A Dons legend and local lad.

Neil Simpson talks to RedTV as part of our #OurHome campaign as he returns to Seaton Park …

“We trained up at Seaton Park and as young boys, the reserves had to get there early, about nine o’clock and put the goals up and all of that. The goals were up at the TA, so we had to climb over the fence, go and get the goals and bring them back down to use! Archie Knox would mark out the training pitch and then the first team would arrive a bit later, around about ten. You can imagine in January, a cold winter’s morning, your hands are absolutely freezing as you’re putting up the metal goals! The surfaces were pretty good. The local authority were the main people looking after them and they kept them pretty lush, so they were great pitches to play on. Duthie Park at Hazlehead was excellent as well. To be honest, all I have of those days training in the parks are good memories. It was pretty special and there were a lot of great training sessions.

“I did my first pre-season in 1978 at Seaton Park, that was Fergie’s first as well. We did the “Seaton Run”, up the hill and round, it took about four minutes to complete but you had to do it three times. I tell you, it was tough.

“When Teddy Scott would tell us in a morning, “You’ve got the Seaton Run today,” your heart would fall! It’s a true story that on one of the laps, Joe Harper hid in the bushes and waited for everybody to come round again, so he only had to do two laps instead of three!

“I’m really proud of my north-east heritage.

“I was brought up with people who spoke Doric, speaking it myself, I had a great childhood. I think those years growing up defined the person I’ve become. It was a farming community where people work really hard, you have to have that work ethic to survive, and I think that became my main asset as a player. Fergie demanded it of you anyway, but it was in my nature. And being from that area, you don’t get “too bigsy” as my Granny would say! You don’t play things up, you just get on with it, you keep your feet on the ground and I think that helped me as well.”

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