KEEPER Scott Brown today claimed the Dons will be one of the feared teams rivals want to avoid in next month’s Europa League draw.

The Dons kick-off their campaign in the Europa League first qualifying round on Thursday, July 2.

It is the second successive time Derek McInnes has led Aberdeen into the competition, having ended the Reds’ five-year absence from Europe last season.

Aberdeen saw off Groningen, recent winners of the Dutch Cup, and came close to shocking Spanish La Liga side Real Sociedad.

Brown reckons those performances will have made Continental teams sit up and take notice of the Dons.

And he is convinced they will be desperate to avoid the Reds when the draw for the first and second qualifying rounds is made at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on Monday, June 22.

He said: “Last season we showed everyone across Europe just what we can do.

“I am sure teams will be looking at Aberdeen and hoping to avoid us in next month’s draw.

“When we beat Groningen (2-1 on aggregate), teams stood up and took notice of us.

“We proved we could match teams like Groningen when we went across to Holland and beat them.

“Unfortunately we drew two of the toughest ties possible as we landed Real Sociedad in the next round. However, we pushed them hard as well.

“Hopefully the draw will be kinder to us this time out.”