Derek McInnes has been voted manager of the year by the Scottish Football Writers' Association, writes Michael Grant.
The Aberdeen manager has now landed both of the main managerial awards this season having also won the Cheque Centre/PFA Scotland prize.
McInnes last night revealed that he is in regular contact with Sir Alex Ferguson and is prepared for even higher expectations from Pittodrie supporters next season after winning the League Cup, securing a return to European football and closing in on finishing second in the SPFL Premiership, having been eighth a year ago.
"I was out for dinner with Sir Alex a fortnight ago and had a good chat with him," said McInnes. "He also sent me a text last Sunday after picking up my PFA Scotland award. I think he still has a lot of good friends in the area who keep him up to date with Aberdeen.
"He still has an affection for the club and wants Aberdeen to do well. So any time you are in his company, with the conversations you have with him, it can only be beneficial to a young manager.
"I think it is a club that makes demands and brings a pressure to perform. You get so many benefits from that. You have seen on so many occasions this season the size of support we have taken with us. But, by the same token, that pressure and those demands are always going to be there. Probably even more so next season. But I would rather be working for a club that expects to be doing well than a club happy to just tick along."
McInnes, 42, joined Aberdeen 14 months ago and is under contract until 2017. When asked if he still has an ambition to eventually prove himself in England, where he was sacked by Bristol City last year, he said: "It would need to be right. At the minute I am really happy. We have only just started something here and I keep saying to the players that this is only the start."
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