Clarets gave Dons a taste for dining at the top table

ABERDEEN may have ultimately failed in their goal of reaching the group stage of the Europa League but Scott McKenna insists the Dons left Burnley 13 months ago with their heads held high — having proved to English football they write off the game in Scotland at their peril.

Before the Battle-of-Britain clash, disparaging talk in the media down south focused on how Aberdeen’s top scorer, Adam Rooney, had left Pittodrie to join Salford City, then in England’s fifth tier.

And yet, despite boasting vastly superior resources, Sean Dyche’s multi-millionaire Premier League side required extra-time to see off their Scottish opponents.

Indeed, when Lewis Ferguson’s stunning overhead kick for Aberdeen made it 1-1 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate, Turf Moor fell silent with a shock looking on the cards.

However, Jack Cork’s goal and an Ashley Barnes penalty eventually secured a 3-1 win, 4-2 on aggregate.

McKenna believes the experience of matching Burnley over 180 minutes will stand the Dons in good stead next month as they try to become the first non-Old Firm team to reach the group stage since Jimmy Calderwood took the Pittodrie club there back in 2007-08.

‘Last year, we got a very tough draw but we held our own in both legs against Burnley,’ said McKenna, whose side find out their first qualifying round opponents today.

‘We lost in extra-time but we didn’t do ourselves any harm. I don’t know what people thought of Scottish football down south but the Burnley game showed it is much better than many of them expected.

‘We performed really well and Rangers and Celtic also did well

in Europe last season. There are a lot of players at this club who have been here for two or three seasons and played a lot of European football now.

‘I have only played in those two games against Burnley, so I am relatively inexperienced. But playing a big team like that from the English Premier League definitely gives us confidence going into this year’s draw.

‘Hopefully, we can go on a wee run this year and get into the group stage.’

Rangers and Kilmarnock join Aberdeen today in finding out their first qualifying round opponents, 20 days after Chelsea beat Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final in Baku.

Scottish teams must make it through four rounds of qualifying in total if they are to make the groups.

All three Premiership clubs are seeded for the first round, which will take place on July 11 with the return leg seven days later.

Aberdeen are in Group 8 and will face either Latvian side Liepaja; Levadia Tallinn of Estonia; St Patrick’s Athletic of Ireland; Finnish side RoPS Rovaniemi, the winner of Welsh side Barry Town v Northern Irish side Cliftonville; or the victors when Faroese outfit KI take on Tre Fiori of San Marino.

Kilmarnock are in Group 1 and will be drawn against Shamrock Rovers of Ireland; Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads; KuPS Kuopio of Finland; Icelandic side Breidablik; and the winner of the preliminary qualifier between Northern Ireland’s Ballymena and Faroese side NSI.

Aberdeen and Rangers are also seeded in the Europa League second round of qualifying, which is drawn tomorrow.

With one eye on Europe, the Dons have already been active in the transfer market, signing Motherwell striker Curtis Main and securing a Pittodrie return for defender Ash Taylor from Northampton Town.

Barnsley winger Ryan Hedges has also been secured on a three-year deal and McKenna believes the new additions leave the Dons well-placed to progress in Europe.

‘The signings have come a bit earlier this summer,’ said McKenna (below), whose side qualified for Europe after Celtic beat Hearts in the Scottish Cup final to complete a treble Treble.

‘The manager has been very proactive. Big Ash was a great player for us the first time around and he will bring a real presence. Curtis Main is a real handful and all three new boys will be great additions to the team.

‘Personally speaking, playing for Scotland in the Euro qualifiers against Cyprus and Belgium then coming back to European football with Aberdeen cuts down the break you get in the summer.

‘But as a professional footballer, you want to play for your country and in Europe. I have learned a lot in the ten or 11 games I have played for Scotland and I am hoping that helps when I play Europa League football again with Aberdeen.’

Playing a big team like Burnley from the EPL gives us confidence for the draw