WILLIE MILLER’S 40-year association with Aberdeen was yesterday ended with just nine words in a club statement.

The former captain, who led the Dons to their greatest triumph in 1983 when they won the European Cup-Winners’ Cup Final against Real Madrid, has now been removed from the board of directors at Pittodrie.

The iconic defender spent his entire career at Aberdeen and made 558 appearances. As well as clinching European glory, the 57-year-old won three league titles, four Scottish Cups and three League Cups.

In 2003, Miller was voted the greatest Aberdeen player of all time in a poll of fans to mark the club’s centenary.

But he has gone in a massive restructuring exercise that also saw two of the club’s major investors depart the boardroom. Martin Gilbert and Hugh Little, from the Aberdeen Asset Management company, are stepping down and transferring their shares to other individuals, predominantly members of the reconstituted board.

The moves appear part of a ruthless boardroom cull to deal with the crisis gripping a club that’s £15million in the red.

Five directors in all, including Miller, will be going as Aberdeen confront the greatest challenge in its history.

And last night former Dons manager Jimmy Calderwood said he was more astonished by the loss of the two moneymen than the departure of club legend Miller.

Gilbert and Little had both put up personal guarantees which, along with more cash from Dons chairman Stewart Milne, had prevented Aberdeen from falling into the clutches of the administrator.

The club is at the crossroads and Milne is now shouldering the financial burden for Aberdeen’s well-being on his own.

The club’s plan to move to a new ground has had to be shelved for a year because Aberdeen don’t own all of the land in Loirston they need to build on.

And the project is crucial towards increasing corporate sponsorship while avoiding annual running repairs to the now dilapidated Pittodrie.

That was why Calderwood was shocked by the timing of the directorial changes. He said: “I’m not so surprised that Willie’s no longer on the board. I’d heard through the grapevine that things weren’t right in that particular direction.

“It’s a surprise that such a stalwart only gets nine words in a statement but in football you just have to move on.”

The statement was intended to introduce new executive vice chairman George Yule to his elevated role and explain that Aberdeen Asset Management were leaving because it was felt their involvement in the club had reached a natural conclusion.

It also contained a single sentence which said: “Willie Miller will also step down from the board.”

And that was the only reference to the man who played for, managed and then coached at the club before eventually becoming a director.

The club’s PR firm last night said talks were ongoing about what would happen next to the Dons legend.

Miller took charge of Aberdeen’s academy after Calderwood’s departure in 2009. Now he’s lost his £150,000 a year position on the board.

But Calderwood is more concerned about the loss of Gilbert and Little.

He said: “Martin and Hugh are a massive loss to Aberdeen. There’s obviously an internal rearrangement going on at the club, and that’s putting it mildly.

“Aberdeen Asset Management had a major shareholding and it’s a change of direction at a vital time for Aberdeen.

“I’d like to know if it was Stewart Milne’s decision or if Martin and Hugh took the decision for themselves.

“There must be some reason for this happening at a time when the club’s moving to a new ground and dealing with the fall-out from the Rangers situation.”

A recent poll of Dons fans showed 97 per cent don’t want a newco allowed into the SPL and they are demanding the club listen to their opinion.

And Calderwood said: “I wouldn’t like to have to vote on that issue. Clubs will get stick no matter what they do.”

Meanwhile, the club claims Yule’s promotion to an executive role will help generate fresh income.

As well as owning an engineering firm Yule is chairman of Aberdeen and Grampian region’s chamber of commerce.

Aberdeen chairman Milne said: “I’m extremely pleased that George, who has a wealth of contacts, has agreed to come on board at this crucial time in our history.

“We need a change in how the club is run if we are to deliver our vision of a new stadium and soccer academy.”