The tears fell as Andrew Considine made his way off the pitch following his final game for Aberdeen.
Considine wore the captain’s armband on his first start under Jim Goodwin but could only play 48 minutes against St Mirren and was forced off with an injury.
He was given a standing ovation by the 14,000-strong Pittodrie crowd, a reaction that reduced him to tears during an afternoon of high emotion.
Considine played nearly 450 games for his boyhood club during a career that also saw him represent his country.
The popular 35-year-old is now on the lookout for a new club after a disagreement over a contract extension.
The decision to let him go caused consternation among some pundits and fans, with Michael Stewart telling BBC Sportsound on Sunday: "I just find it a bizarre decision.
"Even if he isn’t going to play every week, you’d want him about the place."
