Dons beat Rangers 5-1

1976 League Cup

One of the most celebrated cup wins in Aberdeen’s history came in the 1976 League Cup after Aberdeen defeated Celtic 2-1 in a memorable Hampden final. While the much-maligned competition has changed in recent years and has no doubt diminished in stature, back in 76′ the Aberdeen win was greeted with great enthusiasm in the north. What was all the more remarkable was the fact that Aberdeen had just escaped from relegation from the first season of the Premier League a few months previously. Jim Bonthrone had been replaced by an enthusiastic Ally MacLeod and in the summer of 1976 he set about strengthening his squad. In came Stuart Kennedy, Dom Sullivan and a returning Joe Harper from Falkirk, Clyde and Hibernian respectively. MacLeod had recognised the need to bring his side up to a position of relative strength and the new look Aberdeen came out of the traps quickly in season 1976.77, leading the Premier League in the early months, talk of a title success was perhaps premature but in the first trophy MacLeod could win, he certainly kept to his promise that he would take Aberdeen to a major trophy win in his first twelve months at Pittodrie.

While the win over Celtic in extra time was a fantastic achievement for Macleod and his side, it was perhaps the Dons win over Rangers in the semi final that raised most eyebrows. Again the venue was ‘neutral’ Hampden Park and despite Aberdeen sitting at the top of the league, it was Rangers who were the bookies favourites to progress at Aberdeen’s expense. In the sectional group that opened the competition the Aberdeen new boys settled in well and the Dons cruised through their group, which include MacLeod’s old side Ayr United, Kilmarnock and Alex Ferguson’s emerging St Mirren. Goal king Joe Harper scored in each of the Dons six group matches but it was in the quarter final against Stirling Albion that the Dons had the most bother. The tie went in to a third game at neutral Dens Park before goals from Jocky Scott and Joe Smith sent Aberdeen through to meet Rangers in the semi final. There was certainly a ring of confidence around Pittodrie as a 2-1 win over Celtic put Aberdeen clear at the top of the league before they travelled to Hampden for the Rangers clash.

Jocky Scott emerged as the Aberdeen hero on the night as he perhaps played his finest hour for the club as Aberdeen hammered Rangers 5-1 in what was one of the Ibrox clubs worst defeats since the Dons trounced them 6-0 in a Scottish Cup semi final at the same venue in 1954. Back then it was big Joe O’Neil who was the Aberdeen hat trick hero. In 1976 it was former Dundee and Scotland international Jocky Scott who was the Rangers tormentor in chief. Aberdeen born Scott was a £25,000 buy from Dundee in 1975 and he was a regular under MacLeod as the Dons had a real cutting edge in forward areas. Aberdeen dominated this semi final from the kick off and they got off to the perfect start when Scott scored his first in two minutes. A great run by Dom Sullivan down the right set up Jocky to gleefully slam the ball past Rangers keeper Stewart Kennedy. Aberdeen continued to press and were rewarded in 14 minutes when Scott struck again. Arthur Graham cleverly slipped the ball through two Rangers defenders and gave Scott an easy chance to score the Dons second. Rangers keeper Kennedy was livid with his defenders but Rangers hit back a minute later to give them hope when Alex McDonald brought the Ibrox side back into the tie. Rangers then threw everything they had at Aberdeen to get back into the tie but the Dons defence was rarely troubled and Arthur Graham should have made it three when he led a quick break by the Dons. There was a blow for the Dons when Joe Smith was injured after a hefty challenge as Rangers efforts increased by any means possible. Smith had to be replaced by seasoned campaigner Eddie Thomson who was brought on to combat the physical approach from the Ibrox side. In 64 minutes Jocky Scott turned provider when he set up Joe Harper who lashed the ball past Kennedy to put Aberdeen 3-1 ahead. It was at that point that Aberdeen really turned on the style and set about embarrassing Rangers with some slick passing that almost cut through the Ibrox defence at will. Two minutes later Drew Jarvie got in on the act and he scored a sensational goal a half volley from inside the box that flew high past Rangers keeper Kennedy. Rangers were reeling and their night of misery was complete when man-of-the-match Scott scored his third and the Dons fifth in the 73^rd minute. Job done, Aberdeen continued to dominate possession and long before referee Anderson brought an end to Rangers nightmare.

Ally MacLeod embraced coach George Murray at full time as they celebrated a great win over their old rivals. MacLeod said; “We proved to the West of Scotland just how good a team we are. I thought all of our goals were superb, particularly the last one as that came from the training ground. Our players responded to the challenge like I hoped they would. We knew that coming to Glasgow and winning was the only way we can gain credibility these days. I think we showed the country just exactly how good we are. The final can’t come quick enough for us.”

Jocky Scott was ecstatic and was delighted to receive the plaudits after the game; “I am absolutely chuffed after that. However it was the whole team that made it all possible. I was in the right place at the right time and it all came off for me on the night. Our confidence was high going into the game although they were favourites and we knew if we could get ahead we would be difficult to beat. Rangers were not that bad on the night, it was just that we were superb. As an Aberdeen player for just over a year, I think that was the best we had played in that time. It all clicked for me against Rangers and we knew they would never give up the fight but to be honest the game was finished when I made it 3-1. You always had that feeling that they would never give up and they caused a fright when they got back into the game at 2-1 but we were confident that we could get back at them and we did that with some style.” Rangers boss Jock Wallace was stunned at the power and pace of Aberdeen yet typically was reluctant to heap praise on his victors; “Aberdeen took their chances, it was as simple as that, we never looked like breaking them down and that was disappointing.”

Jocky Scott went on to make 79 competitive appearances for the Dons scoring 22 goals in his two years wit his hometown club before he returned to Dundee in 1978. After a spell back at Dens he move d to the USA and played with Seattle before returning to Scotland and embark on a career in coaching. In May 1981 Aberdeen travelled south to Dens Park to play Dundee in Jocky’s testimonial match. Jocky is currently coaching for Viborg in Denmark. Jocky had the chance to join Aberdeen as a youngster but went to Chelsea straight from school; “I left school when I was 15 and I spent a year at Chelsea before Tommy Docherty freed me. I returned to Aberdeen and after a couple of months Dundee offered me a contract, which was back in 1964. My father had a lot to do with my early career, having been a player with Aberdeen and Newcastle in the 1930’s. I established myself with Dundee and was proud to chosen for the Scotland U-23 squad in 1969 then eventually the full international team two years later.” Winning the League Cup was nothing new to Jocky as he was in the Dundee side that shocked Celtic in the 1973 Final; “That was the first trophy I was involved in winning, and it was my first final. Dundee made it to the final in 1968 but I was not in the pool for that game.” Jocky has enjoyed a prolonged career in coaching ever since he retired from the game. In 1988 he returned to Pittodrie and took up a post as co-manager of Aberdeen alongside Alex Smith. Scott left Pittodrie in 1991 and took over as Dunfermline manager in his own right. He has also managed at Dundee and Hibernian in the Premier League.

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stats | 27^th October 1976

Aberdeen 5:1 Rangers at Hampden Park

ABERDEEN; Clark, Kennedy, Williamson, Smith, Garner, Miller, Sullivan, Scott, Harper, Jarvie, Graham. Sub; Thomson.

Rangers; Kennedy, Jardine, Miller, Greig, Jackson, Watson, McLean, McKean, Parlane, MacDonald, Henderson.

Attendance; 20,990

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No Dons fan of a certain vintage could possibly forget that memorable Hampden evening when Aberdeen recorded a stunning 5-1 semi-final win over Rangers to reach the final of the 1976 Scottish League Cup. That night’s hat-trick hero was Aberdonian Jocky Scott, whose early inspiration came from Dons favourites Jackie Hather and Graham Leggatt and, of course, the incomparable Denis Law. Now Scott himself, an outstanding forward with Dundee and Aberdeen who enjoyed a distinguished managerial and coaching career in his 50 years in the game, is the subject of a new book, Jocky’s Journey.

Having played a key role in Dundee’s 1-0 triumph against Celtic in 1973, Scott was no stranger to League Cup success and he repeated that feat in the red of Aberdeen when Davie Robb bundled home a dramatic extra-time winner in a pulsating encounter with Celtic in the ’76 final. In his first season with the Dons, Scott finished top scorer and he describes their hairs-breadth escape from relegation from the newly-formed Premier League, his admiration for Beach End favourite Joey Harper and how Aberdeen laid the foundations for their truly great successes of the 1980s.

He talks of the various managers he played under, their influence and how he moved into coaching and management. Jocky had arrived at Pittodrie at the age of 27, after having made his name at Dundee FC, where he made his debut as a 16-year-old after failing to make the grade at Tommy Docherty’s Chelsea. The book tells of several links between the two north-east clubs with former Don Bobby Wishart an early mentor who coaxed and cajoled the fledgling Scott.

Ball-playing wizard Charlie Cooke was another to make a big impression and with big names like Cooke, Alex Hamilton, Andy Penman and mercurial ex-Ranger George McLean, Scott’s footballing education was second to none. Soon the fleet-footed Aberdonian was a fans’ favourite, a standing hugely enhanced by an early derby double against local rivals Dundee United. He describes the rivalry between the two Dundee clubs and how his team-mate Jim McLean went on to great success as Tannadice manager after being spurned for the top job with the Dark Blues. He talks of the footballing chemistry between himself and team-mate Gordon Wallace and the influence of the Dutch “Total Football” in the late ’60s and early ’70s, and of his all-too-brief taste of international football with Scotland.

Of course the Aberdonian himself developed into a fine coach and manager, notably at Dundee where he served the Dens Park club well in three spells in charge and also, more tangibly, as co-manager of Aberdeen where he was a key figure alongside Alex Smith. The Dons, in fact, enjoyed a highly successful three-year spell, which culminated in the League Cup and Scottish Cup successes of season 1989-90. Jocky extols the skill of players like Jim Bett, Charlie Nicholas and Hans Gillhaus as well the winning mentality of men like Stewart McKimmie, Alex McLeish and Willie Miller and relates his bitter disappointment when the Dons were pipped for the title by Graeme Souness’s high-spending Rangers in that dramatic last-day finale in 1991.

It was an era of which Dons fans had fond memories but Scott, who had also played for Seattle Sounders in the NASL and encountered world greats like Pele, Bobby Moore and George Best, was to move on. First to Dunfermline, then Arbroath, Hibernian, Dundee United, Notts County, Raith Rovers, Sunderland, Plymouth Argyle, Danish Superliga club, Viborg FF, Stirling Albion with another couple of spells at Dundee for good measure. Almost fittingly, the grizzled veteran’s remarkable 50-year sojourn in the “glorious game” was to end with a Pittodrie return as coach alongside the equally long-serving Craig Brown and Archie Knox – two men with whom he was particularly well acquainted due to their time together at Dundee and the Largs coaching school

What happened at Chelsea? Why did Scott twice turn his back on his home-town team? When did John Scott become known as Jocky? How did it feel when the Dons could splash the cash on top European players such as Hans Gillhaus and Theo Snelders? What are his thoughts on the modern Scottish game? These are all contained in this informative and interesting story.

 

Scott tells how Dundee suffered and the Dons went on to thrive following his move north. How the ebullient Ally McLeod revitalised Aberdeen and how Archie Knox’s arrival at Dundee was the making of him as a manager. How he and Jim McLean became managerial adverseries and tales of desperate Dundee derbies, the anguish as well as the joy and his disappointment at unfulfilled ambitions. He relates his regrets at leaving Pittodrie to join struggling Dunfermline and recounts the history and hopes of clubs like the Pars and Edinburgh’s sleeping giant Hibernian.

What were his experiences south of the border at Notts County, Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle – and on the continent at Danish club FF Viborg? His trials and tribulation at part-time clubs like Arbroath and Stirling Albion; stirring Fife derbies, tales of financial distress at Dundee, Notts County and Sunderland, great characters like Jimmy Sirrell of Notts County, his friendships forged at the Largs coaching school. It’s all there as well as a flood and sackings galore!

Jocky’s Journey is written by by Peter Caproni and Norrie Price.