Ally Shewan has retired from his role as an AFC match day ambassador after Sunday’s match at Pittodrie.

It brings an end to a 50 year plus association with the Club. As well as being a former captain, Ally has been a great friend to AFC for many years now, participating in a number of roles. He deserves great credit for helping set up the AFC Former Players’ Association, which has been a tremendous success.
 
The original ‘Iron Man’ of Pittodrie, Ally Shewan gained that fearsome reputation from the American public during the Dons’ tour matches in the USA in the summer of 1967. Shewan made a record 313 consecutive appearances for the Dons between 1963 and 1969, which included surpassing Willie Cooper’s consecutive appearance pre-war record (162) for the club.

Ally was brought up in Turriff as an Aberdeen supporter and started out with local club Formartine before signing provisional forms for Aberdeen in 1958. After going full time in 1959, Ally made his first team debut against Third Lanark on 20th March 1962 in a 5-3 win.

During his Pittodrie career, Ally came close to winning silverware but was disappointed to end up on the losing side in the 1964 Summer Cup Final against Hibernian as well as playing in the Dons’ 1967 Scottish Cup side that lost out to Celtic in the Hampden final. Later that summer, Ally was in the team that lost out 6-5 in ‘over time’ to Wolverhampton in the Presidents Cup Final in the USA.

More about the Whips over the next couple of days.

Despite those disappointments, Ally led Aberdeen with distinction through what was a tough time under Tom Pearson and then through the great improvements when Eddie Turnbull took over.

A tough, uncompromising full-back, Ally listed Jimmy Johnstone the Celtic winger as his most difficult opponent while surprisingly listing Partick’s Firhill ground as one of his favourite away venues. Ally eventually left Aberdeen in 1969 following a contract dispute, which was a sad end to his Pittodrie career. After a short spell in Australia,
Ally returned to see out his career in the Highland League. In 1971, he returned with his Elgin City side to play Aberdeen as the Dons opened the defence of the cup at Pittodrie against the Highland league side.

A hard man on the pitch, you could not meet a nicer person off it. Ally has been a tremendous ambassador for the club and everyone at Aberdeen FC appreciated all he has given to the club over the years.

Ally, enjoy your retirement, you certainly deserve it!