When a seasoned professional like Nicky Devlin speaks about responsibility, you listen. The Aberdeen defender, now 32, has just returned from a two-and-a-half-month layoff due to a knee injury, but he's not shying away from the hard truths of a tumultuous season at Pittodrie.

The Dons ultimately secured their Scottish Premiership status, but not without some nail-biting moments that had fans on edge. For Devlin, watching from the sidelines was its own kind of torment. "That was probably the hardest part because you know you can't really contribute too much," he reflects. "I went to all the games, traveled with the team every time. When you are there you hate every minute of it, but you almost feel like you can't not be there because the position we were in has not been good enough, and I am as big a part of that as anyone this year."

It's a candid admission from a player who has logged as many minutes as almost anyone in the squad, even with his injury. Devlin's commitment to being present—traveling and supporting his teammates through every tense moment—speaks volumes about his character and his sense of shared accountability.

Looking ahead, the defender sees reasons for optimism. Under head coach Stephen Robinson, who took the reins in mid-March, the team has shown signs of a turnaround. "The results probably show that as well," Devlin notes. "We have, in terms of form, picked up quite a bit since he came in and we have managed to pull ourselves away from what was looking at one stage a really difficult situation for us."

Devlin is confident the squad is buying into Robinson's vision. "I think you would find all the players in there would say they are on board with what he wants. He makes his messages very clear in terms of what he wants and expects from us, and he has made it very clear that next year, what happened this year won't be acceptable. The standards will have to go up, everything will have to be raised. That is something as players you have got to embrace and look forward to."

As Aberdeen round off their campaign at Dundee on Sunday, there's a sense that this season's struggles have forged a stronger resolve. For fans and players alike, the message is clear: the fight isn't over—it's just beginning. And for a player like Devlin, that's a challenge worth embracing.