STEVE PATERSON, the Aberdeen manager, will be the centrepiece for a media news conference at Pittodrie today where he will announce that he has a drink problem.
The news emerged last night that the recently appointed manager, who missed his side's 3-3 draw with Dundee at Pittodrie on Saturday was an absentee because of ''an alcohol- related problem'' the previous evening.
Paterson and some colleagues had attended a civic reception hosted by Aberdeen Lord Provost Margaret Smith, to mark the club's centenary year.
He is then alleged to have visited two city-centre nightspots.
Last night club spokes-man Andrew Shinie said: ''The board of directors have been in meetings to discuss allegations regarding drink-related difficulties being faced by the manager. It would appear from our discussions with him that these problems manifest themselves at irregular periods.''
Paterson is expected to admit that, with the backing of the club, he will seek professional counselling. The former Inverness Cale-donian Thistle manager was regarded by supporters as the man to lead Aberdeen out of difficult times.
Club chairman Stewart Milne will face a barrage of questions over whether Paterson's problem was known to him before he was given the job and supporters will be concerned that the millionaire businessman has made the latest in
a series of misguided appointments.
In recent years, Milne has fired a clutch of managers including Roy Aitken, Alex Miller, and Paul Hegarty, while Danish coach Ebbe Skovdahl quit the post a few months ago.
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