Football, especially in the modern era, is fixated on the glitz and the glamour of the end product, the goals and the glory. But putting that show on the road requires an army of unsung heroes toiling away in the shadows, real characters, salt of the earth guys and girls who work tirelessly behind the scenes, just because they love the game and the club. The Dons are blessed with a good number of such individuals.

And no one fits that description better than Brian Dunn, who turns 80 today.

Brian, or ‘Dunnzer’ as he is affectionately known down Pittodrie way, has been involved with the AFC Youth Academy set up since the mid 1990s. During the past 25 years, he has been a coach, a scout and helped find and mentor many of the players who have gone on to play for the first team in the past decade. Despite a number of health problems in recent years, which he has fought with remarkable courage and determination, Brian is still involved with the local scouting network, organised by Youth Academy Head of Recruitment Jim Fraser. Jim explains a bit about the important part Brian plays within the AFC setup.

“Brian is a school’s football scout. Brian has kept incredibly motivated and committed to the Youth Academy through numerous line managers over the years. For the last eight he has reported to myself.

“He’s religiously seen at Harlaw Park in Aberdeen, which by the way I think Brian is older than! His enthusiasm and eye for a player is right up there and is still key with his knowledge and contacts. He has also always been able to adapt to any changes made to the role and is up to speed with all the very latest technology we use.

“What puts Brian apart is at 78, I recall arriving at Harlaw to see him at that age still running from pitch to pitch catching a glimpse of a lad out of the corner of his eye. He ran up to me with his piece of paper in his hand and said, ‘found another one Jimbo’.”

Brian recently spoke to Mal Panton about his long involvement with Aberdeen FC which shows no signs of coming to an end any time soon…

“Yes, I’m still doing it. I’ve been retired a few times but I keep going! The illnesses I had were bad but I always managed to go to training and go to games. It would only be the very odd occasion when I did not turn up for work.

“It all comes from the fact that I love football.

“I still love football. I still like kicking a ball about. After recovering from cancer, I started playing Walking Football, organised by the Community Trust. I am very keen to go and play that footgolf at Hazelehead. I think that is a great thing. If I had a team, I would get them on that! I will do it. I have to do it this year, so that is my aim at the moment.

“Looking back though, it all started when my sons went to Smithfield school in the late 1970s and one of them had a teacher called Kaye Anderson, the daughter of Chris Anderson. She understandably had an interest in football and the school team, which I helped coach. One day at training, Chris appeared and in the boot of the car, he had a brand new Manchester City kit for the team! A beautiful blue strip. Chris was the one who encouraged me to keep going with my coaching as he thought I would do alright.

So that was the start of it.

“I then got involved in Champions Street. I was involved from the start and it was a great competition each summer. And I stuck to the rules and only picked kids from the street unlike some!

“Then the YMCA were looking for a volunteer and I ran three teams there before moving to Middlefield Boys Club – Neil Simpson and John Hewitt had both come from Middlefield, so they were a big name at that time. I worked my way in and landed up running two teams before eventually becoming President. I helped to build it up from four teams to nine in total. Murray McCulloch was one who came through at that time and there were a number of others who went on and signed pro forms. There were others who played for Scotland U16s. I was also assistant manager for the U14s boys club for Scotland for a few years.

Brian with some of his young Scotland players

“A big memory during my Middlefield days was taking a young team to Hampden. There was a seven-a-side competition in the paper, run by the Milk Marketing Board and the SFA. It was organised by Craig Brown and Andy Roxburgh. A thousand teams entered it and we got to the final at Hampden, which was played at half-time at the 1989 Scottish Cup final. Although we lost narrowly in the final, the players had four days accommodation and training at Largs ahead of the game. It was all done so professionally.

“I always believed in the seven-a-sides when no one else did. People did not like the idea, they felt football could only be 11 v 11 but I always said it was still football. You pass the ball, you tackle, you do all the same things, but young kids get more involved, more touches.

“You still have to play it the right way. I remember one team beating us by playing it long each time, playing it from A to B. I spoke to their manager afterwards, pointing out that was not the way football was played, and he just said, “What was the score?” That was the mentality amongst some back then. Thankfully attitudes have changed.

“I first got involved with Aberdeen in the early 1990s when I did some of the community coaching with Jim Crawford. Then I was invited into the youth set up by Drew Jarvie. Innes Skene was also involved back then but he soon left, so it was myself and Drew, and he wanted me to work with the younger kids. Drew then got promoted to reserve team manager and Chic McLelland took over. Mark Emslie and myself took a team of U9s all the way through to U15 level and had quite a lot of success along the way. Seven or eight of that group went on and played at a good level. We always said to them to aim as high as you can. Even if you have to drop down, still be the best you can.

The AFC Youth Academy – the early days

“When I started, we were coaching on the ash car park opposite the main stand. We then upgraded to the grass pitches next to the links – at that time you could have fallen in the penalty box and disappeared, the pitches were so uneven it was like a trench. We even played games there, so the facilities were not very good.

“We then went from there to Hillhead of Seaton and played on the old style astro pitches. It was not great but we just had to get on with it. We never moaned about it, we just had to make the best of what we had for the boys and the club still produced good players.

“I did not get the privilege of getting to coach at the Sports Village or Cormack Park, I would have liked that! But I have been fortunate to have travelled and helped out on many of the trips over the years and have been to some really interesting places. It is something that is so important for young players and their development.

“Even back in the early ‘80s I was taking teams from Middlefield abroad. In 1984, a year after Aberdeen had won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in Gothenburg, I travelled over there for the Gothia Cup. We got through to the play-offs before getting beat by an Austrian team on penalties. I believed in going abroad and playing football. You saw the difference, the way the young continentals played the game. We were supposed to be tougher than them and could maybe out-muscle them, but they played with their brains. They played football and thought about what they were doing. They get the ball and they look up and they see things. Even when they got beat, you never saw their manager get carried away. They just accepted it.

“I think the trips abroad that the Youth Academy teams go now on are so important and hopefully they will resume again when things get back to normal. The Aberdeen International Football Festival was also a great competition as each year we got the chance to play sides from all over the world in our own city. It was also really good for getting the players to stay together. Team spirit is a massive thing for me.

Young Dons on Tour – Brian with Nicky Low ahead of a game against Chelsea, which Aberdeen won

“When you get a team spirit it is amazing what you can do. Aberdeen are getting that sprit with the team they have at the moment. I remember beating better sides, much better sides, because there was a strong spirit amongst the team. I always had the boys singing Aberdeen songs in the bus. I told the central belt boys I did not want to hear anything about what teams they supported, so start singing! It did not always work, but it worked more often than not!

“Later on, I was asked to scout for the Academy. There is no exact science to it, but the really good ones do have something different. I remember I spotted Ryan Jack playing for Kittybrewster. You could just see he had something special.

“Even at a very young age, seven or eight, the good players can pass the ball back to you. Their passing and movement is good. If they have that, they can then develop the other skills they need. They also want to get the ball. They will do anything to get the ball off a player. They are competitive. That is what I look for. But passing the ball is number one for me. If you pass well, you don’t get caught in possession so often. Obviously control and touch and everything else, that comes into it, but passing is a big thing in my mind. I remember seeing a very young Frank Ross and recommending him. He could pass a ball.

“Connor McLennan came down for a trial from Peterhead. I met his parents and then Connor came in. He looked quite nervous so I went over and worked with him one on one. I did some pass and move drills and straight away I could see here was a footballer. I knew straight away. You can’t say he will go on and play for Aberdeen, that is ridiculous, but you can see that he has something and for his age, is well above what was expected. You could see the potential in Ryan Fraser, his low centre of gravity and ability to beat players.

Matchday – Brian with Mark Emslie and their side at Hamilton Palace in 2002

“Coaching is very important, but I do believe that the ones that make it to the very top have got something in them. They want to be the best. They are the ones who work hardest in training. They are the ones who want to do extra work at home.

“Sadly, not everyone makes it and there have been many good players who, for whatever reason, don’t go on and play at the top level. Sometimes, you also just need that little bit of luck.

“I have been a lifelong Aberdeen fan so it has been a privilege to be part of the club for so long. I think my only real regret is that during the 1980s I did not get to see that many games when they were really good because I was involved with a juvenile team on a Saturday. By the time I had got the kit in and taken the goals down and tidied everything away, it was too late to get to Pittodrie. I did not get to see that many games, only the ones on TV, and there were not that many Dons games televised. I would have loved to have been a fan at that time and travelled about with the team.

“But it was worth it, especially when players make it through and remember you. I went into the canteen one day and Scott Wright was sitting there with a few of the first team players. Scott shouted over, “Remember Dunnzer what you said to me? You said to me, stick in till you stick out! I have always remembered that!’.

“It is the little things that you appreciate most.”

Finally, Brian wanted to personally thank the NHS and all the staff, who in his own words, ‘have saved my life so many times.’

We thank them and we thank Brian for everything he has done for the club, and will continue to do for AFC.

A very Happy Birthday Brian from all your friends at Pittodrie.

Family – Brian with wife Pat

Fixture Update | Hamilton Accies v Aberdeen