Former Aberdeen manager Sir Alex Ferguson was well known for being a long-term admirer of German football. It was during his hugely successful career at Pittodrie that Ferguson often made references to the organisation, technical ability and all-round operations that proved so successful for German clubs.

It was after Aberdeen travelled to face Fortuna Dusseldorf in the ECWC in 1978 that Ferguson was so mightily impressed with the set up, that he believed the whole German model was one that should be followed. It was no real surprise that in later seasons it was West Germany that Ferguson would take his Aberdeen squad to train in preparation for the new season. The fact that the facilities were first class and that the level of opposition was very high, meant that the Dons were best prepared for the challenges ahead.

The Dons first visited Germany in July 1970 to face Eintracht Brunswick who returned the favour and played the Dons at Pittodrie at the end of the season. And Aberdeen’s first pre-season tour of Germany was several years before Alex Ferguson’s reign. The Scottish Cup winners were popular visitors to Germany and notched up a first win over Borussia Dortmund.

Three years later a first competitive game in Germany resulted in an eventual capitulation against an emerging Borussia Monchengladbach side in the UEFA Cup. Aberdeen lost the first game at Pittodrie 3-2 but were leading by the same score at half time in the return. A bad injury to Henning Boel and tired legs made for a disappointing end to the tie. The game was played in neutral Nuremberg following crowd trouble at a previous BMG European clash.

A year later the Dons faced Hertha Berlin for the first time and went down 2-1 in Berlin. The clubs had agreed to play friendly matches in Germany and Scotland after the Dons brought Zoltan Varga from the German club in 1973 for a £40,000 fee.

Aberdeen again toured Germany in 1975 playing three friendlies and remained undefeated with two wins and a draw against top class opposition.

In the late in 1970s, early 80s, the West German sides were amongst the very best in Europe, and some titanic matches took place during that period.

In 1978 Fortuna Dusseldorf were one of the top sides in German football and there 3-0 win over the Dons in the ECWC proved too much for Aberdeen in the Pittodrie return. A year later Eintracht Frankfurt defeated the Dons in the UEFA Cup. After a 1-1 draw in Scotland, Aberdeen put up a real fight of it in the second leg but went down 1-0 after the Dons were to rue some missed chances.

In 1981 manager Ferguson was bitterly disappointed to go down to Hamburg in the UEFA Cup. A 3-2 first leg lead was harsh on Aberdeen who dominated the Germans who had the legendary Franz Beckenbauer in their side. A 3-1 defeat ended the Dons hopes of reaching the last eight.

Lessons were clearly learned by the time Aberdeen returned to Germany in 1983. The imposing Olympic Stadium in Munich was the venue for what was certainly the Dons biggest ever game in Germany and provided the backdrop for what was one of the dons best ever display’s on foreign fields. A 0-0 draw could have been better had the Dons taken any of their several opportunities in what was a defensive masterclass from Aberdeen. Manager Ferguson took his squad back to Germany ahead of the 1983/84 season and played an exhaustive seven games in two weeks.

Towards the end of the year Aberdeen again turned on the style as they held European Cup winners and old rivals Hamburg in the first leg of the European Super Cup Final. Another clean sheet paved the way for a second European success and the emergence of the now famed two stars.

Aberdeen returned to Germany in preparation for the 1984/85 season with five games in five days stretching the squad to the limit.

Manager Ferguson had high hopes of going far in the European Champions Cup in 1984 but a bitter penalty shoot out ended in huge frustration for the Dons after dominating East German side Dynamo Berlin over both legs. In 1988 an early UEFA Cup exit in Dresden was the beginning of the end of the great Gothenburg side as it was breaking up.

European tie no 101 for Aberdeen ended in a narrow and controversial 1-0 defeat against Hertha Berlin in the 2002 UEFA Cup while the Dons re-match with Bayern Munich in the 2008 UEFA Cup ended with the Germans finally beating the Dons for the first time in four matches.

The Dons v German Opposition (games since 1970 played abroad)

*Played in Nuremberg

++ Arranged following the Zoltan Varga transfer to Aberdeen

** Played in Holland as part of FC Twente Tourney

^ Played in Spain during winter break

^^ Played in Spain during winter break

*** Played in Portugal during winter break

“” Played in Austria