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With Hearts the Dons next opponents a week on Saturday we look back to one of our most famous wins against the Tynecastle side in the 1986 Scottish Cup final.

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1986 Master Class from Dons by Kevin Stirling

Had it not been for a controversial Scottish Cup semi final defeat against Dundee Utd at Tynecastle in 1985, Aberdeen would have been creating a new cup record that even the Old Firm could not come close to achieving. The Dons began their 1980's Scottish Cup crusade with a 4-1 win over Rangers at Hampden. It was a symbolic victory in many ways as Aberdeen had at last crushed their cup final bogey against their Ibrox rivals and built on their league success of 1980. After retaining the cup in 1983 with another win over Rangers, Aberdeen made club history with a third win a year later against Celtic. After losing their first Scottish Cup tie in four years against Dundee Utd in 1985, Aberdeen went on to win the cup for the fourth time in five seasons in 1986.

Under Alex Ferguson the Dons had broken a number of club records, but their love affair with the Scottish Cup and the big games at Hampden was a constant factor during those heady days.

The Dons road to Hampden in 1986 was relatively straight forward; with success in the League Cup in October, Aberdeen were also through to the last eight of the European Champions Cup. Their campaign in the Scottish Cup was unique in that all opponents were from the east coast; Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee, Hibernian and cup final adversaries Hearts. For several weeks it was the Tynecastle side that looked the more likely team to succeed as they went so close to winning the title that year. Aberdeen for once were a bit off the pace in the league, but they were looking to secure a first ever domestic cup double with success in the Scottish Cup.

By the time Aberdeen had beaten Hibernian 3-0 at Dens Park to reach their fourth final in five years, Aberdeen had been knocked out of the European Champions Cup by an impressive Gothenburg side. With Hearts apparently closing in on an unlikely league title, Aberdeen could afford the luxury of preparing for the final with the pressure off for once. Aberdeen gave notice of their intent in a 1-1 draw against Hearts at Tynecastle in what was the first live televised league game in Scotland. Playing with little pressure, Aberdeen were unlucky not to severely dent Hearts championship hopes as they looked more likely to win the title. The final day of the league season was significant. Aberdeen travelled to relegated Clydebank with a virtual reserve team as Brian Irvine made his first team debut in a 6-0 stroll for the Dons. It was the ideal, almost relaxed approach that Ferguson had deployed to great effect in the build up to the big matches.

The Dons opponents on the other hand could not have had a more dramatic time of it. Travelling to Dens Park on the final day looking to avoid defeat to clinch the Premier League, it seemed that Hearts at last were about to lay a long standing bogey that had haunted the club since 1965 when they lost their title hopes on the last day at home to Kilmarnock. History repeated itself in stunning fashion as two very late Dundee goals from Albert Kidd handed Celtic the chance of the title. That afternoon Celtic need to score goals and they hammered five past a hopeless St Mirren at Paisley meaning that Hearts had lost the title on the last day, in the final 10 minutes of the season. It was one of the most dramatic days in Scottish football history and very cruel on Hearts who had arguably been the best side in Scotland that season.

A Hearts draw at Dens would have meant the Scottish League title would have stayed out of Glasgow for a fourth season in a row.

The general feeling was that such a horrendous blow would have an effect on club morale. While the noises coming out of Tynecastle were to the contrary, there was little doubt that such a crushing defeat had a huge bearing on the final.

Aberdeen were masters at the big occasion with a team full of experienced players who had seen it all before. Hampden was literally a second home for Aberdeen back then, while Hearts visits to the national stadium were few and far between. The ring of confidence that oozed from the Pittodrie party was evident from the start of the game. Alex Ferguson knew that Hearts would be vulnerable from the kick off and his team began in whirlwind fashion.

The Dons scored with their first meaningful attack after five minutes and the goal confirmed the nerves that were apparent in the Hearts players. Willie Miller played a long ball from the back and found John Hewitt in splendid isolation about 30 yards from the Hearts goal. Hewitt turned and moved towards the Hearts goal unchallenged. As the Hearts defenders stood still, Hewitt unleashed a ferocious shot which gave Hearts keeper Smith no chance. That opening goal rocked the Tynecastle side and Aberdeen went on to use all of their big match experience to control the game.

Credit to Hearts who came back into the game with Neil Berry coming close with a shot that came back off the bar and a John Robertson lob that went just over, but that was it as far as Hearts were concerned.

The second goal came four minutes after the break and was worthy of winning any final, and epitomised the Dons slick approach. It was John Hewitt who finished off a classic Aberdeen move. Peter Weir started the move on the left and his clever cross was superbly dummied by Frank McDougall. Hewitt anticipated his partner's move and moved in to slot the ball home. In the 75^th minute Weir set up the Dons third goal as his cross was headed past Smith by substitute Billy Stark.

In a day of misery for the Edinburgh side their day was compounded midway through the second half when captain Walter Kidd was sent off as it all became too much for the experienced defender. Kidd had already been booked for a high lunge on Hewitt. Peter Weir had tormented the Hearts captain all afternoon and after another free kick was awarded, Kidd first threw the ball at Neale Cooper, before launching the ball into Frank McDougall's face. Referee Alexander wasted little time in dismissing Kidd as the Hearts captain left the field. A sad end to what had been a fine season for Kidd.

The depth of talent at Pittodrie was shown as striker Eric Black had been sensationally dropped by Alex Ferguson after he intimated that he was moving to France in the summer. Once again Aberdeen had risen to the occasion as their love affair with the Scottish Cup continued.

At Hampden Park 10th May 1986

Aberdeen 3:0 Hearts

Scorers; Hewitt 2, Stark

ABERDEEN; Leighton, McKimmie, McQueen, McMaster, McLeish, W Miller, Hewitt, Cooper, McDougall, Bett, Weir. Subs used; Stark, J Miller.

Attendance; 62,841