76,85.89, 95 finals on RedTV

On 11th May 1946, Aberdeen went in against Rangers before a huge 135,000 crowd as underdogs. There was no real issue with that, Rangers had been perennial winners on the national stage while the Dons were seen as mere gatecrashers. Undaunted, there were high hopes from within the Aberdeen camp and that confidence spilled out on to the Hampden turf. As early as the first minute, Aberdeen stamped their authority on the game by taking the lead. Andy Cowie, the Dons’ right-back with a potent long throw, hurled the ball deep in to the Rangers box.

The move had taken them by surprise, and it was the diminutive figure of Stan Williams who flicked the ball on for Archie Baird to head home past Rangers keeper Shaw. By half-time, it looked as though Aberdeen were well on course for victory, going in 2-0 ahead, but Rangers came back strongly to level the tie.

Aberdeen had been on top for so long they had not legislated for Rangers’ sheer will to battle their way back. There was no doubting the quality of the Dons, but a tough mentality was required and the Dons answered their critics in style by scoring a dramatic winner in the last minute. George Taylor, so often a utility player, popped up to convert another Kiddie cross to make it 3-2 for the Dons. There was no way back for Rangers this time and Aberdeen captain Frank Dunlop proudly held the trophy high after being presented with the silverware on the Hampden pitch.

The Aberdeen side on that day was: Johnstone, Cooper, McKenna, Cowie, Dunlop, Taylor, Kiddie, Hamilton, Williams, Baird, McCall. On the team’s triumphant return to Aberdeen, they could hardly have anticipated the frenzied scenes at Aberdeen Joint Station. Thousands of Aberdeen supporters congregated at the station to welcome their heroes home, a welcome usually only afforded to the returning soldiers from the Armed Forces. The euphoria all added to the feel good factor that prevailed at the time. The city was gradually getting back to normal but there was still some military work to be carried out – both Stan Williams and George Hamilton had little time to dwell on their success as they were both whisked away to fulfill military obligations shortly after the game.

A year later, the first ‘official’ League Cup competition came in to force and Aberdeen reached the final only to go down heavily to great rivals Rangers. Aberdeen captain Frank Dunlop elected to face a gale force wind in the first-half and that decision proved wrong as the Dons went down 4-0. It was not until Aberdeen had secured their first league title that the League Cup came north for the first time in 1955. The Dons went into the final against St Mirren as hot favourites as they were the only undefeated side in Britain at that time. However it took a moment of genius from Graham Leggat to win the cup as a plucky St Mirren side made Aberdeen battle all the way before a 44,106 crowd.

The public had perhaps decided beforehand that St Mirren had no chance but Aberdeen were stunned by the Paisley approach and those that did not turn up missed a minor classic. Two minutes in to the second half Aberdeen opened the scoring when the unfortunate Mallan diverted a Hather cross in to his own net. It was tough on the Saints, but they managed to level the tie when Neilson headed a Holmes free-kick past Fred Martin. With a replay looking likely, it took a moment of brilliance from Aberdeen star Leggat to win the match. Leggat drifted in from the right, waltzed past two defenders, shifted the ball from right to left and hit a high shot towards the goal. Lornie was left on his heels as the ball flew over his head and into the net. Manager Dave Shaw admitted that his side were lucky but on reflection, Aberdeen had perfected the art of playing badly and winning. The reception the team received at the Joint Station late into the Saturday evening was incredible as more than 15,000 crammed into the tight confines to welcome their heroes home.

Aberdeen would not savour another success in the League Cup for some 21 years and their 2-1 win over Celtic at Hampden was the highlight of Ally MacLeod’s short but eventful tenure as Aberdeen manager in 1976/77. The Dons had come back from the brink of relegation the season before and MacLeod had promised the Aberdeen fans a trophy – he duly delivered. Aberdeen had swept aside Rangers in the semi-final in a stunning 5-1 win and they took the trophy the hard way by beating Jock Stein’s Celtic in the final.

It took an extra time goal from substitute Dave Robb to take the cup to Pittodrie and at the final whistle, MacLeod and his players celebrated on the Hampden turf. It was a first trophy for new Aberdeen captain Willie Miller as he made his way up the steps at Hampden for the first time in a glorious Aberdeen career.

Miller was still the skipper the next time the Dons took the League Cup in 1985. In between times, the Dons had won just about everything that was on offer and it was an irritation to manager Alex Ferguson that he had never won the League Cup. That record was put straight in what was known as the ’12-minute’ final. Aberdeen eased in to a two goal lead against Hibernian in that time and there was never any doubt thereafter that the Dons would prevail, eventually winning 3-0. Aberdeen set a record that season in that they didn’t concede a single goal in any round of the competition and the final against Hibernian was as one-sided a final as there has ever been in the League Cup.

Four years later, captain Miller came full circle as he lifted his last trophy for the Dons after a sensational 2-1 win over Rangers at Hampden in 1989. It was sweet revenge for the Dons who had lost out in two classic finals against the Ibrox club in the two preceding years. Two goals from Paul Mason were enough to take the trophy to Pittodrie.

The last occasion when the Dons won the trophy was in 1995 and, not unlike their success in 1976, the club had came through a traumatic time of it in the previous season, having retained their top flight status only months before going on to take the cup. Goals from Billy Dodds and Duncan Shearer were enough to give Aberdeen a comfortable win and a first and only success for captain Stewart McKimmie, still the last Aberdeen captain to lift a trophy.

Will that all change on Sunday?

RedTV | all this week we will have highlights from some of the previous wins – check out the footage from 1976, 1985, 1989 and 1995.

1976 final | please click here

1985 final | please click here

1989 final | please click here

DateOpponentsResRoundVenueScorersAtt5.4.1947 Rangers0-4FinalHampden82,68422.10.1955 St Mirren2-1FinalHampdenOG, Leggat44,1066.11.1976Celtic2-1FinalHampdenJarvie, Robb69,67931.3.1979Rangers1-2FinalHampdenDavidson54,0008.12.1979Dundee Utd0-0FinalHampden27,17312.12.1979Dundee Utd0-3Final RepDens Park29,70027.10.1985 Hibernian3-0FinalHampdenBlack 2, Stark40,06125.10.1987  Rangers3-3+FinalHampdenBett, Hewitt, Falconer71,96123.10.1988 Rangers2-3FinalHampdenD Dodds 2.72,12222.10.1989 Rangers2-1FinalHampdenMason 2.61,19025.10.1992  Rangers1-2FinalHampdenShearer.45,29826.11.1995 Dundee2-0FinalHampdenB Dodds, Shearer33,09619.3.2000Celtic0-2FinalHampden50,073

(+) Lost 5-4 on pens