He led St Mirren to three consecutive top-six finishes and won the League Cup this season, beating Celtic in the final. Aberdeen's chairman, Dave Cormack, praised Robinson's track record, saying he's the right man to re-establish the club's identity and competitiveness.

Peter Leven had been steering Aberdeen as caretaker boss since Jimmy Thelin's sacking in January. Results were tough – just one win in eight games, including a 3-0 Scottish Cup loss to Dunfermline Athletic.

The Dons are looking to bounce back under new head coach Stephen Robinson. 

A busy day in ABZ.

Let's go 🫡 pic.twitter.com/UG0TBQtHA7

— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) March 12, 2026

“There is a strong desire to re-establish a clear identity for our club, to become harder to play against and restore competitiveness in our matches,” said chairman Dave Cormack.

"For those reasons we believe Stephen is the right head coach to deliver exactly that.”

“Couldn't turn it down” – Robinson on joining Aberdeen. 

“Aberdeen has a tremendous history and there's no mistaking it is a huge club,” he said.

“The facilities and resources that will be at my disposal are excellent and, more importantly, the fan base is tremendous so I'm excited to work for a club of this size and strive to take it forward.”