The Red Matchday team look back at a mini-tournament at Pittodrie in August 1981 with some famous faces, that helped the Dons prepare for one of their greatest European nights …

02/08/1981 Saturday

The Aberdeen football public have always keenly anticipated the visit of high profile English clubs to Pittodrie.

It was a break from the pressure of league and cup football and a chance to see some of the biggest names in British football at first hand. The majority of these matches were invariably friendlies but back in an era when these matches meant a lot more than they do these days, there were some titanic clashes against some of England’s finest at Pittodrie in the past.

As far back as 1955 when Chelsea came north as English champions and Aberdeen as Scottish champions, both for the first time, the ‘friendly’ fixture was billed as an unofficial ‘British Championship’ match. When floodlit football finally arrived at Pittodrie in 1959 it opened the door to invite many English sides north and by tradition these games were hard fought battles with a lot of pride at stake.

It was also an opportunity for clubs like Aberdeen to see the latest tactics and skills deployed by their English counterparts. Between 1959-1973 Aberdeen never lost to an English side at Pittodrie in games against the likes of Arsenal, Stoke City, Manchester Utd, Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Blackpool and Chelsea.

The game against the Stanford Bridge side in 1955 was billed as the battle of Britain as both sides were league champions in their respective countries that season. Aberdeen won 4-3. Although the Dons were defeated by Liverpool in 1980 in the European Cup, it was a record that the club were rightly proud of.

No matter the nature of these games they still attracted huge crowds on occasion. Any English side coming north knew they would be in for a real hard time with no holding back from the Scots. There was no such thing as a cross border ‘friendly’.

In 1981 Aberdeen held their own pre season Tournament at Pittodrie, a bold initiative held over two days on the 1st and 2nd August 1981.

It was an ideal preparation for the new season and despite the friendly nature of the tournament, Aberdeen boss Alex Ferguson insisted on his players delivering the first piece of silverware or glassware on this occasion, to the club. Aberdeen invited Manchester Utd, West Ham and Southampton for the four-team tourney with two matches on each day.

Southampton winger and England icon Kevin Keegan took a break from trying to reach the top of the pop charts with some seriously bad vocals and made the trip north to Pittodrie to help make the draw for the opening day fixtures.

Aberdeen made no secret of the fact that they the dream draw for them would be either Southampton or West Ham in the opening day and hopefully get through to meet Manchester Und in the tournament final on the Sunday.

While Keegan certainly helped with that as he drew Aberdeen out of the hat to face West Ham Utd, he went some way to spoiling the party with his slick Southampton side.

There was also prize money up for grabs with £15,000 for the winning side, £10,000 for the runners up and the third and fourth place sides would battle it out for a £5,000 reward.

Southampton boss Lawrie McMenemy was looking forward to travelling up to Aberdeen:

“After all of our travelling it is great to be invited to a tournament like this in Britain. Last year we took part in a similar venture organised by Feyenoord and we ended up winning that.

“There are four good teams taking part and I am sure the fans will be in for a treat. West Ham and ourselves put a lot in to attacking football while Manchester Utd’s reputation is awesome.

“Tournaments like this are ideal as preparation for the new season and we may also go down that route.

“Kevin Keegan told me how impressed he was with the set up at Aberdeen when he was up there earlier in the year. I am looking forward to having a look at the all-seated stadium there”.

Southampton had been training for around two weeks and were perhaps best prepared. They had already been to America and went down 2-1 to Celtic in their final match in New York.

Aberdeen had prepared with some intensive training and had drawn their first friendly at lowly Dunfermline. It was hardly the ideal preparation but there was a ring of confidence around Pittodrie.

The ground had just been fitted out with the most modern turnstile operation in Britain and new tip-up seats were being installed in the South Terrace.

The Dons also welcomed back Gordon Strachan from a six-month lay off and had new record signing Peter Weir was also making his first Pittodrie appearance.

Another newcomer to Pittodrie for the weekend was Ron Atkinson who was taking charge of Manchester Utd for the first time since leaving West Brom. All of the competing clubs were taking their full squads up and that meant that there would be over 20 full internationals on show.

Aberdeen certainly posted their intent in the opening match by defeating West Ham 3-0 in a display that certainly rocked the Londoners. Just over 10,000 turned out to see new signing Peter Weir play a vital part in the Aberdeen win.

Weir opened the scoring in 20 minutes and was given a standing ovation after being substituted in 72 minutes. West Ham had some well known names in their side with Trevor Brooking still strutting his stuff as well as Scotland full back Ray Stewart, Billy Bonds, keeper Phil Parkes and Paul Goddard.

Aberdeen increased their lead in the 58th minute when Doug Bell dispossessed Brooking at the edge of the West Ham area and sent a sweet shot in to the corner of the net. The scoring was completed late on when Mark McGhee scored from the tightest of angles after Bell had set him up after another superb run from a deep position.

There was some disappointment that the games did not attract a bigger attendance but the pricing of the tickets was high. It cost £7 for a day ticket for the South Stand, which was double the normal admission price.

AFC Heritage Trust | match stats click here

ABERDEEN: Leighton, Kennedy, Angus, McMaster, McLeish, Miller, Strachan, Bell , McGhee, Harrow, Weir. Subs: Cooper, Black

WEST HAM UNITED: Phil Parkes, Ray Stewart, Frank Lampard, Billy Bonds, Alvin Martin, Paul Allen, Jimmy Neighbour, Paul Goddard, David Cross, Trevor Brooking, Geoff Pike. Subs: Bobby Barnes, Stuart Pearson.

Included in a star-studded Manchester Utd side was a young Jimmy Nicholl, but Southampton defeating United 3-1 in the other game on the Saturday and it set up a first ever clash between the Dons and the Saints on the Sunday.

03/08/1981 Sunday

In the other Sunday match Manchester United played West Ham to see who would finish third. The £5,000 bonus in the third-fourth place play-off went to the Hammers after they won 1-0 thanks to a goal from David Cross.

The Southampton side had some well-known faces in their line up and were expected to give Aberdeen a tough test in the final.

Ivan Golac who went on to manage Dundee Utd was in exalted company with England internationals Kevin Keegan, Mick Channon and World Cup winner Alan Ball all in the starting line up as well as the very talented Charlie George. Much was also expected from young striker Steve Moran who scored 18 goals for Southampton the previous season.

Aberdeen were looking for a boost for their forthcoming UEFA Cup tie against Ipswich.

Not many would have expected that the Dons virtually had the visiting Saints all over the place and were well worth their impressive 5-1 win. Southampton were highly regarded, as one of the top sides south of the border at that time and this result was a real boost for Aberdeen.

A crowd of 12,000 turned up for the final and among them were the Ipswich representatives.

Aberdeen also claimed the £15,000 prize money on offer and struck a blow for the reputation of Scottish football.

Friendly or not, both sides were fully committed. Keegan led the Saints line well but even he could do little to stop the Dons in this kind of form.

Aberdeen got off to the perfect start with John McMaster scoring after three minutes after McGhee had struck the Southampton bar. The Saints hit back in the 14th minute when an Ivan Golac corner was touched on by Alan Ball for Steve Moran to head in at the far post.

It was then that the Dons took a grip on the game with Doug Bell in particular a constant menace.

In 21 minutes Nigerian Ruben Agboola miss-judged a header from McGhee and failed to make an accurate pass back to his keeper. Young Steve Cowan seized on the error to put Aberdeen 2-1 in front.

Then in 37 minutes a free kick from the impressive Weir deceived the saints defence to allow Mark McGhee in for the Dons third. The second period was all Aberdeen who dictated the game and even though a flurry of substitutions took place Aberdeen never looked in danger.

John Hewitt and Drew Jarvie came on for Cowan and Bell but Aberdeen retained their slick rhythm. In 75 minutes Golac brought down McGhee after another penetrating run. Gordon Strachan then saw his penalty saved by Saints keeper Peter Wells.

However, the quick reactions of substitute Hewitt saved the Dons maestros embarrassment to put Aberdeen 4-1 up. Three minutes later Aberdeen completed a marvellous weekend’s work when young Neale Cooper turned in a Hewitt cross for the Dons fifth goal.

Saints boss Lawrie McMenemy was full of praise for the Dons after he had watched his side being crushed by the Dons:

“We expected a tough game as England v Scotland games always are, but Aberdeen showed qualities that I did not expect.

“We have no excuses as we have had more games behind us than Aberdeen had so fitness did not come into it. Ipswich will have a real hard battle against Aberdeen – if they did not know it before, they will now”.

He proved to be spot on.

AFC Heritage Trust | match stats click here

ABERDEEN: Leighton, Kennedy, McMaster, Cooper, McLeish, Miller, Strachan, Bell, McGhee, Cowan (Hewitt) Weir. Subs: Gunn, Hamilton, Jarvie, Watson

SOUTHAMPTON: Peter Wells, Ivan Golac, Nick Holmes, Steve Williams, Dave Watson (Mark Whitlock), Reuben Agboola, Kevin Keegan, Mick Channon, Charlie George, Steve Moran, Alan Ball. Subs: Ivan Katalinic Graham Baker, Dave Madden, David Puckett.

Domestic Campaign

For Aberdeen season 1981.82 was back to winning ways as the Scottish Cup came north for the first time since 1970.

After a year in which the Dons failed to build on their 1980 Premier League title – they gave up a healthy lead in 1980/81 after a strong unbeaten run at the start of the campaign – so it was the Scottish Cup win in 1982 that brought success back to Pittodrie.

In a memorable final the Dons crushed rivals Rangers 4-1 although it took an extra time period of dominance against an ageing Ibrox side to ensure the cup was secured.

The memories of the non appearance in the 1978 final could at last be put to bed.

Aberdeen again came close in the league; taking their challenge down to the wire and the it was not until the final day of the league season that saw the Dons pipped. What might have been.

Progress was also made in Europe. After a sensational win over holders Ipswich in the UEFA Cup, the Dons went out in the third round against Hamburg.

It was the first occasion Aberdeen had progressed past the opening two rounds in European competition. On the national stage the Dons were again heavily represented with Jim Leighton, Stuart Kennedy, Alex McLeish, Willie Miller and Gordon Strachan all increasing their caps total.

With the Scottish Cup success opening the Dons route to the European Cup Winners Cup, these were heady days down Pittodrie way.

Back row: (l to r); Archie Knox (Assistant Manager), Eric Black, Drew Jarvie, Peter Weir, Doug Rougvie, Alex McLeish, Neil Simpson, Mark McGhee, Neale Cooper, Jim Leighton, Andy Watson, Doug Bell, Roland Arnott (Physio).

Front row: Ian Taggart (Secretary), Stuart Kennedy, John Hewitt, Alex Ferguson (Manager), Dick Donald (Chairman), Willie Miller, Chris Anderson (Vice Chairman), Ian Donald (Director), John McMaster, Gordon Strachan, Teddy Scott (Trainer).

Red Matchday Archive |

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