Aberdeen FC’s new defender Dan Happe marked his Pittodrie debut with a goal and is already dreaming of European football this season. The 27-year-old joined from Leyton Orient in the summer and has hit the ground running at the club.

What did Happe say about his Aberdeen start?

Happe admitted he’s targeting a top-six finish and a first crack at Europe from his first season with the Dons. “Last season wasn’t great for Aberdeen, where they finished ninth,” he said. “I want Aberdeen to climb the table. I have high aspirations for myself and if we can get into the top six and get into Europe, that is definitely an aim.”

He added: “You have to dream big to achieve big. We will see. We just have to take it game-by-game. We don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves.”

How has Happe fitted in so far?

Happe has already made his mark. He kept a clean sheet on his debut at Brora Rangers and then scored within three minutes of his Pittodrie bow against Queen’s Park. His header from a Connor Ronan corner put Aberdeen 2-0 up inside 11 minutes. “It wasn’t a bad start,” he said. “I was happy to score a goal. Hopefully it will be the first of many.”

The defender has form for set-piece goals and believes that side of his game is key. “I didn’t actually score last season,” he said. “I scored a few the season before but dried up last time. I feel like I am a presence from set-plays. That was probably half the reason I was brought in: to defend and score set pieces.”

What’s next for Aberdeen FC?

Aberdeen FC sit eighth in the Premiership with 33 points from 33 games and a goal difference of -15. They are 37 points behind league leaders Heart of Midlothian. Happe knows the side must learn from their second-half wobble against Queen’s Park before Wednesday’s trip to Queen of the South. “We got a little bit complacent,” he said. “We will learn from our mistakes. This is only our second competitive game.”

Robinson’s side were dominant early on against Queen’s Park but had to rely on Marius Muller’s triple save to keep a clean sheet. Happe added: “If we keep playing like that and the crowds keep coming then we can create something special. We are going to take it game-by-game.”

Aberdeen FC host Queen of the South on Wednesday, with Happe and his new teammates aiming to build on a promising start to the season.