Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood is set to embark on a summer signing spree after revealing six players will be axed by the Dons next month.The Dons will also lose midfielder Barry Nicholson, who has confirmed to Calderwood this will be his final season at Pittodrie.

While Nicholson will be a hard act to follow, and Aberdeen were keen to keep him, Calderwood made his own choices when it came to releasing goalkeeper Derek Soutar, striker Steve Lovell and defenders Richie Byrne and Dave Bus, plus youngsters Jonathan Smith and Greg Kelly.

The departure list could also include Alan Maybury and Stuart Duff, who were both January recruits, while Lee Miller is hesitating over signing a new deal.

Calderwood, who announced his decisions just 72 hours after his team's Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Queen of the South, said: "I'd like to thank all of the lads who won't be here next season for their contributions and wish all of them all the very best for the future.

"These are never easy decisions to make but are necessary as we move forward and prepare for the next campaign and beyond."

Calderwood has lost 29-year-old Nicholson almost certainly to the financial magnet of the English game.

The three-cap former Scotland player rejected new terms offered by Aberdeen after three seasons with the club and is expected to join a Football side when his current deal expires in the summer.

Striker Miller, in a similar position, could also quit the Dons on his own terms.

Calderwood told the club's website: "It's obviously disappointing that Barry has decided to move on but, to be honest, it did not come as a huge surprise.

"As far as Lee is concerned, he is leaving his options open and, while I'm hopeful that he will decide to stay, we have to obviously prepare a squad with next season in mind."

The Dons manager recently expressed doubt over whether Maybury, who moved north from Leicester earlier in the season, would find staying with Aberdeen sufficiently lucrative a prospect and accepts he could look at a return to the Championship.

Winger Sone Aluko, who has shown flashes of brilliance since joining Aberdeen on loan from Birmingham last summer, will return to former Don Alex McLeish's Blues squad for pre-season training.

However, on-loan Middlesbrough midfielder Josh Walker, could yet stay with Aberdeen as no decision on his future has been made.

Walker and Aluko, both now 19, scored in the 2-2 UEFA Cup draw against Bayern Munich.

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