Aberdeen and a rain-drenched night in Gothenburg
Words Graeme Giles
In late 1902 rumours were rife in Aberdeen that a city presence in the Scottish League was coming into being. However, rather than being a new club this was to be an NFL style franchise move by a club who’d already been in existence for 27 years. Hibernian of Edinburgh.
It was reported that representatives of the club had already priced up the costs of leasing Pittodrie. Was it true or was it underhanded rumour spreading tactics by supporters of the proposal to amalgamate the three existing clubs based in Aberdeen, Orion, Vitoria United and Aberdeen FC (1881-1903)?
Off the back of the supposed Hibs interest, the merger plan was fast tracked and after much deliberation, meetings and wary minds having to be put at ease, signed off on 14 April 1903, giving the city more of a chance of the much sought-after Scottish League representation.
While ideas of tartan shirts and Pittodrie being named the Balmoral Stadium were mooted, a bombshell was dropped when the application for the First Division was rejected, at a stroke destroying the club’s ambitions of entering the League set up, because, in a spectacular case of putting all their eggs in one basket, the Directors had failed to apply for the Second Division, should their First Division application fail.
So, for their first season 1903-04, Aberdeen were stuck in the Northern League. Luckily, they were voted into the Second Division the following campaign and Aberdeen could finally boast a league team in the city.
As the years passed the club were moderately successful, eventually claiming their first major trophy in 1946-47 when, under the stewardship of Dave Halliday, they won the Scottish Cup. After falling a goal behind in the opening minute in front of 80,000 at Hampden, the Dons beat Hibernian, the very club that supposedly led to the club’s existence, 2-1.
From their maiden trophy they followed up with the top-flight title in 1954-55 again under the management of Halliday who left for Leicester City after the title winning season. His replacement Davie Shaw took the Scottish League Cup home in his first season in charge.
A second Scottish Cup was won by Eddie Turnbull in 1969-70, before the charismatic Ally McLeod arrived and won the League Cup in 1976-77 before leaving to take the Scotland gaffers job. But, along with his successor Billy McNeill, McLeod had arguably started the wheels in motion for what was around the corner. Aberdeen Football Club were about to become the kings of Europe under a certain Alexander Chapman Ferguson.
Gothenburg. 11 May 1983. As the Swedish sky was unleashing its heaviest and most relentless of elements subjecting the 15,000 strong boisterous Red Army stood on the terraces to what could only be described as ‘biblical rain’, the greatest British manager of them all at the time was perched inside the boxes at the Ullevi on television duties. Jock Stein, a special guest invited along with the Aberdeen squad by Alex Ferguson made his feelings abundantly clear, “I think they are playing a myth tonight” he said. The myth was Real Madrid, and the man from Burnbank, Lanarkshire was genuine in his belief that modest, provincial, Aberdeen had a huge chance. Stein, the then boss of the Scottish national team, confidently predicted the Dons, under the management of his prodigy Alex Ferguson, would be victorious against the Spanish heavyweights.
“Aberdeen would be my choice”, he began, adding, “20 years ago there would only be one winner, but Aberdeen have improved tremendously in that time”. Some may have thought he had lost his marbles, but he was adamant, his faith in Ferguson obvious for all to see.
It seems strange to say now, but this was not a universally held view. When Alex Ferguson was sacked by St Mirren in the 1977-78 season the club’s chairman Willie Todd reportedly claimed, in comments he must surely have regretted every waking moment since, that Ferguson had “no managerial ability”.
The Glaswegian Ferguson, with only a couple of managerial stints under his belt, was a gamble. There was a short-lived spell at Firs Park with East Stirlingshire from June 1974, until departing for St Mirren in October of that year - a move advised by Stein. During his time with the Buddies he turned a third tier team of also-rans into Second Division champions in a four year spell. This with a heavy reliance on youth, something that would follow him throughout his managerial career.
Ferguson was installed as Aberdeen boss in June 1978 after Billy McNeill found the lure of his true love, Glasgow Celtic too much. His appointment was criticised by the media due to his relative lack of experience. But as happens frequently in the Scottish press, they couldn’t have been more mistaken. From sacked in Paisley to a God in Gothenburg.
The success Ferguson brought to Aberdeen was unprecedented and will unlikely be equaled or eclipsed. It is arguably his finest work as a manager.
His first piece of silverware came in his second season when he did the unthinkable and won the 1978-79 Scottish Premier League. A top-flight which hadn’t been won by anyone outside Celtic (who had enjoyed a run of nine-in-a-row) or Rangers since 1964-65 when Kilmarnock shocked the country. When referee Brian McGinlay called time on 5-0 win at Hibernian, the celebrations began. Ferguson ran on the pitch and leapt into goalkeeper Bobby Clark’s arms, in what has become an iconic image. Watching on, match commentator Archie MacPherson proclaimed “can you blame the man for going out his mind temporarily?” This despite the title not being mathematically certain at this point, although the goal difference was insurmountable.
A Drybrough Cup followed by a 1981-82 Scottish Cup success, in which Rangers were demolished 4-1 in the final, became the catalyst for one of the greatest stories in the annals of Scottish football. As the side celebrated at Gleneagles, they were joined by fellow hotel guest, Hollywood tough guy Burt Lancaster.
The club were all set for the 1982-83 European Cup Winners Cup, although nobody, not even the most ardent believers of the side like Big Jock, believed those Gleneagle celebrations would be eclipsed on the streets of Aberdeen in 355 days’ time.
The Cup Winners Cup campaign got under way on 18 August 1982 with the visit of Swiss Cup champions FC Sion to Pittodrie in the preliminary round. The Dons flew out the traps and into a four-goal lead in around half an hour. They weren’t finished at four either as they continued the onslaught by sticking another three by the hapless Pittier in the Sion goal. The onslaught was unyielding, and the visitors returned to their alpine nation licking their wounds knowing that this was only half time. The formality of a second leg was still to come. Aberdeen’s performance was met with high praise and Alex Ferguson revealed that the members of the Swiss outfit predicted big things, feeling that Aberdeen side had all the fundamentals required to be successful in European football and winning the trophy. The second-leg at Stade de Tourbillon, nestled among the mountains of south-west Switzerland was indeed a formality. John Hewitt, Willie Miller and a double from Mark McGhee sent the Dons through with double figures to their name. Gordon Strachan would later jokingly claim, “Beautiful place. We spent most of the second half looking at the scenery because we were so far ahead”.
A fortnight later and Aberdeen were under the Pittodrie lights again, this time to an unknown quantity, Albania’s Dinamo Tirana - from behind the Iron Curtain. The lack of access to foreign football, especially from eastern Europe, made researching Dinamo troublesome. “We just had to work it out on the night for ourselves”, explained midfielder Neil Simpson after a 1-0 first-leg win.
Venturing behind the Iron Curtain for the second-leg was an eye-opening experience of the different world, and different culture, that existed, including the poverty, food, policing and even the wooden shed that greeted them as an airport terminal. There were even rumours of a potential coup reported back in Scotland, causing concern to the families left behind. Undeterred, the players held on for a 0-0 draw, securing safe passage into the last 16. Job done.
Eastern Europe opposition beckoned again in the form of Polish outfit Lech Poznan. The Poles were disposed of with a comfortable 2-0 victory at Pittodrie. The scoreline flattered the visitors as the Dons spurned numerous chances and rattled the woodwork repeatedly. There was, among some observers, a concern that Aberdeen had missed their chance and a 2-0 lead may not be enough to head to Poland with. All those worries were wiped out at the Stadion Miejski in Poznan a fortnight later, when on the hour mark Dougie Bell grabbed the only goal of the night, heading home from a yard out.
Internazionale, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris St Germain, and Bayern Munich were all in the hat for the quarter-finals. While Waterschei Thor or Austria Vienna looked more favourable, the odds on a glamour tie versus a big name of the European game were high. The German club from Bavaria were out first, followed by Aberdeen. A trip to the Olimpiastadion to face off with a side littered with international stars such as Breitner, Rummenigge, Augenthaler, Dremmler and the rest was on.
The task was a daunting prospect and, in the eye’s of the media, likely the end of the road. This was a feeling probably echoed among some of the support. Aberdeen and Ferguson however, had other ideas. The manager felt Bayern often had it easy, sailing through games with little hassle from domestic opponents. After watching them in person on a couple of occasions he wanted to know how the Germans would react when frustrated and struggling.
In Munich, Ferguson produced one of his most impressive tactical European away performances of his career. Aided by his side reaching what he called the “certain level” he demanded, the Germans were nullified. Bayern were rattled just as Ferguson had wanted it. Dougie Bell delivered his best performance in a red shirt, directing proceedings from the middle of the pitch, while Alex McLeish and Willie Miller ran a tight ship at the back, keeping it to 0-0.
The second-leg was played in front of a capacity crowd at Pittodrie, but a boisterous home support was soon shushed when Klaus Augenthaler boomed home a long-range effort early in proceedings, making an already difficult task take a turn for the worse. However, the Dons were never out of it and equalised via a scrappy close-range Neil Simpson goal, punishing a sloppy Augenthaler touch a few yards from his goal line just prior to the half, giving some much needed self-assurance going in at the break. Progress looked to be in serious doubt when Hans Pflugler skillfully vollied past a helpless Jim Leighton on the hour mark, leaving the Dons needing two goals to advance and the clock ticking.
With 13 minutes to go a fairytale began to unfold. The famed defence flummoxing McMaster and Strachan dummy freekick routine caught Bayern cold as Strachan eventually swung the ball in perfectly for McLeish to nod home from five yards. Pittodrie erupted like never before and hope was restored in the terraces. The roar was reportedly heard as far away as the Northfield area of the city. A newfound belief was found on the pitch as the Reds took the game to the visitors. Three minutes after the equaliser, Black drew a great save from Muller only for the ball to land at the anticipating Hewitt who slid in to nutmeg the German goalkeeper. If the leveller was heard across the city the winner must have been heard on the North Sea oil rigs. Looking back Eric Black said, “it just unfolded so dramatically, you couldn’t have written the script”. Alex McLeish refers to that night as “the greatest night in Pittodrie’s history”.
The semi-final draw was a less daunting prospect than the quarters had been. Spanish big hitters Real Madrid were joined by Austria Vienna and Belgian outfit Waterschei, and it was the Belgians drawn to head to Pittodrie in the first-leg.
Although seen as a favourable draw prior, this was the semi-finals of a European competition, somewhere you don’t get by being second-rate. But, under the Pittodrie lights Waterschei were the proverbial deer in the headlights. A first minute goal from Eric Black settled any nerves and set the tone for the incoming blitz. Black’s opener was followed by Neil Simpson doubling the lead inside four minutes then a Mark McGhee brace with a Weir goal in between the two. A Waterschei consolation didn’t give much cause for concern. 5-1. The supporters' flights and ferries were already being booked for Sweden. The trip to Genk for the second-leg may have ended in a 1-0 defeat but nobody in Scotland - and more importantly the North East corner of the country - batted an eyelid. Gothenburg and Real Madrid awaited.
We return then to the biblical rain in Sweden which was so relentless the match was on the verge of postponement. Thankfully, the Ullevi pitch was deemed playable when on another day it may have been classed as a wash out, allowing Aberdeen players and fans alike their most prestigious night of their lives.
Six minutes in one of the most celebrated goals in the history of Aberdeen Football Club hit the net, courtesy of Eric Black - who had already hit the bar - prodded in an Alex McLeish knock-on from Gordon Strachan’s corner. The lead was short lived as an error let the Spaniards back into the match when McLeish under hit his back pass, seemingly having not considered the surface water, nor the tempest like conditions. Jim Leighton came rushing out and brought down Santillana who was that split second faster to the ball. Jaunito made no mistake with the resulting spot kick, and after 15 minutes, it’s all square. The leveller rattled the Dons and allowed Los Blancos to get their foot in the game, however to the detriment of Aberdeen, they failed to make any inroads prior to the break. 1-1.
After the break, Aberdeen came out on top, adapting better to the monsoon, but they could not break down the Spanish rearguard who knew they were in a real game here. The 90 minutes came and went, and extra time was upon the Ullevi.
As the deluge continued to assault the Swedish stadium, the Dons continued to go at Madrid. With nine minutes to go the wildest dream of the red clad masses were fulfilled Peter Weir stroked the ball out wide to Mark McGhee who swung in an inch perfect cross to the waiting John Hewitt. 2-1. Aberdeen were in front and their drenched fans in the stands were sent into a frenzy.
The full-time whistle, when it finally came, made footballers into eternal legends. Leighton, Rougvie, McMaster, Miller(c), McLeish, Strachan, Weir, Cooper, Simpson, McGhee, Black and goal-scoring substitute Hewitt had toppled the biggest name in the European game.
“Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid but, at the top of the tree it was Aberdeen” exclaimed John Hewitt. “Our success at Aberdeen is nothing short of a miracle really” were the words of Sir Alex Ferguson. Or as captain Willie Miller put it, “the best team in Europe”.
The sentiments are all the same no matter how they were put across and those sentiments are the reason that the Gothenburg Greats will be forever immortal.
Image courtesy of Theo McInnes
