Consider for a moment an alternate universe in which Aberdeen lost their penalty shootout with Celtic at Hampden just over four months ago and, in so doing, failed to end their 35-year wait for success in the Scottish Cup.
Imagine instead a climax in which goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov did not save twice from the spot and manager Jimmy Thelin suffered another of the defeats that have been commonplace for his team during the rest of this calendar year.
It is a perfectly plausible scenario, which was avoided by the tightest of margins and a little bit of luck. The same could be said of their semi-final at the same venue, where they needed a late extra-time winner to see off nine-man Hearts.
And yet, the historic nature of that glorious day in May has been a powerful tool. For a while, it served to disguise a run since November that, if replicated over the course of a season, would probably result in Aberdeen’s relegation. And now, with nowhere to hide from the statistics that show just how bad the Pittodrie side have been over an extended period, it is keeping Thelin in a job.
You can understand it. By ending Aberdeen’s long wait for silverware, Thelin became something of a folk hero in the north east, one of just four managers at the club who have lifted the Scottish Cup.
There are people in and around Pittodrie who will be forever grateful to the softly-spoken Swede for giving them the greatest day of their footballing lives. No matter how bad it gets, he will always have Hampden.
Jimmy Thelin is under mounting pressure after a run of five wins in 33 league matches
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos makes it 2-0 for Motherwell with a stoppage-time penalty
Marko Lazetic gathers his thoughts after missing a chance to put Aberdeen ahead at Fir Park
But for every supporter who is reluctant to be accused of shooting Bambi, there are many others who believe it is incumbent on the board to do what is right for the club. With every passing game, more and more are closing their eyes and hoping for a humane sacking, however much it pains them to do so.
After all, this cannot go on. With six Premiership matches played this season, Thelin’s team are bottom of the table, boasting just one point and zero goals. In all competitions, they have secured only one victory in 10 games since the summer – and that was at home to Championship side Greenock Morton.
Look a little further back and you will see see that Aberdeen have not triumphed in any of their last 10 league outings. They have just five wins from 33. By any standard, it is an appalling record that would have long since seen any other manager chased from the premises.
The run continued at Fir Park on Saturday when they lost 2-0 to Motherwell. As it turned out, they played rather better than has been their habit of late, creating several chances in a bright first half, but it all unravelled in stoppage time.
A mistake by Mitov allowed John Koutroumbis to break the deadlock before Apostolos Stamatelopoulos converted a controversial penalty. It was a cruel, unfortunate way to lose, but Hearts and Celtic were probably saying the same in last season’s Scottish Cup.
In truth, Aberdeen have lost the right to use misfortune as an excuse. The defeat by Motherwell came just seven days after they were beaten by the same side at Pittodrie. Between those losses was a 2-0 reversal by Dundee United at Tannadice.
It is possible they could turn it around. Many of their defeats have been by the fine margins that characterised their victories early last season, when they charged to the top of the table and were being touted as potential title winners.
Thelin changed his formation on Saturday (for the first time since the cup final) and it seemed to make a difference. He clings to the belief that, if they keep at it, the goals will come and the players in whom Aberdeen have invested so heavily will start to demonstrate their worth.
The question is how much longer Aberdeen can afford to wait. Already out of one competition, they are 15 points behind leaders Hearts and are now confronted by a Europa Conference League campaign, which starts with the visit of Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.
Perhaps more pertinently, do they have the strength to resist mounting pressure from a disenchanted support? And would it be fair to let an increasingly toxic atmosphere engulf a manager who has legendary status at Pittodrie?
Aberdeen have a big decision to make, one that is more nuanced than most. That emotional Scottish Cup triumph at the end of last season is the reason Thelin is still in his post. For those who want his legacy protected, it might also be the reason to relieve him of his duties.
