WILLIE MILLER yesterday admitted Aberdeen have no chance of winning the title this season.

The Dons legend told shocked fans to "take a reality check" and accept fourth in the SPL is the best that can be achieved.

Miller, who led the club to 10 trophies in eight years, insisted his club cannot compete with the financial clout of the Old Firm and Hearts.

He said: "I'm not being defeatist - that has never been my style. I'm being straight with them so they don't build their hopes too high.

"What I will always be with everybody is realistic. For us that means the goal has to be finishing fourth in the league.

"I undertstand why they are so demanding. Many experienced a certain period in the club's history but none of the players at the other SPL clubs chasing the Old Firm and Hearts have to live with this sort of pressure.

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"We do our best to shield the players from it but fans wield the most influence on that front.

"I have taken a lot of stick for telling it as it is but the fact is that Rangers, Celtic and Hearts are spending much more money than us.

"I'm a fan as well as the head of our football operation and I want to see a win on a Saturday as much as anyone.

"But it's time people took a reality check and appreciated that money makes the difference when it comes to being successful - in Scottish football or elsewhere.

"Jimmy Calderwood and I have very high expectations but you must temper these with realism as the clubs who finished in the top three last season are so powerful at present.

"The manager has brought stability and I can promise fans he will try to push things on."

Cash-strapped Aberdeen have failed to make one major signing but Miller revealed they couldn't afford the salaries demanded by targets such as Steven Hammell.

Despite the lack of new faces, he believes the Dons are good enough to secure a return to Europe and reach cup finals.

He said: "Supporters have to accept that if a player chooses Southend instead of Aberdeen because the English club can treble his wages there's nothing we can do.

"I will not cause the club further financial problems by going overboard to get them here.

"I still think we can challenge the top teams because we were unbeaten against Rangers for the first time in many years.

"With the quality we have here I don't see any reason why we can't get into Europe and cup finals. I would regard that as real success nowadays."

Taken from the Daily Record