PART 4 | Hope springs eternal for Dons

When Aberdeen lost 2-1 at home to Kilmarnock in late February they were 10 points behind Celtic with 15 games left, but it was to be their last defeat of the season as they went on a 15-game unbeaten run that hauled them back in to contention.

What was in Aberdeen’s favour was that they had several games in hand and crucially two of those were against Celtic in Glasgow.

After they disappointed in a rare win for Kilmarnock at Pittodrie, it would now take something special from Aberdeen. The Dons had a hectic schedule of games and the squad would be stretched to the limit.

Old heads needed

The experienced Drew Jarvie was recalled at the start of March. Andy Watson was also brought into the side and he provided balance in the Aberdeen engine room.

Drew recalls “I netted against Partick Thistle at the beginning of March, I got our equaliser, and couldn’t stop scoring after that.”

For Dundee United’s visit on 15th March it was certainly a revenge mission for the Dons.

That win was duly achieved in a 2-1 win as Jarvie scored the winning goal.

A 1-0 win over Morton at Pittodrie, Drew Jarvie scoring was massive. Snow had threatened the game but the pitch was frantically cleared and the Dons battled out a victory against their bogey side.

“I think it was the only senior game on in Scotland. We had the snow cleared from the park. It was a really heavy pitch and we were struggling, but I just toe poked the ball over the line from a big scramble in the box.

That kept the run going.

Drew’s contribution to the campaign should never be overlooked.

He scored many vital goals, none more so than a late equaliser to grab a vital point at Rangers at the end of March. He netted seven goals in seven games during that period.

“I scored my seven goals in seven games and then the manager left me out at Kilmarnock. I guess he was saving my wee legs. He said he was giving me a break because we were playing Celtic the next game”

“I actually ended up level with Steve Archibald as the top league scorer that season even though I played a lot of the games in midfield.”

As the Dons went on an impressive run of success, there was still disappointment along the way as Rangers for once got the better of them in an ill-tempered Scottish Cup semi final at Celtic Park.

Another crucial turning point came in the first week of April when Aberdeen made the first of two trips to Rugby Park. In the midweek game on April Fools Day, we turned on the style in a 4-0 win.

Three days later, the first of their two clashes with Celtic.

Parkhead Double header

Former Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson never tired of telling his players that a club like Aberdeen would never be truly successful unless they went to Glasgow and not only beat the top clubs there but to it with a style and swagger that sent a message out to the west.

With both Celtic and Rangers enjoying a period of dominance in the league since 1965, it would take more than the occasional victory on Glasgow soil to prise away the Premier League Championship from their grasp.

“I just hope that the referee is if strong mind for the game. Far too often we have been subjected to strange decisions when we go there. Referee’s are always under pressure but they have to be strong and fair, anything else is unacceptable.”

Aberdeen manager Alex Ferguson on the eve of the Dons trip to face Celtic at Parkhead.

Ferguson piled the pressure on Celtic and the match officials in the build up to both matches; that created a tension that spilled from the terraces as Aberdeen went about their business with a swagger and arrogance that was usually reserved for the home side.

Looking back, it was clear that Celtic had become complacent; safe in the knowledge that Aberdeen simply had to win both league matches at Parkhead in the closing weeks of the season. The wretched winter determined that Aberdeen would have to visit Celtic twice in as many weeks.

Surely the Dons could not pull off such a feat?

The media was dismissive of the Dons chances; as they usually were and on the face of it those claims did have merit; after all Celtic had been long time leaders and were almost invincible on their own patch.

What they and the press of the time did not allow for was the absolute determination and fearless approach Aberdeen adopted; the classic siege mentality that Ferguson not only created but harnessed in a way that would ‘stick in the craw’ of their rivals.

This resulted in a stunning 2-1 win for the Dons with Steve Archibald and Mark McGhee scoring the vital goals. Celtic were managed by Billy McNeill at that time and they remained confident that they would still be champions despite losing to the Dons.

Subsequent wins over Dundee and a draw against Hibernian who had the legendary George Best in their squad, set up a definitive day in the race on 19th April.

Aberdeen went about their business by accounting for Kilmarnock for the second time in as many weeks at Rugby Park.

However it was over at Dens Park that it was all happening. Celtic inexplicably went down 5-1 to Dundee meaning that at long last the Dons’ destiny was now in their own hands.

With Aberdeen due to visit Parkhead four days later in what was now billed as a league decider, Celtic remained confident that they would not lose the game. Aberdeen had to win to make sure of an incredible finish to the season.

An almost hysterical crowd of 48,000 filled Parkhead for the game and it was Aberdeen who were now in unstoppable form and they swept aside the Celtic challenge. Goals from Archibald and McGhee had Aberdeen ahead even after a dubious Celtic penalty.

In the second half Gordon Strachan pounced on a mistake by Celtic keeper Peter Latchford to score the third. There was no way back for Celtic now and the stark reality was that the title was slipping from their grasp.

After the second of two wins manager Ferguson declared his side came of age; “We totally deserved to win and this will send out a message not only to Celtic but to the rest of Scottish football; this title is now in our own hands and we intend to grab that opportunity to make history.”

On 26th April, Aberdeen played their last home game of the season against St Mirren in what was a carnival atmosphere due to the local Aberdeen student’s charities parade. 20,000 packed Pittodrie for the visit of Ferguson’s old side. Before the game Alex was cautious:

“I am not getting carried away with Wednesdays result. This game today will be as difficult, St Mirren are a good side and although I know a lot about them, they will provide a difficult test for us.

Here we are going in to our last home game sitting at the top of the league, it is a marvellous opportunity for us and one that we have to take. We may be a bit tired after all of the recent games but the Aberdeen support has a huge role to play in this one. After all of the disappointments in recent months it is now time for us to push all the way to the title.”

In front of a packed Pittodrie Aberdeen eased through in a 2-0 win with Rougvie and Scanlon getting the goals.

On 29th April the Dons used their game in hand against Celtic when they drew 1-1 at Dundee Utd, Strachan scoring, and moved one point clear at the top.

The race would now be decided on 3rd May 1980 with Aberdeen at Easter Road and Celtic in Paisley to play St Mirren. The Dons task looked easy enough as Hibernian were already consigned to relegation.

Aberdeen stood on the periphery of greatness.

More than 8,000 of the Red Army made the trip down to Edinburgh as Aberdeen keeper Bobby Clark kept asking the Aberdeen support behind his goal what was going on ….