Andrew Considine previewed the Dons European opener on Thursday night earlier this week on RedTV:

“It’s going to be a tough test. Even at this stage of the competition there are very few poor teams. We’ve been in Europe the last couple years and we have come up against some cracking teams. Last year in the first round was a really tough tie.

“Shkendija were a very good side. The year before we played Riga and they were probably not as good as we maybe first thought, with us running riot here and then getting three goals over. It was maybe almost natural to think that Shkendija would be of a similar standard, but they were a cracking team. They were very good over there and same back here so I am sure the team we are playing on Thursday night will be difficult opponents.

“It will be a game where the boys will have to be on their toes.

“The three pre-season games we’ve had already has given a chance for the boys to get good minutes into their legs and everyone is looking fit and sharp so we are looking forward to Thursday.

“It has been pleasing in those three game to not have conceded a goal yet. You want to literally start from the get-go. The back four in the three games have done really well despite different personnel playing in different games.

“European football is important to this club.

“The club has done very well over the years in Europe. It is a club once renowned throughout Europe. Obviously going back to when Sir Alex was here and how well that squad did means it is a huge part of our history therefore it is important we qualify for Europe and do well so people see our name again.

“I think my first European game was at Pittodrie against Dnipro. I should have scored! It is such a distant memory, but I will always remember going over there and winning. I will always remember Fozzy’s cross and Darren’s header. I will always remember the feeling when the full-time whistle went. It was a cracking night.  

“I wish you just had one tie now before you get through to the group stages, as opposed to eight games!

“I’ve had been fortunate enough to have been involved in some cracking nights which I’ll remember forever. Copenhagen and Bayern Munich at Pittodrie are two of them as both are huge teams and we were outstanding in both games.

“As a player playing in Europe, it is certainly not something you take for granted. It is a big thing. You see some young boys nowadays and they see the bright lights of England and go down to the likes of the Championship and League 1. But if you are at a club like Aberdeen you get the chance to play in European competitions. Many players don’t get that opportunity.  

“It is showing now, especially this year, that playing in Europe helps attract players to this football club. It is a huge thing for players.

“We will certainly not underestimate our opponents. I think Groningen wrote us off before we even set foot on their pitch, as did Rijeka, so we will not make the same mistake.

“I think as a squad we are maturing as a European team. We’ve taken a few big scalps over the last few years and to be fair we had a right go at Sociedad when they came here as well and that could have gone our way. So yes we have a fair bit of experience now and it is important to put that into the fixture on Thursday and get the tie going our way before we need to fly over there next week.”