Clinton Lancaster

It was the vision of the club which was key to Clinton Lancaster becoming Aberdeen’s first full-time coach in the summer of 2023.

The 35-year-old former Watford head coach has built up an extensive coaching CV south of the border, having started his coaching career working in youth development with hometown club, Plymouth Argyle.
Lancaster then moved onto Chelsea in 2011, tasked with aiding the development of boys and girls within the set-up.

He next took the step-up to Crystal Palace’s women, initially as head coach of the Under-23s, before being promoted to first team assistant-manager. In his first season with the seniors, they won the FA WPL South East, going through the campaign unbeaten, as well as picking up the Surrey County Cup.

It was these achievements that attracted Watford’s interest, with Lancaster coming in as Under-23s/development coach in October 2016. He would soon progress to the first team set-up as assistant, before taking over as head coach in September 2019 - clinching promotion to the FA Women’s Championship.

Latterly lead coach of Aldershot Town’s successful Under-16s boys’ academy, the UEFA A Licence holder’s immediate task in his current role is to improve on last season’s 10th-place finish in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, a feat Aberdeen look like surpassing as the club target a move to a full-time set-up within the next few years.