In May the RedMatchday team paid tribute to Niall McGinn by picking our favourite Niall goals.

Not an easy task! Last season, Niall entered the AFC top 25 all-time scoring chart, but it is safe to say there are not many on that list who has scored so many outstanding goals playing for Aberdeen.

We look forward to Niall adding to his list over the next three years:

NUMBER 10.

Maybe not his greatest goal, but Niall had a habit of popping up and scoring some vital goals just when the team most needed one, and none more so than this effort against a top European outfit.

23/07/15 UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE QUALIFIER 2ND LEG
ABERDEEN V HNK RIJEKA (2-2) (5-2 agg)
PITTODRIE – ABERDEEN
Niall McGinn scores for Aberdeen.

NUMBER 9.

After taking a corner, the ball came back to him and he beat a defender before firing home a superb left footed strike. He could score with both feet.

30/07/14 SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
ABERDEEN v PARTICK THISTLE (2-0)
PITTODRIE – ABERDEEN
Aberdeen’s Niall Mcginn (10) makes it 2-0 with a fine effort

NUMBER 8.

Niall actually scored some great headers when playing in a more central role. We picked this one, his second of what would be a hat-trick at Dens.

29/12/12 CLYDESDALE BANK PREMIER LEAGUE
DUNDEE V ABERDEEN (1-3)
DENS PARK – DUNDEE
Aberdeen’s Niall McGinn (3rd left) heads the ball into the back of the net to put his side two infront.

NUMBER 7.

He loved a goal against Dundee! He has an incredible scoring record against them. For this one, he ran from his own half, on a difficult surface, before firing a low shot past Robert Douglas.

15/02/13 CLYDESDALE BANK PREMIER LEAGUE
ABERDEEN v DUNDEE (1-0)
PITTODRIE – ABERDEEN
Niall McGinn (left) opens the score for Aberdeen

NUMBER 6.

He scored some wonderful free-kicks, so it was really hard picking just one for our top ten. This effort highlighted his ability from a dead ball as well as any. A great team performance that night as well, inspired by Niall.

04/11/13 SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
ABERDEEN V PARTICK THISTLE (4-0)
PITTODRIE – ABERDEEN
Aberdeen star Niall McGinn (right) bends his free-kick around Partick Thistle’s wall to put his side ahead.

NUMBER 5.

Niall himself always liked this one. His composure in the penalty area was shown when he dinked the ball over his international colleague Michael McGovern.

06/12/14 SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
ABERDEEN v HAMILTON (3-0)
PITTODRIE – ABERDEEN
Aberdeen’s Niall McGinn (right) scores his side’s second goal of the game

NUMBER 4.

Another wonderful left footed strike late in the game. This was a big win for the Dons, perhaps a turning point in the season. Niall played his part after coming back into the side.

23/12/16 LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP
FIR PARK – MOTHERWELL
MOTHERWELL V ABERDEEN (1-3)
Aberdeen’s Niall McGinn (10) scores his side’s third goal

NUMBER 3.

The Northern Ireland international scored two goals that evening that could both have made the top ten. We went with his thunderous effort to double Aberdeen’s lead after 62 minutes.

07/04/14 SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
HIBERNIAN v ABERDEEN (0-2)
EASTER ROAD STADIUM – EDINBURGH
Niall McGinn scores with a thunderous effort to double Aberdeen’s lead after 62 minutes.

NUMBER 2.

A few of the players picked this as his goal of the season and who are we to argue? From Joe Lewis’ clearance forward, the ball never touched the ground before it found the net. Outstanding technique.

27/01/17 LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP
ABERDEEN V DUNDEE (3-0)
PITTODRIE – ABERDEEN
Aberdeen’s Niall McGinn scores his side’s second goal

NUMBER 1.

This goal more than any other highlighted Niall’s quality. He started a move deep inside his own half before collecting the ball tight on the touchline. He then produced a nutmeg as well as that trademark drop of the shoulder before scoring. Sheer brilliance.

20/09/15 LADBROKES PREMIERSHIP
HEARTS v ABERDEEN
TYNECASTLE – EDINBURGH
Aberdeen’s Niall McGinn (far right) hammers the ball home to double the lead for his side

Fixture changes for February