Aberdeen skipper Joe Lewis insists they are ready to move on from the emotional exit of Derek McInnes and put everything into a crucial couple of months.

McInnes and assistant Tony Docherty departed Pittodrie after a goalless draw with Hamilton left the Dons with only one goal from nine matches.

Paul Sheerin has taken interim charge with assistance from former Aberdeen midfielders Barry Robson and Neil Simpson ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash with Dundee United at Tannadice.

Aberdeen are six points off third place, which could yet offer a passport to European group stage football, and six ahead of Livingston, who are looking to move up into the guaranteed European places.

The Scottish Cup is also set to get under way for the top-flight teams and Lewis knows they cannot afford to dwell on the departure of their management team.

“Derek was here for eight years and the full five years I have been here,” the goalkeeper said.

“There is always a bit of upheaval, a strange feeling when the manager leaves, I have experienced it before at other clubs. For some people here, especially the younger lads, it will be the first time they have experienced it.

“It is never ideal but we have had a good bit of training over the last 10 days. Probably not having a game last weekend was a bit of a blessing. It allowed us to get rid of the emotions of last week.

“Now we have been training really well and focusing on what is a big game on Saturday.

“We have got to look forward. We have a lot to play for this season. There’s the Scottish Cup and six massive (league) games for this club which will define the season for us.

“It’s not been a great season up to now, we have not really hit a great run of form at any stage and there is no better time to do it than now.”

McInnes brought Lewis to Scotland in 2016 after an unhappy spell at Cardiff, where he played one league game in four years and was loaned out to Blackpool and Fulham.

The 33-year-old added: “Everyone at the football club has a tremendous amount of respect for what Derek and Tony did. They did a lot for my career and I will always be very grateful for that.

“But we need to look forward and it’s a massive few weeks coming up.

“Paul and Barry have been brilliant and really stepped up and training has been excellent.

“Everyone has really enjoyed it, there have been some fresh ideas which I think the lads have really taken on board well.

“We have got Simmy as well whose experience at this football club is like no other really.

“He doesn’t scream and shout, doesn’t get too involved during a session but he drops in some great bits of information here and there. He doesn’t say a great deal but when he does everyone listens.”