Barry Nicholson and Lee Miller celebrate Aberdeen's qualification

The Dons' 2-0 win over Rangers on the final day of the season saw them finish in third place and win a European spot.

Now the former Dunfermline man wants the club to aim high next season.

"I think if the manager adds a couple of quality players then that can happen. We are relieved because we didn't want to throw it away," he said.

Nicholson - who has been in fine form since recovering from a shoulder injury - thinks a place in the group stages of the tournament has to be the aim.

We have been second or third for a long time now and we went out there and dug in to get the victory Aberdeen's Barry Nicholson

"We want to keep things going and the manager, as well as the players, will not be pleased if we rest on this," he added.

"We want to go on a good run next season and get through the qualifier when we come to the European game in order to push on into the group stages."

Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood has already started shaping his squad for next term with the signings of Lee Mair and Jackie McNamara.

They pipped Hearts for third place having been just a single point ahead of the Edinburgh side going into the Rangers match.

The Dons will now feature in European competition for the first time since 2002 when they were knocked out of the Uefa Cup by Germans Hertha Berlin.

Scott Severin and Stevie Lovell were the goalscorers for Dons against the Ibrox side and Nicholson was delighted a season's hard work was not undone on the last day.

"It is a big relief and obviously all of the players are delighted, but I think overall we deserve it," he said.

"We have been second or third for a long time now and we went out there and dug in to get the victory.

"We are relieved because we didn't want to throw it away and the aim at the start of the season was to push into the third or fourth spot."