Manager Craig Brown pledges change at Aberdeen

Aberdeen were soundly beaten in the Scottish Cup semi-final

Aberdeen manager Craig Brown hopes to overhaul his side in the summer after a painful Scottish Cup semi-final loss.

Celtic took full advantage of Andrew Considine's 18th-minute red card to run out 4-0 winners at Hampden.

"We are due the fans something and it must be a better team next season," Brown told BBC Radio Scotland.

"There will have to be personnel changes but we haven't all that many players out of contract, so we will have to do some wheeling and dealing."

The Dons started brightly at the national stadium but the early dismissal of Considine for a trip on Gary Hooper was a huge blow, although Jamie Langfield saved the resultant spot-kick from Anthony Stokes.

Brown's 10 men managed to frustrate Celtic until the interval but that resistance crumbled in the second half, with Charlie Mulgrew, Joe Ledley, Kris Commons and Shaun Maloney on target to seal a comfortable win.

"To lose not just the penalty kick but a player is a harsh punishment against the best passing team in the country," explained Brown.

"Being a man short makes it very, very difficult.

"Andy Considine is adamant that he made no contact but I would need to see it again and I won't criticise any referee, I never do.

"Willie Collum is an excellent referee and I respect and accept his decision."

Aberdeen started to unravel when former Don Mulgrew saw his free kick evade a cluster of players in a busy penalty area and his delivery flew straight in.

Ledley added a second on 57 minutes, Commons slammed home a penalty after Derek Young brought down Stokes and Maloney tapped in late on.

"I'd like to pay tribute to the Aberdeen fans," added Brown. "I don't think there's another set of supporters in the country that would be cheering their team at 4-0 down right to the end.

"They realised the effort put in by the players but, quite frankly, when we were reduced to 10 men we weren't good enough.

"The best passing team in the country passed us off the park.

"The goals we conceded were very poor ones. The penalty kick was crazy and the free kick should have been cleared or saved, so we gave them a couple of gifts.

"And that made it easy. When you're against 10 and 2-0 up most teams can play with comfort and assurance. Celtic can certainly do that."