Aberdeen v Celtic in the League Cup

The last time Aberdeen met Celtic in the League Cup at either home ground was away back in 1987 when a Jim Bett goal was enough to send Aberdeen through to the semi-final after the 1-0 win over Celtic at Pittodrie.

With Aberdeen having lost their last three meetings, you have to go back the Hampden semi-final of 1992 to find the last win when Eoin Jess scored the only goal of the game to send Aberdeen back to Hampden for the Final. In the Aberdeen side that evening was former Celtic legend Roy Aitken who was then the Dons’ player/ assistant manager in the twilight of his playing career. In all seven neutral clashes, the Dons have competed well with three wins and four defeats against the Glasgow club.

Aberdeen have met Celtic in the Final on two occasions. In 1976, it was Aberdeen under Ally MacLeod that prevailed in a memorable 2-1 win at Hampden. After going behind to a Dalglish penalty, the Dons levelled through Drew Jarvie in the first half. Aberdeen substitute Dave Robb popped up with an extra-time winner as the League Cup came north after a 21-year famine.

Manager MacLeod had declared that he would bring a major trophy to Aberdeen within 18 months of his arrival and the former Scotland manager certainly delivered.

In 2000, it was a more experienced Celtic who won 2-0 in a final that Aberdeen at no stage looked like winning. Under Ebbe Skovdahl, the Dons had a cosmopolitan look and side in transition. Despite being bottom of the league, the Dons reached both domestic cup finals that season.

In the early years, the teams met in the group stages on four occasions. While the teams could not be split in 1949, the Dons won both ties in 1953 with Celtic prevailing in 1956.

Arguably the most contentious tie came in 1967 at Pittodrie. While the result flattered the visitors, it was steeped in controversy when Celtic were awarded a penalty after Bobby Lennox dived over Bobby Clark as he made a save. To the crowd’s astonishment, a penalty was awarded even with no real claims from any of the visiting players.

The trouble did not end there. Clark incredibly saved Gemmell’s thunderbolt penalty but to the dismay of the home support, referee JRP Gordon ordered a retake from which Gemmell scored. The referee was then approached by a spectator and his dog as he ran on to the pitch to remonstrate with the official.

Two years later, the sides met at the quarter-final stage and Aberdeen were edged out after a 0-0 draw at Pittodrie was followed by a narrow 2-1 win in the Parkhead return.

In 1972, a free scoring Aberdeen fell short in a classic semi-final clash at Hampden. The Dons had been scoring for fun that season but they were beaten 3-2 by Celtic as they missed out on a first League Cup final appearance since 1955.

A year later it was another two leg quarter final meeting. Again the Dons missed out after a 0-0 draw at Pittodrie. It was an almost surreal occasion as the game was played on a Wednesday afternoon. The country was plunged into a three-day working week as cuts and strikes throughout the country escalated. That meant a restriction of power for essential use only so no floodlighting was allowed at football matches. The early kick-off kept the crowd down to 15,000 with so many unable to make the game.

Two years later, Aberdeen opened their season at Celtic Park and went down 1-0 to Celtic in a tense opening League Cup tie. Aberdeen legend Doug Rougvie made his debut for the first team that day in what was the first season of the new 10-team Premier League. Three years after the Dons’ final success in 1976, the teams met again at the quarter-final stage. A memorable hat-trick from Steve Archibald gave Aberdeen a 3-2 first leg lead at Pittodrie. Aberdeen finished the job with a 1-0 win in Glasgow but the injury sustained by Joe Harper effectively brought a premature end to a great career for the Dons’ record scorer.

By 1984 the competition format had changed again and the semi-finals were now on a home and away basis. After a 0-0 draw at a packed Pittodrie, the Dons went out after a Mark Reid penalty in the return was enough to put Celtic through.

The only occasion a League Cup tie between the sides went to penalties was at Pittodrie in 1986 as Celtic eased through after a tense 1-1 draw.

Following that, Aberdeen reached the League Cup final on three consecutive occasions and Celtic were eliminated in 1987 and again in 1989 when a sensational Ian Cameron goal gave Aberdeen a 1-0 semi-final win at Hampden. The Dons went on to lift the cup that season.

The 2000 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 19 March 2000 – the first final to be played in March, as all previous finals had taken place in November; Celtic won a forgettable final 2–0, thanks to goals from Vidar Riseth and Tommy Johnson with Thomas Solberg being sent off on the hour mark.

In the 2011 semi-final Aberdeen were well beaten by Celtic who scored four goals in the first half hour. The Dons team five years ago was:

Team: Langfield, McArdle, McNamee (Pawlett 77), Diamond, Considine, Vujadinovic (Jack 28), Hartley, Young (Magennis 77), Milsom, Maguire, Vernon Substitutes Howard, Paton.

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