‘Goal in a Million’ Takes Cup to Aberdeen

It was a long time in coming but for a generation of Aberdeen supporters it was well worth the wait when the Dons won their first Scottish Cup on the 19th April 1947. As the country recovered from the Second World War, Aberdeen made it to the first final for eight years after a steady and unspectacular road to Hampden…

Aberdeen opened their campaign with a home tie against Partick. At that time Thistle were highly regarded and Aberdeen would have to at their best to see off the Firhill challenge. A huge 34,000 crowd gathered at Pittodrie as the first Scottish Cup tie to be played at Pittodrie since March 1939. Partick arrived with an impressive front line and it would be down to the likes of captain Frank Dunlop and his defence to keep the lively Thistle forwards at bay. The game itself was never a classic as Dunlop quelled the danger of Mathie while Tony Harris put the shackles on Jackie Husband to great effect. It was South African Ray Botha who engineered the first goal for Aberdeen after 31 minutes.

Botha made some progress down the wing and his clever pass set up George Hamilton. The Dons inside forward crossed for the inrushing McCall to beat Steadward from close range. Partick levelled the tie in 67 minutes after Frank Dunlop clashed with Mathie. The Partick forward managed to get up from the challenge and beat George Johnstone. Dunlop could not continue after that and that paved the way for Aberdeen to adopt some offside tactics which were fraught with danger. Nevertheless Aberdeen rallied with a man down and increased the pressure on Partick. With four minutes left Aberdeen scored a dramatic winner from the most unlikely source.  Stan Williams deep corner fell to Willie Cooper who met the ball first time to crash the ball into the net. Cooper was the veteran of the Aberdeen side and he answered the call when a replay looked likely. While some suggested that Aberdeen were fortunate to win, Partick hardly did enough to take anything from the tie. The gate receipts from the tie were £2,042, the 34,000 crowd being the third highest of the day.

In the next round Aberdeen literally swept aside the challenge presented by lowly Ayr Utd at a windswept Pittodrie. However Aberdeen took their time to turn their pressure into goals; all they had to show for their first half efforts was A George Hamilton effort a minute before the break. Some inspired saves from Barbour defied the Dons but in the second half and a strong wind at their backs, the Dons ran riot with a seven goal salvo that left Ayr reeling. That second half did not get going until referee Bobby Calder had to return to the dressing rooms to get the match ball! Perhaps the Ayr players wish he hadn’t as Ray Botha was given a special cheer after he scored his first goal for the club and Tony Harris weighed in with a spectacular hat trick.

Aberdeen were fortunate to be drawn at home again in the next round but found Morton a tough prospect. With Botha missing from the team it was his replacement Willie Millar who scored the Dons only goal after 25 minutes. Despite having their fare share of possession the Dons could not hold out and a McKillop equaliser in the second half took the tie to a replay.

It was at Cappielow in the replay that Aberdeen showed their quality. A 2-1 win was deserved and it showed that this side had a resilience that many thought beyond them. One report stated that ‘Aberdeen made the game look like a game of draughts—always one step ahead of the Morton players’. Despite the home side trying everything to break down the Dons, two first half goals from McCall and Hamilton out Aberdeen in control. Stan Williams was the catalyst for all the good attacking Aberdeen moves and when the wily winger went off on his trademark runs down the wing, no less than four Aberdeen forwards would be up in support—weaving and bobbling their way into positions. Williams made both Aberdeen goals. The first came after the Springbok ‘sand-danced’ in the penalty area before setting up McCall too score. The second goal was simplistic in approach and his superb run was finished off by a classic downward header from George Hamilton. An eye injury to McLaughlin forced Aberdeen in to a tactical switch in the second half as McCall went to right half with the injured Don making a nuisance of himself on the left wing. That meant a more defensive Aberdeen approach but they never looked in danger as Dunlop & Co snuffed out the Morton threat.

As dreams of a Hampden appearance were now a distinct possibility, the Dons drew Dundee at Dens Park in the quarter final which prompted great interest in the city. A huge travelling support followed the Dons on the cup trail and they were treated to a classic tie that took 129 minutes to settle. Dundee scored in the first half through Ewen whose fine solo goal was scored while the Dons were down to ten men with McKenna off the field being treated for a head injury. It was that man again Stan Williams who brought Aberdeen level on the hour as he took full advantage of a mistake from Ancell to whip the ball past a stunned Lynch in the Dundee goal. The game went into an extra time period and it was Stan Williams who was the toast of Aberdeen as he popped up with a winning goal in the third period of extra time in the 129th minute. With the Dundee defenders leg weary, Williams summoned enough energy to run in to the Dundee area and crash an unstoppable shot past Lynch.

Aberdeen went into the semi final and a quick return to Dens Park to face Arbroath who had defied the odds to reach the last four. While the Gayfield side had enough fight in their make up, they were no match for a classy Dons side who imposed themselves on the game from the start. Stan Williams was fast becoming a hero with the Aberdeen support and it was a goal in each half from Williams that took Aberdeen through to their second Scottish Cup Final which was to be played only seven days later.

Aberdeen had little time to prepare for the meeting with Hibernian at Hampden but safe in the knowledge that they would have a huge following behind them for the big day. With Williams and Hamilton perhaps playing at their peak the Dons knew that they always carried a goal threat.

ABERDEEN: Johnstone, McKenna, Taylor, McLaughlin, Dunlop, Waddell, Harris, Hamilton, Williams, Baird and McCall.

HIBERNIAN: Kerr, Govan, Shaw, Howie, Aird, Kean, Smith, Finnigan, Turnbull, Cuthbertson, Ormond.

Hibernian captain Dave Shaw who later joined the Dons as player, trainer and manager, won the toss and elected to play into the stiff breeze and strong sunshine. After 25 seconds there was a sensation and a shock for Aberdeen as they went behind. A long clearance from Finnigan went deep in to the Aberdeen penalty area. George Taylor was in an unfamiliar left back role and he opted to pass the ball back to keeper Johnstone. The Dons keeper anticipated the move and went to collect the ball. Johnstone then looked back in disgust as the ball slipped out of his grasp and Hibernian forward Cuthbertson had the easy task of scoring.

The Aberdeen response was swift and Stan Williams hit a shot from 25 yards that Kerr just managed to tip over the bar. Aberdeen were clearly stung in to action and where previous Aberdeen sides had failed on the big occasion, this Aberdeen side had a tough mentality that was to bring a greater reward. McLaughlin, Dunlop and Waddell were all forcing the Hibernian back line back as Aberdeen pressed for the equaliser. It took some desperate defending from the Easter Road side to keep Aberdeen out but their luck did not hold. In 35 minutes Aberdeen scored a deserved leveller. A long ball from the Dons half deceived the Hibernian defence and livewire Stan Williams was on to the ball as he made his way towards goal. Williams looked up and flicked the ball across goal to George Hamilton whose beat Kerr to the ball and headed into the empty net.

Although Hibernian fought back when Willie Ormond brought out a fine save from Johnstone, their respite was temporary as Aberdeen hit a hammer blow four minutes before half time. It was South African winger Williams who was causing the most damage and as he collected a long ball down the right wing he was soon closed down by two Hibernian defenders. Williams slipped the ball through them and cut in towards goal. As the Aberdeen forwards lined up for the expected cut back, Williams cleverly slipped the ball past Kerr at the near post. It was goal of pure genius and worthy of winning any final.

The expected response from Hibernian in the second half was never allowed to gain momentum as Aberdeen continued to dominate possession. On the hour mark the Dons had a glorious chance to finish the tie when they were awarded a penalty. It was that man Williams again who had tormented the Hibernian players all afternoon that was brought down by Hibernian keeper Kerr. George Hamilton took the penalty but his effort went straight at Kerr and he saved easily. While that may have offered Hibernian incentive it was then down to the Aberdeen defence to close the game down and led by captain Frank Dunlop the Dons held out with ease to win the Scottish Cup for the first time in their history.

The Aberdeen squad enjoyed the celebrations at the end and it was not until the Monday evening that they eventually arrived back in Aberdeen from their Largs base. More than 15,000 turned up to welcome their heroes’ home at the Aberdeen Joint Station. In the pouring rain it did not diminish the excitement. Lord Provost Thom Mitchell was first to congratulate Dunlop and his players.

As the victorious players made their way out of the station on top of a coach, it slowly worked its way past thousands of supporters who lined Guild Street, Trinity Quay and along Union Street and Marischal Street. The Caledonian Hotel awaited the players for a civic reception Frank Dunlop the Aberdeen captain was a proud man as he felt humbled by the reaction from the citizens of Aberdeen—

“I am sure the boys feel that they could travel far and wide and still not find a club like Aberdeen. Personally I feel it an honour to be at Aberdeen.”