THE BIG KICK-OFF: Defensive Crisis Returns

Captain Russell Anderson limped out of the team's 3-2 victory in the last game of their South Africa trip, and there is now a real doubt over his fitness.

Richie Byrne and Andrew Considine are also struggling with knocks as the team prepares for the Easter Road clash with Hibs.

Just to confound matters, Scott Severin and Zander Diamond are both suspended for the game.

The Dons lurched fron one injury crisis to another last term, with manager Jimmy Calderwood barely able to play the same defence two weeks in a row.

Michael Hart missed virtually all of the season with a recurring knee injury, while Byrne broke a rib just as the Dons fans were beginning to see some form from the marauding left-back.

Anderson, Diamond, Considine, Severin and Kevin McNaughton all missed more than a season's-worth of matches between them.

The problems would have affected teams with even larger squads than Aberdeen's, and Calderwood was forced to take Danny Griffin, Neil MacFarlane and Sven Baas (remember him?) on short-term loans to provide much-needed cover.

One had to feel sorry for Chris Clark: a player who would be reaching maturity if played in his strongest position of left-midfield, but he was instead forced to man a number of stations all over the pitch for the Dons.

It is to his great credit that the defence held firm and ended as one of the SPL's best, but he will be desperate to play in his favoured role and prove himself to the doubters amongst the Dons fans.

Indeed, the supporters will be hoping that this season is not a repeat of last in terms of injuries, as there is a feeling amongst the Pittodrie faithful that this team can achieve something if given a good run together.

Jimmy Calderwood, despite his talk of consolidation, will agree.