I feared my days facing Euro elite were gone

Dons ace Stuart will make most of campaign after Parkhead highs and lows

- BY SCOTT BURNS

STUART ARMSTRONG will make the most of Aberdeen's Conference League campaign because he genuinely thought big European nights were a thing of the past.

The experienced midfielder will make his Euro debut for the Dons in tomorrow's group opener with Shakhtar Donetsk at Pittodrie.

The 33-year-old could be key for Jimmy Thelin having had a wealth of European experience built up at Dundee United and then Celtic.

Having moved to Southampton for six years and then gone to Vancouver Whitecaps and Sheffield Wednesday, it is eight years since he last played in Europe, that was in a Champions League group stage game for Celtic in a 1-0 home defeat to RSC Anderlecht.