1970

Saturday 14^th March 1970

Scottish Cup Semi-Final at Muirton Park, Perth

Aberdeen 1:0 Kilmarnock

The Dons under Eddie Turnbull had become a cup specialist side; the 1970 semi-final meeting with Kilmarnock was the Dons fourth appearance in the last four in five seasons. As in 1969, European campaigners Kilmarnock stood in the Dons way in the Scottish Cup and once again, Aberdeen the underdogs prevailed.

However, things early that season had not looked good.

After really struggling to see off Clydebank at home in the third round, the general opinion was that Aberdeen would have to improve massively in the cup in 1970 if they were to progress further in the cup. With a tough away quarter final tie due at Falkirk in 10 days time, manager Turnbull was aware of the dangers that Brockville could pose for his side. Falkirk were Second Division leaders and were desperate to get in about Aberdeen.  The Dons were looking to reach their fourth cup semi final in five seasons but their plans were in turmoil leading up to the game. The club was hit hard with a sickness bug that ruined their preparations and players and staff was being sent home on a daily basis. With training not possible and around ten of the squad laid low with the virus, the club produced medical certificates and presented them to the SFA ahead of the tie asking for a postponement. This was flatly refused by the SFA and Aberdeen were ordered to play the fixture. While manager Turnbull was furious he used the decision to galvanise his side as Harper remembered; “Eddie was raging at the SFA as his preparations were in ruins. It was always going to be a tough tie but we had about 12 of us down with the bug. Eventually we had a roll call of the sick on the eve of the game and more or less asked some of us to get up off our sick beds and play. It was a crazy situation and that would never have been allowed to happen these days.”

Fate also played a part as Turnbull had to draft in the relatively untried Derek McKay on the right wing. McKay was a free transfer signing from Dundee that season and was making his first start for the team after two substitute appearances earlier in the season. It proved a masterstroke from Turnbull as McKay popped up with the winning goal in the 66th minute. Conditions were horrendous on a mud bath of a surface and Aberdeen had to dig in and battle for the win. With so many players off colour they turned to the likes of McKay to turn the game in the Dons favour. McKay scored after some confusion in the Falkirk box in what was an energy sapping 90 minutes.

Three weeks later Aberdeen were paired with Kilmarnock in the semi final. For once a true neutral venue was found at Muirton Park in Perth, the original St Johnstone ground. With Celtic facing Dundee in the other semi final at Hampden, Aberdeen were delighted at Perth being chosen for their tie. It guaranteed a huge Aberdeen support for the game which would be important. Derek McKay had done enough to retain his place in the side and the Dons forward lined up with Joe Harper and Jim Forrest in the Aberdeen attack. Kilmarnock had been one of the best provincial sides in the 1960’s and were clinging on to former glories by the end of the decade.

Aberdeen for their part were an evolving side under Turnbull and a match for any side on their day. More than 17,000 Aberdeen supporters made it down to Perth for the tie in a crowd in excess of 28,000 filled the old ground at Muirton. There was trouble on the terraces before and during the game as fans were struggling to gain admission to the ground. Once again it was Derek McKay who did the damage for the Dons; his goal in 21 minutes giving Aberdeen a crucial lead that were to hold on to and reach the cup final.

Despite an aerial assault by Kilmarnock in the second half, the Dons defence stood firm to repel the Ayrshire side.

Joe Harper recalled the tense match; “We knew that once we had got ahead that we were a helluva side to beat. We were confident the defence could hold out against any side and we knew that scoring first was crucial. Kilmarnock were a tough side back then; more physical but we were aware of that and could mix things up when we had to. It was great day for us and Derek did the trick again; he was a far better player than most would give credit for. We relied on a quick breaks back than and we had the players who could cause any side problems. It was a confidence thing and we knew that on our day we could take any side on. That was maybe why we were such a threat in cup football. We went on to prove that in the final which was a day I will never forget.”

If the Dons were not at their best in the semi-final, they were composed and workmanlike. In the cup this Aberdeen team had the nerve and belief to succeed. With a fast tempo to the game, the Dons just made it, keeping the huge Aberdeen support living on their nerves right through to full time.  

On reflection Kilmarnock could point out to the mounting pressure they piled on to the Dons defence in the second half, but they squandered several chances and came up against an Aberdeen defence that stood firm. Once Derek McKay scored after a defence-splitting move by Jim Hamilton and Joe Harper, the Dons played it tight. Eddie Morrison and Ross Mathie were the front players who Kilmarnock relied on but their robust approach was superbly dealt with by Tom McMillan and Martin Buchan. Time and time again the Ayrshire men launched high balls into the Aberdeen area but with keeper Bobby Clark and his defence standing up to the challenge, the Rugby Park side were never in control. The Ayrshire side grew more desperate as the game entered a frantic finale but their failure to vary their style proved their undoing.

The Dons were camped deep in their own half for long spells but they created the better chances with Harper and McKay to the fore. Jim Hermiston also emerged as a hero for the Dons as his tireless efforts thwarted the potential threat of Jim McLean. Hermiston also sustained an ankle injury and had to be helped off the field by Jim Bonthrone ten minutes from time. As Aberdeen defended quite deeply, they were able to hit back on the break with counter attacks down both flanks. It was a tense game from the start with both sides looking likely enough to take the initiative. At the centre of everything was Derek McKay and who could blame him as he left the field with a wry smile? Given a free transfer by Dundee at the end of the previous season, the Banff born younsgter’s football future looked in doubt. Now within a year he was poised to win a cup medal. McKay kept his place following his Brockville heroics and his opportunistic winner at Muirton sent Aberdeen to the Final.

Aberdeen; Clark, Boel, Murray, Hermiston, McMillan, M Buchan, McKay, Robb, Forrest, Harper, Hamilton. Sub; G Buchan for Hermiston (80)

Kilmarnock; McLaughlan, King, Dickson, Gilmour, McGrory, McDonald, T McLean, Morrison, Mathie, J McLean, Cook.

The RedMatchday team will look back at the 1970 game in more detail in this week’s Quarter Final publication and also look at what else was happening at the club around that time as Aberdeen geared up for a cup final. You can order your copy online here