Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin admits his relationship with chairman Dave Cormack extends beyond football.
Cormack brought Thelin to Scottish football in the summer when the Swede was appointed the new Aberdeen manager on a three-year deal.
And since then, it’s been a rollercoaster ride. Thelin was the mastermind behind Aberdeen’s incredible start to the season that saw them being talked up as Premiership title challengers.
But it went from the sublime to the ridiculous as the Dons’ form slumped dramatically and went on a stunning 14-game winless run in the league.
However, the Aberdeen board stuck by Thelin and backed him financially in the transfer window to further improve the squad.
Thelin’s bond with Aberdeen chairman Cormack
The Pittodrie outfit completed six signings and Thelin made a nod to this as quoted in The Press & Journal, saying that Cormack has supported him well.
Speaking ahead of facing Motherwell on Saturday, Thelin said: “The chairman Dave (Cormack) and the board have supported me a lot. I have a good relationship with the chairman and we talk about everything – football, but also life.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 2 |  RangersRangers | 30 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 62 | 28 | 34 | 62 |
| 3 |  HibernianHibernian | 30 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 45 | 41 | 4 | 44 |
| 4 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 38 | 46 | -8 | 43 |
| 5 |  Dundee UtdDundee Utd | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 38 | 40 | -2 | 41 |
“It is good to have this as football is about passion. When you have to work in one direction you have to take it step by step.
“And for that the support the chairman gives me and the passion he feels for the club is great. It is so nice to be a part of that.”
Ex-Aberdeen star Lewis Ferguson on Scottish presence in Serie A
Cormack was, of course, part of the discussions that eventually saw ex-Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson sold to Bologna in 2022.
Ferguson has now opened up about how Scotland international teammate Aaron Hickey played a role in his switch to Serie A, as well as talking to Che Adams and Billy Gilmour before their respective moves to Torino and Napoli.
Ferguson told Destination Calcio: “I spoke with Aaron Hickey because he played here for two years before I came. And in the summer when there was interest from Bologna, I was with the national team, so I was with Aaron when the interest came around.
“I spoke with him and he really enjoyed being here, and spoke really positively about the city, about the club, the people. I took it on board, it was all positive things. It gave me a little bit of comfort. It’s nice to speak to someone you know and they pass on their experiences.
“Che gave me a call one day and asked about the league, the country, the lifestyle and everything I’m a lot closer with Billy, so I spoke to him a lot before he made his move. It was just the similar conversation I had with Aaron.
“I spoke about my experience and how it’s been positive. I passed that on and it looks like they took it on board. We don’t have a group chat as such, but we keep in contact.
“When I play against them, I have a chat after the game, we swap shirts. It’s good to see the lads over here and really doing well.”