1967

50 years ago today Aberdeen made their debut in the European arena when they faced Icelandic part time side KR Reykjavik in the Cup Winners Cup.

Cup Winners Cup | 1st Round First Leg | Aberdeen v KR Reykjavik

It could have been a different story for the club had they been granted their rightful place in the first European Cup competition back in 1955 as Scottish champions. It is fair to say that there was great excitement in September 1967 when the local ‘Evening Express’ proudly declared that ‘PITTODRIE HISTORY WAS BEING MADE’ on the eve of the game. The draw for the preliminary round was made in Belgrade on the 5th July 1967 and made front page news in Aberdeen while the Aberdeen squad was still over in Texas playing in the USA Presidents Cup.
Dons player Jimmy Wilson revealed the players did not even know they were in Europe at the end of the season.

“When we came off the pitch at Hampden after losing the Scottish Cup final we were obviously very disappointed with the result and we did not even know we were in Europe. It must have been a few weeks after before we were aware.”

Jim Whyte added: The excitement started when the draw was made. To go and play in Iceland, it was going to be something new for us. Up until that point we had never played anywhere in Europe. Being the club’s first ever game in Europe made it all the more exciting.”

The oldest club in Iceland were the Dons first ever opponents in Europe when the sides were drawn in the opening round of the 1967.68 ECWC competition.

Reykjavik were the most northerly team in the competition and Aberdeen were immediately installed as firm favourites to progress. The Icelandic side had been hammered 8-4 by Nantes in their first European Cup tie a year earlier and their European history was littered with heavy defeats. Being an all amateur club they were not expected to trouble the Dons.

Although they were certainly the top club in Iceland, back then the standard in the region was poor and Icelandic sides had never made their mark in European football. Bjarni Felixon doubled up as club secretary and player and he declared that the trip to Scotland would be a great adventure for his side:

“Although Reykjavik have not been in the best of form recently we remain confident of putting up a good show in Aberdeen.”

How did Aberdeen approach their first ever European adventure? Jim Wilson gave an insight:

“Eddie Turnbull had the claim to fame of scoring the first ever goal in Europe by a player for a British team. He told us that on more than one occasion! He did not really treat the European games any differently. But then Eddie was far ahead of many British coaches in his thinking anyway so there was no real need to alter things. He was the first manager who allowed us to train with a ball! Many managers had the view that if the players did not see a ball in training they would then be hungry for it on a Saturday. Thankfully Eddie was not one of those coaches.

“He also had the approach that we needed to worry about ourselves and not what our opponents were doing. I don’t even think he went to watch our first round opponents.”

The visitors arrived at Aberdeen Airport with 16 players and four officials on the Monday before travelling to train at Pittodrie under the lights. Aberdeen were in no mood to be merciful as they had their own agenda as they were keen to erase the memory of a heavy defeat against Celtic in a League Cup-tie at Pittodrie which was controversial after a clash with Bobby Clark and Bobby Lennox of Celtic. Manager Eddie Turnbull had injury worries before the tie with Jens Petersen and Jim Storrie struggling to make it. The Dons boss was keen to field his strongest side as this was new, unexplored territory for the club and Turnbull had ambitions to fulfil in Europe. Although he was mindful that the Dons opponents would be of a poor standard, he was adamant that his players take full advantage and make the most of the occasion.

Turnbull predicted his side would score a few goals and he was certainly proven correct.

A crowd of 14,000 turned out to see one of the most one-sided games at Pittodrie as a ruthless Aberdeen won 10-0, creating a club record in their very first outing and also a Scottish record in Europe, bettering Dundee’s 8-1 in over Cologne.

The Dons took 19 minutes to score in the game, and then finished the scoring in the 78 minute – so ten goals in an hour shows the scoreline could easily have been worse!

Frank Munro was married two days before the game and he celebrated by scoring the Dons first ever goal in Europe and Munro went on to claim a hat trick, only one of two Aberdeen players ever to do so in Europe. From the outset Aberdeen were looking to get amongst the goals and within minutes the visitors were forced back to try to hold the Aberdeen forwards. Bobby Clark was a spectator for long spells:

“I don’t remember too much about the game, it was a calm summer evening and it was as easy a game as I had ever played in. The Reykjavik side were all amateurs and it showed. We hardly broke sweat all night and I remember us scoring at will.”

Jimmy ‘Jinky’ Smith was inspired as he got the freedom of the park and he displayed his full repertoire of skills and he weighed in with a couple of goals. The only real surprise was that it took the Dons 19 minutes to make the breakthrough when Frank Munro headed past Petursson after Buchan had set up the chance from an Ian Taylor corner. It was all Aberdeen as they proceeded to pile on the goals in 21, 32, 44, 49, 53, 56, 62, 72 and 78 minutes.

On reflection the game was bordering on the farcical; so far ahead were Aberdeen that Bobby Clark made only one save all night and that came in the 82nd minute after Aberdeen had completed the rout. There was also confusion before the game as outfield substitutes were not allowed in Europe back then and only a goalkeeper could be replaced. That meant that young Ernie McGarr was stripped and listed as the substitute, prompting much furrowed brows from the home support as Ernie warmed up trackside.

On that same evening a certain Alex Ferguson scored for the Scottish League against Ireland in Belfast, while at Pittodrie, the 14,000 crowd were surprised to see Aberdeen reserve keeper Ernie McGarr listed as substitute against Reykjavik. Harry Melrose had been listed but European rules at that time meant that only a substitute keeper could be listed and not outfield players as had been the way in the Scottish League.

STATS
Wednesday 6th September 1967
ECWC 1st Round
ABERDEEN 10:0 KR Reykjavik
Aberdeen; Clark, Whyte, Shewan, Petersen, McMillan, Buchan, J Wilson, Munro, Storrie, Smith, Taylor. Sub; McGarr.
Attendance; 14,000

Cup Winners Cup | 1st Round Second Leg | KR Reykjavik v Aberdeen

Aberdeen completed the job in the Icelandic capital a week later but as Jim Whyte recalls travelling abroad to games was not easy. “In those days there were no character flights. We had to get the train to Glasgow and then a passenger flight from there to Iceland. There were no supporters or media on the flight.”

The Dons began the game slowly in the Municipal Stadium in Reykjavik before a sparse 1,500 crowd. Despite dominating the game it took the Scots 42 minutes to score when Jim Storrie reacted quickly after Petursson could not hold a shot from Munro. Just before half time Martin Buchan headed a Munro cross past a helpless Reykjavik keeper. Frank Munro was at the centre of all of the Aberdeen pressure and he scored the Dons third in 52 minutes from a free kick awarded when Ian Taylor was brought down. In 59 minutes Jim Storrie scored the
Dons fourth goal after his clever header from Jimmy Wilson’s cross completed the rout.

The one crumb of comfort for the home side came late in the game when Aberdeen had visibly eased off and began to showboat, much to the later dismay of manager Turnbull. The hard working Hafsteinsson was rewarded when he scored from a Felixson cross to the ironic delight of the home support. That late goal was not lost on Turnbull who promptly ripped into his players for their lack of professionalism in the closing minutes. It was a lesson that the Dons manager would hammer into his players as he was well aware that tougher opponents would be faced in the next round.

Summing up the experience, Jimmy Wilson told us: “I think it was treated as just another game as we did not know what to expect. Once we got through and were drawn against Standard Liège then we maybe started to appreciate European football then.

Cup Winners Cup | 2nd Round | Aberdeen v Standard Liege

While the draw had been kind to the Dons in the preliminary round, there was no such luck when they came up against Standard Liege of Belgium in the next round. While Reykjavik were out of their depth in Europe, it was the novices from Aberdeen who were up against a side with an impressive pedigree in European competition. The best Belgian sides more than held their own in Europe and Liege were seen as one of the favourites to go all the way in the competition that year. The first leg in the intimidating Sclessin Stadium was a far cry from the relative calm of Iceland.

A large home crowd made it an uncomfortable night for the Dons who went down 3-0 in what was a huge disappointment. Set pieces were Dons weakness, losing two goals from corners in the first 11 minutes. When Aberdeen lost a third just after the hour, it was a lost cause for the Scots. The return at Pittodrie was a huge anti-climax for Aberdeen. A severe snowstorm hours before kick off kept the crowd down to less than what turned up for the Reykjavik tie. If ever Aberdeen needed their support behind them it was then with a three goal deficit to make up, it was always going to be an impossible task. Aberdeen were forced to take chances and go on the offensive at every opportunity.

Despite the Belgians showing a good technical approach they had no answer to the guile of the Aberdeen players who showed enough to suggest that all was not lost. Frank Munro scored with a searing volley in the 20th minute and after Harry Melrose made it 2-0 in 65 minutes it was game on. Despite laying siege on the visitor’s goal in a frantic closing spell the Dons ran out of luck and time. Bobby Clark recalled—“Liege brought us down to earth after the Reykjavik game. They were a quality side and they hit us hard over in Belgium. We had usually defended well at set pieces but they got the better of us before their own support. I remember the return being played in thick snow and the game should never have taken place. But we did give them a real time of it at Pittodrie a missed a late chance that could have taken the tie to extra time but it wasn’t to be.”

Jim Whtye added “Over in Belgium we conceded two early goals and then lost a really poor third goal late on. That one was a killer. Even a 2-0 down we had a chance back at Pittodrie. The game in Aberdeen, there was a blizzard that night and we were playing in white! We could not see each other! We won 2-0 but it was not enough.

Since then the Dons have had many incredible highs and a few lows in European football. They have won trophies but the class of 67 has the honour of being the first team to play on the continent in an Aberdeen strip. They were trail blazers for what followed. And no one can ever take that away from them.

Final word goes to Jimmy Wilson:

“Everyone says the game has changed so much since then but I don’t think so. Everyone says the game is so much faster nowadays but when we trained with Eddie Turnbull you could not have been any fitter. The game is still about passing, and crossing and shooting and all the things that make good teams. I still our team would hold their own against many of the opposition sides I see at Pittodrie.”

Bobby Clark Interview

“Asked about my first reflections of Aberdeen’s first appearance in European football, my initial feeling is that it is hard to believe that this happened 50 years ago! Time passes very quickly when you are enjoying yourself!”

The feeling at the club about entering European competition for the first time?

“I think we were all very excited. Travel to Europe was not a common in those days. We were excited but once the travel began we had been well seasoned by our American adventure as the Washington Whips. This had given us a good taste of playing foreign teams and against unfamiliar players.”

Memories of that 10-0 win (Franny Munro scored the first goal and got a hat trick).

“To be honest the game is a blur as once the goals started it just became a progression. We had some excellent players at that time and Franny was certainly one of them. He was a big lad but had great balance and touch with the ball.”

The return trip to Reykjavik and subsequent 4-1 win.

“I think the return trip was a little of an anti-climax as the result was never in doubt. I had previously played on that stadium there on two occasions in my Queens Park days – once with Middlesex Wanderers, a British Amateur select and a second time when Scotland sent their Amateur international team up to play Iceland. It is amazing to think that back in these days a Scottish Amateur team could go to Iceland and beat them.”

Going out to Standard Liege in the next round (3-0 defeat in Belgium followed by a 2-0 win at Pittodrie).

“We got hit by a whirlwind in the penning half in Liege. They were a very good team and I think they had about seven players in the Belgian national team. There was a big crowd crammed into a small ground and the overran us in that early period. The game at Pittodrie was a reversal as we came out and really played well on a snow covered pitch. Unfortunately we just fell short of what would have been a great comeback.”

1967 | the rest of the season

After the disappointment in Liege, it seemed to have an impact on the rest of the season. In the league Aberdeen were inconsistent for long spells. Touted for being in the top four by many observers the Dons struggled to get clear of mid table and by the turn of the year they were struggling with only five wins from their 16 league outings to date. Aberdeen did not register their first away win until a 2-0 New Year’s Day win at Dens Park.
In the Scottish Cup Aberdeen needed two games to see off Raith Rovers but they were then knocked out in unfortunate circumstances to eventual winners Dunfermline at East End Park.

By the middle of April the Dons hopes of reaching a European place were slipping away but a remarkable four game winning sequence took the Dons high enough up the table to make sure European football would return the following season. Aberdeen beat Stirling, St Johnstone and Airdrie before their final league game against Rangers at Ibrox in the final day of the season. Rangers had incredibly gone through the season undefeated to that point and a win over Aberdeen would clinch the title. After Alex Ferguson put Rangers 2-1 ahead in 56 minutes Rangers looked well on course for the championship. However Billy Little equalised and in the final minute Ian Taylor popped up unmarked to score a sensational winner. That goal confirmed Aberdeen’s place in Europe while the championship was effectively handed to European Cup holders Celtic in a thrilling finale to the season.
Of the 29 signed Aberdeen players that season, 25 were used with Ally Shewan the only ever present.

In England West Brom won the FA Cup at Wembley. The Baggies beat Everton 1-0 despite the team from Merseyside being hot favourites. The winning goal came from Jeff Astle in the third minute of extra time. Manchester City pipped neighbours United to the English title in an equally dramatic final day of the league season. City had to win at Newcastle to take the championship. A stirring second half saw the Maine Road side prevail. With Man Utd creating their own European Cup history, Manchester was at the top in 1968. Ten years after the Munich disaster Manchester United took the European Cup after a 4-1 win over Benfica at Wembley. Leeds Utd ended a spell of coming so close to success with a League Cup Final win over Arsenal.   

Elsewhere Alan Mullery became the first England player to be sent off for his country when he received his marching orders playing for England against Yugoslavia in a European Championship semi-final clash in Florence. The British transfer record was broken twice, first when Martin Chivers moved from Southampton to Tottenham for £125,000 and then Allan Clarke joined Leicester from Fulham for £150,000. The ‘Four Step’ rule was in force in British football. That in practice meant the no keeper was allowed to take more than four steps while holding on to the ball. Finally Cardiff City, who were a lowly Second Division side back, astonishing reached the semi-finals of the ECWC before being knocked out by Hamburg.

1967 | Also in the News in September

6 September – Myrina was launched from the slipway at Harland and Wolff in Belfast, the first supertanker and largest ship built in the U.K.
10 September – In a Gibraltar sovereignty referendum, only 44 out of 12,182 voters in the British Crown colony of Gibraltar supported union with Spain.
20 September – The RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (the QE2) was launched at Clydebank by Queen Elizabeth II, using the same pair of gold scissors used by her mother and grandmother to launch the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary respectively.
27 September – The RMS Queen Mary arrived in Southampton at the end of her last transatlantic crossing.
29 September – Cult television series The Prisoner was first broadcast in the UK on ITV.
30 September – BBC Radio completely restructured its national programming: the Light Programme was split between new national pop station Radio 1 (modelled on the successful pirate station Radio London) and Radio 2; the cultural Third Programme was rebranded as Radio 3; and the primarily-talk Home Service became Radio 4.
New TV programmes on UK TV included the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Tonight with Dave Allen.
Movies released this month included The Battle of Algiers, Point Blank and Bonnie and Clyde.
The top three songs in the UK were : Engelbert Humperdinck – The Last Waltz, Tom Jones – I'll Never Fall In Love Again and Scott Mckenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)