Thursday night will be the fourth time Aberdeen have welcome an English side to Pittodrie for a European tie. The RedMatchday team look back at the three previous ‘Battles of Britain’.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

In the early days of European competition, Aberdeen seemed to attract all the ‘big guns’ when it came to European football. After negotiating an easy enough path past Irish part timers Finn Harps in the opening round, Aberdeen met Tottenham Hotspur in the next round with first leg at Pittodrie on 24th October 1973. It was also one of the last occasions that Pittodrie attracted a crowd in excess of 30,000 before seating in most parts of the ground reduced the capacity.

The English side had built up an impressive pedigree in European circles and were immediately installed as favourites not only to see off Aberdeen but to win the trophy, for while Tottenham did not enjoy the best of starts in the English league that season, they were previous winners of both the ECWC and UEFA Cups. The visitors took the lead after 15 minutes with a stroke of good fortune. Young Aberdeen defender Willie Miller made a superb tackle on McGrath only to watch in agony as the ball broke to Ralph Coates who gave Clark no chance.

From that point on it was like the Alamo at times as Aberdeen laid siege to the Spurs goal, mindful of their ability to hit on the break. With three minutes left Aberdeen finally made the breakthrough. Tricky winger Bertie Miller went past Evans who tripped the Dons winger to give Aberdeen a late penalty. Jim Hermiston scored to level the tie to leave all to play for in the White Hart Lane return.

The second leg on 7th November ended with a convincing 4-1 win for Tottenham but it was far from easy for the Londoners. England 1966 World Cup hero Martin Peters put Tottenham ahead on 13 minutes after a slip by Willie Miller. Aberdeen came back and were awarded was brought down in the box. The referee was encouraged to consult his linesman after Spurs protests and incredibly, he changed his mind. Jimmy Neighbour put Tottenham 2-0 up before the break but when Drew Jarvie pulled a goal back on 54 minutes, another for the Dons would put them through on away goals. Despite some incessant pressure, Aberdeen could not make the breakthrough and two goals from Chris McGrath in the final nine minutes made for a harsh scoreline for Aberdeen.

LIVERPOOL

As Scottish League champions, Aberdeen entered the European Cup for the first time in 1980. In those pre-Champions League days, Europe’s most coveted tournament was still played on a knockout basis although the elite clubs were seeded in the first round. Aberdeen had still to reach such lofty heights and in comparison to Liverpool, they were strictly novices in the European arena.

The Dons had emerged from a tough initial tie against Austria Memphis and their no-scoring draw in Vienna was perhaps their greatest result on foreign soil to date. Liverpool manager Bob Paisley, who expected a tough time against the Scots, noted this. His regret was that one of the two British representatives in the European Cup would be eliminated so early in the tournament.

Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson wanted a big draw and his wish was granted. Liverpool was a magical name in Europe and they would provide the ultimate test for the Dons. If Aberdeen were looking for encouragement before the tie then it came in Liverpool’s recent form in Europe, for in the past two seasons, Nottingham Forest and Dynamo Tiblisi had knocked them out in early rounds. However the Anfield giants posted their intent in the first round in 1980 by hitting hapless Finnish side Palloseura for 10 at Anfield.

There was unprecedented demand and interest in what the media immediately classed as the ‘Battle of Britain’. This title was appropriate given the stature of both clubs in their domestic leagues. Aberdeen decided to sell their tickets on the morning of a Kilmarnock match at Pittodrie and the scenes down Merkland Road were quite incredible. Many fans queued overnight in freezing temperatures and the whole allocation was sold within 45 minutes. The club was heavily criticized for selling four tickets per person and many loyal fans were to miss out. It was from this debacle that the club introduced a voucher scheme which has served them and their loyal support well ever since.

The game kicked off in a frenzied atmosphere with around 500 Liverpool fans huddled in the far corner of the Main Stand. Aberdeen had never adopted a cavalier approach at home against the quality of a team like Liverpool but fate dealt the Dons a cruel card after only five minutes when Liverpool scored to effectively quell the Scots’ fire. John McMaster had been off the field receiving treatment for a nosebleed and it was then that the visitors hit Aberdeen with a sucker punch. Terry McDermott drifted over to the Dons’ right and clipped the ball over Jim Leighton to give the Anfield side a crucial away goal.

There was further dismay for the Dons when they lost McMaster shortly after when he was on the end of a brutal challenge from Ray Kennedy. The influential Dons midfielder took no further part and he was to be out of the game with a cruciate injury for more than a year. Aberdeen never really recovered from that, although they had to press Liverpool in search of a goal. That early goal that changed the Dons’ whole approach as Alex Ferguson stated afterwards that he could not afford to commit his players forward as that would have played in to Liverpool’s hands. It was all a huge disappointment for the Dons who enjoyed the lion’s share of possession without seriously threatening. It was a harsh lesson for Ferguson and his team who were determined to learn from the experience, although they were also to suffer a tough ninety minutes in the return leg at Anfield.

IPSWICH TOWN

“They will never play as good as that again” was the after-match comment by the legendary Bobby Robson, then manager of his impressive Ipswich Town side in 1981. As holders of the UEFA Cup and early leaders in the top division in England, Ipswich were one of the best sides around. Not surprisingly, the English media were dismissive of Aberdeen as they were paired with the holders in the opening round of the 1981/82 UEFA Cup competition. Robson was also confident his side would prevail, even after the Dons went to Portman Road and came back with a 1-1 draw, a result which was well merited.

Aberdeen showed that they had learned from their experience against Liverpool in 1980 though England captain Mick Mills still boasted that Ipswich would be far too good for the Scots. Bobby Robson was happy enough with his team and he was unconcerned that the ‘Battle of Britain’ tag would work against his side. What the Ipswich manager did not count on was a passionate full house at Pittodrie for the return and a team so pumped up by their manager that they set about Ipswich like a pack of dervishes from the kick-off.

In what was a classic European night at Pittodrie, the Dons showed a class and guile that was too much for Ipswich who were eventually out thought, outplayed and outclassed by a slick Aberdeen side. Peter Weir was the Aberdeen hero with two goals in the second half as the Aberdeen support in the Beach End behind the goal almost took the roof off the old place. Weir was in direct opposition to Mills, who was tormented by the Aberdeen winger for long spells. Aberdeen could even afford a missed Gordon Strachan penalty late in the game as the 3-1 second leg win was one of the finest results that Aberdeen ever achieved in the European arena.