Aberdeen boss Craig Brown has vowed to improve the fortunes of his side, saying the time has passed for apologies to the club’s support.

The former Scotland coach described his side’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Hibernian as one of the lowest points of his career, with fans unhappy at the Dons’ failure to qualify for May’s final.

“It was a great opportunity and when we equalised in the second half, it was a tremendous opportunity,” said Brown. “It looked like there was only going to be one winner.

“Circumstances conspired against us. It’s arguably my lowest point in a long time in football. I’ve had disappointments with the national team and with club sides in the past, but nothing quite as low as the disappointment I felt for the terrific support we had at Hampden.

“I’m tired of apologising to them. They don’t want apologies, they want action and they want to see a winning Aberdeen team.

“Archie and I are determined to give them that. We’ve got to do that, we know, next season because we can’t languish where we have been any longer.

“We are determined to ensure that Aberdeen Football Club perform with pride and great credit next season. We will do everything in our power to make sure that’s the case.”

Brown took over from Mark McGhee at Pittodrie in December 2010 with Aberdeen sitting bottom of the Scottish Premier League table.

Despite a disappointing campaign, Brown says he is committed to trying to lift the team and emulate his success at Motherwell.

“It was a far bigger job getting Motherwell, with far less resources, into the top six,” he said. “We were never out the top six at Motherwell and we got into Europe with Motherwell.

“That was a far bigger job than Aberdeen because the resources there are far less than we have at Aberdeen.

“We inherited a squad that required maintenance and propping up. Here we inherited a squad that was down in confidence and results indicated that.

“We had to do a bit of surgery here and we are still continuing with that. We are trying to get this place lifted and the dressing room is good.

“This is a major job but it is not more difficult than any other job I’ve had, I can assure you. I am very comfortable in managing Aberdeen and I take it as a great privilege.

“I will continue to ensure they get the best possible from my very experienced colleague Archie and I in the hope we can restore the fortunes of Aberdeen.”