For Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie the Red Matchday team have produced a special souvenir edition.

There is an extensive look back at previous ties with Dunfermline Athletic in this competition.

Aberdeen first came up against Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup away back in 1906 when a comfortable 3-0-win set Aberdeen up for a crack at Rangers in the next round. Despite the relative ease in that victory, the Dons did not escape from criticism. A crowd of 6,000 paid a gate of just £146, and there was a surprise for the home support when Willie MacAulay was dropped from the side for the visit of Dunfermline. MacAulay had been a regular in the side since the Dons formation three years previously and was still highly regarded. A lack of quality up front was the concern although Willie Lennie was at his best on the left wing. In the build up to the tie there was an air of concern amongst the home support even although Dunfermline were a struggling side in the old Northern League where Aberdeen by then had their own reserve team competing. A Henry Low penalty set Aberdeen on their way to the 3-0 win, although doubts were cast as to how far Aberdeen would go in the competition as they laboured for long spells against their lower league opponents. The Aberdeen side that day was; Macfarlane, Boyle, Gault, Halkett, Strang, Wilf Low, Robertson, Edgar, Mackie, Henry Low, Lennie. From that side Henry Low went on to feature for Scotland and played in an FA Cup final for Newcastle and Jimmy Gault went on to play in England for West Ham Utd.

It was not until 55 years and two world wars later before the sides would meet again in the Scottish Cup. Since then, there have been some cracking ties.

Following the sad passing of Jimmy Calderwood last month, friends and colleagues have been queuing up to pay tribute to him. We’ll let them speak for themselves. There are tributes from many of the players who played under him at Pittodrie, including Derek Young:

Everyone liked Jimmy because of the way he was. A very outgoing manager but someone who you looked after his players. I was lucky Jimmy signed me twice, for Dunfermline and then brought me back up to Aberdeen. He gets to know you really well, he gets to know your family. After a game, all the players’ families were in the players lounge and he would go round the room and speak with everyone.

He was such a nice guy to everyone. 

It did not matter if you were a sub, if you had not played for weeks, or you were his star man. Everybody got treated the same. He spoke to everybody the same and he got the respect from everybody. Even if you were not getting minutes, the guys still got on with him because he was truthful with them. He would explain why you were not playing and as a player you appreciate that. His management was good, he kept everyone on side.

He did love a laugh and a joke, but he made you work hard. When it came to a Saturday, you had done all your hard work during the week, and you were ready and focussed for the game. Jimmy loved football and he wanted to win. He managed to put very good teams together and managed to keep good changing rooms happy. He had some very good sides at Aberdeen, when the league was very strong.

Football wise, what you saw was what you got. He was very animated on the touchline! He made sure everyone was giving 100% to try and win. When he had training sessions, everything was 100 miles an hour. Your first touch had to be on, and if you weren’t with it during a session, Jimmy, or Jimmy Nicholl or Sandy were very quickly on you.

He was not shy in changing things! Sometimes it worked, and there were a few times when it did not! You didn’t mind it because your manager was trying to get you back into the game. The big thing for us as players was the fact he gave you belief, just to go and play.

He will be greatly missed by a lot of players whose careers were helped massively by Jimmy. Sad times, but you also remember all the good moments and the funny times, and it makes you realise how lucky you were to have Jimmy as your manager.

Also in this special edition, columns from Jimmy Thelin, Graeme Shinnie, Tom Ritchie does the Q&A and there is an interview with new boy Mats Knoester.

“As soon as I arrived, I could see that it is a very big club. The stadium, the training ground, everything is very professional, including the welcome from the club. Everything was arranged very well.

“It’s an important move for me at this point in my life and career. I have a family, two daughters, so at this time in life, it is very important to go somewhere and be there for some time, not just coming in and out. I want to stay at a club for a long time and build something. In this phase of my career, it’s good to find a stable place to be and I hope this will be Aberdeen.”

Sunday’s retro programme cover by Dolly Digital is inspired by the work of Donald Addison. Donald was a lecturer at the city’s Grays School of Art and famously designed the Dons programme covers in the early 1970s and is regarded as a pioneer of programme design. He also designed Aberdeen’s iconic logo in 1972.

Back in 1969, The Dons had the luxury of another home draw in the 1968/69 Scottish Cup. After beating lowly Berwick Rangers in the opening round, they drew a far tougher prospect with holders Dunfermline visiting Pittodrie. The club issued their usual 12-page programme along with the ‘Football League Review’ insert, the first club in Scotland to do so.

The club notes focused on the glamour of the Scottish Cup and that the Dons were looking for revenge over the Pars also knocked Aberdeen out of the cup at East End Park on their way to winning the trophy in 1968. ‘The Dons six appearances in the Final were seasons 1937, 1953, 1954, 1959, 1967, and when we won the for the only time in 1947. Can Aberdeen, who have played 23 league games and achieved only six victories, overcome this well drilled side?

How to purchase

Priced at £4.00 Red Matchday Magazine is available to buy from in and around the ground on Sunday from the sellers and is also available in the AFC Club Shop. You can also buy your copy online and have it delivered direct to your door by clicking here.