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Part One 1881-1903

 

 

 

Pioneers in the Victorian Age

 

 

 

Whatever challenges and pitfalls confront those engaged in the modern game, they are nothing compared to the difficulties facing players and officials of the original Aberdeen Football Club. Away back in 1881, with the British Empire at its peak, sporting activity in Aberdeen had centred on rugby union and cricket. At that time sport was regarded as a pastime, not a profession, an outlet for more active souls. Rugby and cricket were well established in the city, whereas the ‘round ball game’ had yet to take hold. Further south – particularly in central Scotland – Association Rules Football was already thriving, having progressed since the formation of the ‘Scotch Challenge Cup’ in 1873. 

      It was, of course, the quaintly named Queen’s Park that became Scotland’s first ‘soccer’ club, in 1867, and the introduction of the Scottish Cup only confirmed the growing impact of the new sport. 

      Fourteen years after the formation of Queen’s Park, records confirm that football had arrived in Aberdeen, though it appears that the game had been practised in the north-east for many years. Its origins can perhaps be traced to Scottish universities in the seventeenth century, from where the game spread outwards. Indeed, there is evidence that football was played at Aberdeen Grammar School. Ironically, the new Aberdeen Football Club played some of its earliest games on the Grammar School grounds. But records of that era can be misleading: what was then described as football would today be known as rugby. One theory to explain how the original Aberdeen club came into being suggests it was formed by a group of disillusioned rugby players. 

      The Albert Hall in Correction Wynd provided the humble setting when around fourteen soccer enthusiasts assembled on Saturday, 8 October 1881. Woodside School provided three teachers, who had instigated the initial procedures. It was thought that for some months they had been encouraging pupils to practice ‘association rules’ football. This public meeting had been called in an effort to gauge support for the proposed new club. Fellow teachers joined the small gathering, which was also attended by two bookbinders, a medical student and a tailor. Although marked by a degree of apathy, a committee was formed, upon which the original Aberdeen Football Club came into being. The following were elected as office bearers: President, J Ross; Vice-President, J A McHardy; Captain, A V Lothian; Vice-Captain, C E Glennie; Secretary, W Stow. The Committee comprised R Hyslop, A Steele, D B Lothian, and W Thompson. The new secretary was instructed to purchase a set of maroon jerseys, two balls and an inflator. At the close of the meeting it was decided that the new club would press ahead with an application to the Scottish Football Association for membership. 

      Although the lack of interest was a worry, it had to be accepted that the general public was sceptical of the new concept. Rugby was the predominant sport and was healthily supported in Aberdeen and the surrounding area. Aberdeenshire was the premier club at that time, playing in the Caledonian Ground in Broomhill Road, the home of Aberdeen Cricket Club. This facility was without doubt the best around at that time, and most rugby clubs used it. The fledgling Aberdeen FC now had to search for a suitable venue and, not surprisingly, they received little encouragement from the rugby fraternity. Not the least of the new club’s problems, suitable opponents had to be sought. As there were no other recognised clubs in the Aberdeen area, the net had to be cast further afield, with Tayside – which already had several clubs – the most likely destination. At a meeting on 4 November 1881, the club secretary was instructed by the committee to open correspondence with both the Kirriemuir and Ballater clubs, as both towns were known to have football teams. These moves never materialised, but further contact was made with Montrose, Brechin, Arbroath and Coupar Angus. 

      Contrary to popular belief, Aberdeen FC’s first recorded match was played on 11 March 1882, when they journeyed to Coupar Angus. Documented evidence of early Aberdeen games is difficult to obtain, but the following report in the Aberdeen Daily Journal was typical of the time: 

      ‘This club journeyed to Coupar Angus on Saturday to try their mettle against the club there. The Aberdeen captain won the toss, and chose to defend the south goal, having a slight wind, which however increased during the progress of the game. The ball was set rolling by Coupar Angus and was immediately returned to their territory, where with the exception of three short runs, it remained during the first half. Shot after shot was made at the Coupar Angus citadel, but it was too well defended by the eleven players to be captured. An occasional rally was attempted, but they were nipped in the bud by the Aberdeen backs, who played a splendid game, and their goalkeeper had no means of showing his prowess during this half as the ball was only three times past his own lines. When half time was called, no goals were registered. Half Time: Coupar Angus 0, Aberdeen 0. 

      ‘The Aberdeen captain Lothian had to retire to the goal at the beginning of the second half where he showed some splendid goalkeeping. With the wind in their favour the home side attempted to return tit for tat, but owing to the speed of their opponents they were unable to do so. However, the runs of the Aberdeen forwards were futile, owing to the defensive tactics of the opposing backs. The Coupar Angus scored four times during this half, and a very evenly contested game resulted in a win for the home side by four goals to nil. The Aberdeen side showed, with a little practice together, and a few more matches, they will by another season be in good form and formidable opponents. After the game the visitors were entertained to a scrumptious repast in the Royal Hotel, where a couple of hours were pleasantly spent.’ Result: Coupar Angus 4, Aberdeen 0. 

      The Aberdeen team on that historic day was: A Millar, A V Lothian (Captain), R Hyslop, J A McHardy, J Burns, J C Ross, A Steele, W Thompson, W Stewart, D B Lothian, C E Glennie. 

      The new club’s membership slowly increased. A significant advance followed the appointment as secretary of W Stewart, who secured the use of the ground at the Grammar School. This was thought to be an astute move. The school ground was centrally located and suitable to stage Scottish Cup-ties. 

      The Scottish Cup has provided generations of Aberdeen supporters with great moments through the years. The club has established a tradition in the national competition that, arguably, cannot be bettered outside of the Old Firm. The cup itself dates back to 1873, when Queen’s Park won the inaugural competition. The final was the culmination of months of preparation. A meeting of eight clubs in Glasgow’s Bridge Street in March had seen the Scottish Cup given the green light. At that meeting the Scottish Football Association was established, after which fifteen clubs contributed to the cost of providing the trophy and a set of medals. 

      Aberdeen first ventured into the national competition in 1882, nine years later. The news was greeted with no little apprehension locally, as few really knew anything about the Cup, which had always been won by clubs in the west. In the first round of the 1882 competition, Aberdeen were paired against Dundee Harp. It is not clear if the draw was made on a regional basis. As there is no record of Harp in the latter rounds, it must be assumed that the Aberdeen game was, indeed, a first-round tie. On 7 October 1882 a crowd of 400 gathered at the trim grammar school to see the visitors run out 3-1 winners. The Aberdeen side that day was: J Jamieson, A Lothian, R Hyslop, C Glennie, J McHardy, C Wilson, A Steele, D Smith, W Stewart, A Ross, D Lothian. 

      Despite their Scottish Cup baptism, the club continued to face local difficulties. No other team had yet emerged to play them, although Aberdeen University were reported to be forming one. Aberdeen now had a membership numbering 35 and had secured regular use of the Holburn cricket ground. This was a municipal park, situated in the southern part of town. Originally a cricket facility, Aberdeenshire Rugby Club played games in Holburn on a regular basis, and Aberdeen FC were delighted to be allocated a permanent part of the ground. 

      It was commonly believed that large workshops in the area might be encouraged to start up teams, similar to the successful ventures in the shipyards of Dumbarton. It was even suggested that the Links area on the east side of town would provide an ideal site for around half a dozen Saturday matches. 

      By the end of 1884 Aberdeen had assumed a new look – the club’s maroon jerseys were discarded in favour of an all-white strip – and that same year new local clubs finally emerged, with Peterhead, Nairn, Aberdeen Rovers and Bon Accord all keen to exploit the growing local interest in the game. At this point, football in Aberdeen appears to have been on the threshold of a boom, and it seems that the exhaustive efforts of the Aberdeen club to promote the game were at last winning converts. 

      It was not long before the Links to the north of the present-day Pittodrie stadium were staging many stirring encounters. One hears tales of various games taking place simultaneously, with pitches here, there and everywhere. It was not uncommon for a club official to come down late on a Friday night and stake out his ‘pitch’ for the important game the next day. Improvisation prevailed as clubs frantically marked their pitches, often using jackets for goals on account of the shortage of goalposts. It was a commonplace practice for clubs to put some of their members on guard through the night, so as to be sure their pitch was still there the next day. Things got so bad that on occasions a ‘sand baillie’ had to be brought in to mediate. It is no coincidence that many of the better young footballers of Aberdeen from that time emerged from the poorer east side of the town, which helps explain why the Links were so popular. 

      Although the club accepted that the emergence of local rivals had to be encouraged, the haste with which new clubs were being formed raised concerns about the quality of play, which Aberdeen felt might suffer in consequence. Determined to ensure that rival clubs were sufficiently equipped to compete favourably, Aberdeen were in the meantime prepared to venture south in order to play better opponents.

      Aberdeen’s fears in this respect were brutally realised in September 1885. In the absence of surviving documentary evidence, it remains a mystery why Aberdeen Football Club did not enter that season’s Scottish Cup. The ‘Whites’ had applied to compete in each of the three previous years, and although the best they could muster was a solitary victory, at Kirriemuir, Aberdeen had not been disgraced in their other outings.

      That ‘distinction’ was to fall on Bon Accord and Aberdeen Rovers. Both clubs found themselves humiliated on the same, fateful day. The fact that both were playing in only their third outing – and their first away from home – only endorsed the naivety of their decision to compete in the Cup. To do so may have been viewed at the time as a great adventure, but a permanent and unwanted place in history awaited these two unsuspecting Aberdeen sides. Even Aberdeen FC had encountered difficulties in attempting to get all their players free to travel, and Bon Accord and Rovers were badly under-strength for the task ahead. Dundee Harp defeated Aberdeen Rovers 35-0 at East Dock Street Park, while up the road at Gayfield, Arbroath created a world record score by going one better against the hapless Bon Accord. Bon Accord had actually relinquished ground rights for the tie, having been drawn to play at home. As they had been unable to secure a suitable venue in Aberdeen, the trip to Arbroath was necessary to fulfil their obligations. The Aberdeen Daily Journal gave this brief report on the day’s proceedings:

      ‘Harp (Dundee) v Aberdeen Rovers – These clubs contended against each other in the first round of the Scottish Cup ties in Dundee. The strangers (Rovers) were seldom or never in the game, the Harp having a walk over. The Dundee club scored 16 goals in the first half and 19 in the second, and the Rovers failing to get a single point were thus beaten by 35 goals to none.’

      The tie at Gayfield was afforded an even briefer report: ‘These clubs played their cup tie match at Gayfield, Arbroath. The Aberdeen men received a merciless beating, the register at the close showing the unprecedented tale of 36 goals to nil against them.’

      The only substantial report of the Gayfield tie appeared in the Arbroath Guide, which recalled the game as ‘amusing’ and a ‘farce’. It was admitted that Bon Accord actually came close to scoring on two occasions: both efforts beat the keeper but were cleared off the line. As the results from the Scottish Cup-ties filtered through to Aberdeen they were met with disbelief, but also induced frustration at Aberdeen FC. The club had been quietly going about its business for the last four years, building on its modest beginnings. Now, at a stroke, the city’s football reputation was in tatters. It seemed that the hard work put in by the Aberdeen club had counted for little: the novices of Bon Accord and Aberdeen Rovers had flouted the general opinion that they were simply unprepared for serious competition. To compound Aberdeen’s dismay, the ‘Whites’ had played Arbroath in the Scottish Cup at Gayfield in 1883 and come away with a draw.

      Many theories have been put forward to explain those two freakishly heavy scores. One, popularly voiced at the time, was that Bon Accord was actually Orion Cricket Club, who had been wrongly invited to compete in the wrong sport by the SFA. This notion can be safely discounted. Orion, who were later to play a major part in the development of football in Aberdeen, did not even form until two weeks after the ties had been played. In fact, it is commonly believed that the Orion club came into being as a direct reaction to the cup defeats. The name Orion stems from a giant in Greek mythology. Certainly the club’s name seemed appropriate, as they were nothing if not ambitious. Included in their first membership list was William Jaffray, who would play an influential part in the clubs’ amalgamation in 1903.

      With hindsight, those cup debacles proved to be something of a watershed. From 1885 onwards, new clubs proliferated at an alarming rate. Bon Accord, for all their sins, did not last much longer. Indeed, in their final game, in February 1886, they were losing 0-3 to Aberdeen when, after disputing an Aberdeen goal, the Bon Accord players walked off, never to be seen again. Bon Accord had played just eleven fixtures in their short but eventful life. Some months later their name was to be taken up by the Aberdeen Festival Choir.

      In order to overcome the problems generated by so many games being played in and around the city, it was a fitting reward for the endeavours of Aberdeen FC that various clubs agreed to merge. With several of them boasting healthy memberships, it was clear that fewer clubs would enhance them all. There was also a general feeling that a stronger competitive edge was required if the game was to flourish. At a meeting in the Café Buildings on Monday, 18 April 1887, various club administrators convened to discuss the formation of an association. William Jaffray, now with the Caledonian club, presided. The Aberdeenshire Football Association was formed and seven clubs – Aberdeen, Orion, Caledonian, Aberdeen Rovers, Gladstone, Aberdeen Rangers and Black Diamond – were invited to nominate a representative to form the committee.

      Following that initial meeting, the new committee convened on 22 August 1887. Fixtures were arranged for the coming season. Secretary William Jaffray also announced that Dr F Maitland-Moir had presented a cup to the association, to be called the Aberdeenshire Challenge Cup, which is contested by members of the Aberdeenshire FA to this day. The trophy is also the oldest and most impressive in local football circles.

      The Aberdeen club had moved to a new ground in the Chanonry, Old Aberdeen, which would remain its home until the club moved to Pittodrie in 1899. Meanwhile, Orion had secured the use of the ground at Central Park, in the Kittybrewster area of the city. Extensive work was carried out, so that on completion it was thought to be the best in the city at that time.

      Although the Scottish Cup provided little joy for Aberdeen clubs, there was much excitement as the inaugural Aberdeenshire Cup got under way. Its first final was won by Aberdeen, who thereby completed the entire 1887-88 season undefeated. Having eliminating rivals Orion, the Whites defeated Aberdeen Rangers 7-1 in the final at the new Chanonry ground on 24 March 1888. The Aberdeen side that day was: Wood, Key, Lothian, Hinton, Thomson, Glennie, Hazelwood, Lumsden, Ketchen, Ferry, Clark. Aberdeen captain Lothian collected the trophy in front of crowd estimated at 1,000.

      In the wake of the final it was announced that the Scotland international team would visit Aberdeen to play a select side on 21 April. This would provide a fitting climax to a memorable season. It was reported that great interest attended the event and a record 4,000 crowd gathered in the Chanonry. Spectators arrived throughout the day from the new part of town, and Don Street in Old Aberdeen was the scene of hectic activity. This was the largest attendance for any sporting event held in the city. The Scotland side won 6-1 with Tom Ketchen scoring a solitary goal for Aberdeen.

      By 1889, the number of teams playing in the north-east exceeded 40, among them Banks O’Dee, East End and teams from Inverurie and Stonehaven. The final element in the composition of the future Aberdeen club fell into place that year with the formation of Victoria United. Victoria would be part of the 1903 amalgamation, and took its name from the Victoria Bridge, situated in the south of the city. They played their first games at the recreation grounds near to the River Dee and looked to draw support from the expanding community in the southern suburbs. Victoria’s inaugural fixture in August 1889 was against Celtic – providing the Glasgow club with its first ever visit to the Granite City. Only a few hundred turned out to see the visitors hand out a ten-goal football lesson to the new club.

      It is no real surprise that the three clubs who would form the present Aberdeen FC were strategically placed across the city. While Aberdeen continued to play in the established old town at the Chanonry, and latterly Pittodrie, Orion were well served to the north at Cattofield, and Victoria United represented the south. It was from this three-strong core of support that the three clubs were eventually to amalgamate.

      By the end of 1889, Aberdeen received a stark reminder that they had much to learn when the all-conquering Queen’s Park came to the Chanonry on Scottish Cup business and eclipsed the Whites 13-1. Queens had no fewer than seven Scotland internationals in their side. It was not until the 1890s that Aberdeen clubs began to make any favourable impression in the national competition. Aberdeen reached the fifth round on two occasions, and was still the strongest team on the local front. The Aberdeenshire Cup remained the focal point of local competition and these ties were invariably keenly contested and well attended.

      Local football took another major step in 1891 when the Northern League came into force. Up until that point, fixtures outside the various cups were arranged by the Aberdeenshire FA and did not provide for any recognised league. That was to change, as the new Northern League included teams from the Tayside, Angus and Aberdeen regions. The first competition finished with Dundee teams Our Boys and East End joint winners on nineteen points – two points being given for a win and one for a draw. Aberdeen finished sixth in the eight-team league, winning five of their fourteen matches. The other sides taking part were Harp, Montrose, Arbroath, Forfar and St Johnstone.

      Following a break, the Northern League returned in 1895, at which point Orion joined, as did Victoria United the following season, when bottom club Fair City from Perth dropped out. By now, the Aberdeen club had been caught in all aspects of the game by both of its near neighbours. Tangible evidence of the changing balance of power came in 1896-97, when Orion became the first Aberdeen-based winners of the Northern League. A year later, Victoria United fended off the challenge of Dundee Wanderers to take the title. Orion won their second championship in 1899, ironically clinching the title at Arbroath’s Gayfield, scene of Bon Accord’s humiliation fourteen years previously. Orion’s defeat of Dundee Wanderers 1-0 consigned the Dundee side to second place. Remarkably, Aberdeen did not win the Northern League until 1906, three years after the amalgamation. Indeed, it would be Aberdeen’s reserve team that achieved what their predecessors could not do in the previous thirteen years of competition. More evidence of the growing power of Orion and Victoria came with the fact that between 1890-1897 they shared repeated success in the Aberdeenshire Cup.

      In the dying years of the nineteenth century Aberdeen had outgrown the tight confines of the Chanonry and actively sought a new ground that could meet the increasing demands of spectators. Added to which, the university now required the Chanonry ground for the purposes of botanical research. The club set up a Plans Committee to try to achieve their objective, and headed by Bailie Milne, father of Vic of Aberdeen and Aston Villa fame, an exhaustive search was ultimately successful.

      In February 1899 the club took over the tenancy of the ground at the Gallows Marsh, north of the Broad Hill. The land was owned by Knight Erskine of Pittodrie, Chapel of Garioch, and the club pledged itself to restore the ground to its previous fine condition. It was in a poor state, currently being used as a dunghill for the town’s police horses.

      From the club’s point of view, it was the location that appealed more than anything else. Aberdeen did not wish to stray too far from their Old Aberdeen roots, and they were keen to remain in the city’s catchment area. After major work on the site, a pitch was laid and reasonable access made available. A small stand was erected and the ground made ready for its first game. The new arena had a 10,000 capacity, with plans to expand to 32,000, and the initial costs of £1,000 were met by the club. Dumbarton visited Pittodrie for the opening game on 2 September 1899 and Aberdeen celebrated in style, winning 7-1. Alex Shiach became the first player to score at Pittodrie. The Aberdeen team was: Bisset, Henderson, Mackie, Cameron, Wallace, Thomson, Livingstone, McKay, Fullerton, Gray and Shiach.

      Although Pittodrie was recognised as the best facility in the area, the players had to change in a nearby house, such were the spartan surroundings. Hot water was a luxury, but anything was better than the Chanonry days, when a post-match ‘shower’ amounted to a dip in an ice-cold bucket. Pittodrie’s stature went up another notch when Scotland played Wales in the first full international to be played in the Granite City. On 3 February 1900, Scotland defeated the Welsh 5-2 before a record 11,000 attendance. Admission to the game was increased to two shillings for a seat in the stand, bringing in record receipts upward of £290.

      Pittodrie invariably hosted the city’s major football occasions at that time and, after some indifferent years, Aberdeen gradually regained their mantle as the top side in the area. Everton became the first English team to visit Aberdeen, defeating the Whites 3-1 at Pittodrie on 30 April 1901. Two weeks later, on 13 May, Aberdeen made a bold attempt to gain admission to the Scottish League. The club’s cause was aided by sources in Dundee, who cited the fact that towns like Kilmarnock and Paisley boasted teams in the First Division, and that Aberdeen, being much larger in size and population, should be granted equal status. What scuppered the argument was the fact that the city had three major clubs in operation, and not surprisingly, the bid was rejected.

      At that point, though no explanation was given for Aberdeen’s failed application, it became clear to all concerned that amalgamation in some form might open doors. This perception became even sharper in November 1902, when Aberdeen resisted a proposal from Hibernian to relocate from their Easter Road ground in Edinburgh and take over Pittodrie. The attractions of Aberdeen were obvious. It was Scotland’s only large centre of population without a team in the higher echelons of the game, and basically, it was an untapped resource. Hibernian went so far as to send a valuer to Pittodrie to assess the potential of such a move. Indeed, this was the second time that the Edinburgh club had made overtures in Aberdeen’s direction but, like the first, it fell on dear ears. But the point had been forcefully made. Within three weeks – and no doubt partly prompted by the latest move from Hibernian – the first informal talks of amalgamating Aberdeen’s leading clubs commenced. It was tacitly understood by all that no club within the city would gain admission to the Scottish League except through collective effort.

      On Wednesday, 2 December 1902, the working representatives of Aberdeen, Victoria and Orion convened in the County Hotel. There were important issues to be addressed, and George Alexander of Orion voiced one: existing debts would have to be wiped off and new funding sought for any new club. At the meeting’s conclusion it was agreed to send Mr H Wylie to the offices of the Scottish League, where he would gauge interest from the governing body to the proposed outline for amalgamation. In the meantime, all three clubs were urged to give attention to their respective financial positions.

      The New Year of 1903 brought fresh hopes of a successful application, but these were dashed on 5 January when the committee learned of its rejection. League Secretary William MacAndrew’s reply affirmed that the League’s stance was to retain the status quo. ‘I was instructed to inform you that the league cannot admit the amalgamation of the three leading clubs in Aberdeen to the First Division, as before doing so, drastic alterations would require to be made on the present constitution. The representatives at present hold no mandates from their clubs to carry out these alterations.’

      Though this response was greeted with disappointment in the city, it was clear that the door had not been entirely closed on the matter. Aberdeen would now need to put their plans to existing clubs and lobby support accordingly. There was already strong support for Aberdeen in the Tayside area, although it was not clear if some of the clubs in the west were similarly well disposed. However, a month later it became apparent that Aberdeen had gained enough support to make a further bid. Dundee and Hearts had already submitted their support to the League. Dundee manager Wallace and Chairman John Robertson even took the unprecedented step of coming to Aberdeen to attend an amalgamation meeting by way of affirming their support.

      Even more importantly, Rangers FC warmed to the idea of Aberdeen’s admission. In a letter to the League, the Rangers secretary outlined his directors’ thoughts by welcoming the Aberdeen club into the League, adding that the Glasgow club were of the opinion that Aberdeen would make an ideal League centre. Rangers promised to do all in their power to back Aberdeen’s application. Celtic, too, intimated that they would lend their support, as they were in favour of ‘spreading the light’. This positive response from Celtic came as no real surprise as they had been regular visitors to Aberdeen since their own formation in 1888.

      With the backing of the major Scottish clubs secured, amalgamation now needed to be pushed through. Petty squabbles had to be set aside, as the carrot of League status overrode all other considerations. A public meeting on 20 March 1903 was attended by more than 1,600 and at that meeting amalgamation was close to fruition. 1,500 shares had been issued and the decision taken that the new club would play out of Pittodrie Park.

      But problems arose. Difficulty in securing a long-term lease at Pittodrie allowed the dissenting members of Victoria United to throw a spanner in the works, when they changed their original vote and now tried to block the proposed amalgamation. Aberdeen and Orion decided to carry on regardless, and days later, Victoria came back into the fold. Orion had always been committed to amalgamation, even more so than Aberdeen, who along with Victoria intimated that they would only proceed if the new club were guaranteed First Division status.

      This demand took no account of reality, which was that the powerful central clubs took it upon themselves to decide which clubs would compose the League. It became clear that any new club would have to be up and running before any application would be seriously considered. Only now did harmony prevail, as all three clubs displayed a unity never before witnessed.

     The Amalgamation Committee convened again on 14 April 1903 at the offices of Alex Clarke, solicitors in Bridge Street. George Alexander of Orion presided with Mr Clarke acting on behalf of the three clubs in settling their affairs. The agreement was approved and Aberdeen Football Club was born. Agreement with the Crescent Cricket Club over the lease of Pittodrie was also accepted. A new board of directors was appointed to manage the financial affairs of the new club.

      A concerted effort was now required to gain admission to the Scottish League, but with the new club now a reality, optimism was high. In the interim, the new club had to settle for playing in the Northern and East of Scotland Leagues.

      In May 1903 Celtic’s proposal to increase the First Division from twelve to fourteen clubs was accepted, offering renewed grounds for optimism. But with no automatic promotion and relegation in operation at that time, it was inevitable that those clubs finishing bottom should wish to retain their status. Both Morton and Port Glasgow were successful in this regard. Aberdeen then lost out to Motherwell and Airdrie, who were in effect ‘promoted’ from the Second Division to the First. Whether or not the new club would only entertain joining the First Division, no application had been made to join the Second, so Aberdeen came away empty handed. The new club would spend its inaugural season in the Northern League.

 

 

Part Two 1903-1917

 

 

 

Edwardian Dons

 

 

 

A new era dawned, and with it fresh challenges arose. In June 1903 Aberdeen FC appointed Jimmy Philip as manager. Pooling the resources of the three amalgamated clubs, Victoria United’s trainer Peter Simpson was recruited to assist him. Having failed repeatedly to breach the ramparts of the Scottish League, the sad reality was that the new club would contest its first season in the now anticlimactic Northern League. Stenhousemuir visited Pittodrie for the inaugural fixture on 15 August 1903 and captain Willie MacAulay had the distinction of scoring the Whites’ first goal in a 1-1 draw before an 8,000 crowd. The Aberdeen team on that historic day was: Barrett, McGregor, Willox, Sangster, H Low, Ritchie, Mackie, Strang, MacKay, MacAulay and Johnston.

      It was presumed that Aberdeen would blow away all opposition in the Northern League, but events off the park overshadowed mediocre performances on it. Aberdeen could do no better than finish third, behind Angus rivals Arbroath and Montrose. Disappointment in the Scottish Cup and Qualifying Cup (second only at that time in prestige to the Scottish Cup) further unsettled the expectant supporters. Those who had opposed the merger thought themselves vindicated and made sure their opinions were heard. Perhaps it was this unease that contributed towards a pervading sense of gloom, for it soon became clear that only League status would appease the warring factions. With only the Aberdeenshire Cup to show for their inaugural season, the club’s efforts to secure League status were little stronger than before. Nevertheless, Jimmy Philip, renowned for his forthright manner, was despatched once again to the League offices to champion the Aberdeen cause.

      At a League meeting in May 1904 the club put forward their latest bid. Dundee failed with a proposal that Division One be increased from fourteen to sixteen clubs. As was the practice in those days of no relegation, member clubs had the final say on such matters. This closed-shop mentality worked against Aberdeen, for the votes cast determined that the bottom two clubs, Kilmarnock and Motherwell, would retain their First Division status.

      However, on this occasion a further vote was taken on the question of Aberdeen’s admission to the twelve-team Second Division, whereupon Ayr Parkhouse, who had propped it up, were voted out by fourteen votes to six. Aberdeen would take their place.

      In those bygone, pre-radio, pre-television days, the only way news could carry was via the local newspaper offices. The Aberdeen Journals office in Broad Street was the focus of hectic activity whenever a big story broke. Now, as news filtered through that Aberdeen had failed yet again to join the elite, it provoked howls of outrage. Second Division football was second-rate football. Being asked to play teams of the ‘calibre’ of Leith, Abercorn, Raith and East Stirling meant Aberdeen would hardly be jousting with the giants. But wiser heads were quietly satisfied. Given the team’s lack of quality, it may have been a blessing that Aberdeen did not dine at the top table too quickly, for instant relegation might have ensued. In which case, today’s proud record of never having been relegated would have died at birth. Whichever division the club found itself in, it was abundantly clear that the team required an injection of talent.

      To celebrate the arrival of League football, the club gave itself a thorough overhaul. The traditional white strip was discarded for black and gold, hastening a new nickname – the Wasps. It also was decided to put the reserve team into the Northern League. Three new players were signed, Jimmy Robertson and Rab MacFarlane from Middlesbrough and ‘Ecky’ Halkett from Dundee. They helped swell the numbers coming to support the side. Aberdeen was the last major population base without a team in the top division. Evidence of that potential support came in November 1904 when a new club attendance record – a 12,000 – was set against Clyde in the semi-final of the Qualifying Cup.

      Aberdeen’s baptism in Scottish League football was a home fixture with Falkirk on 20 August 1904. John Knowles scored the Wasps’ first League goal in a 1-2 defeat, watched by a 6,000 crowd. Indifferent League form that season (Aberdeen finished seventh) was offset by an unexpected Qualifying Cup triumph. The final against Renton at Dens Park enticed 1,500 supporters from the north to travel, Aberdeen’s biggest following to an away fixture at that time. Renton, winners of the Scottish Cup in 1888, had a tradition that was the envy of many, but it was Aberdeen who carved their own piece of history by winning 2-0 to claim their first ever trophy. Although the Qualifying Cup was not the biggest of prizes, the response from the hundreds who thronged Aberdeen Joint Station on the team’s return suggested that the city was hungry for success, and winning the trophy would have done the club’s prospects little harm.

      When the famous Queen’s Park visited Pittodrie on 28 January 1905 for a Scottish Cup-tie, the club attendance record was shattered when 16,000 filled Pittodrie. The club’s match programme from that day gave a fascinating insight into contemporary attitudes:

 

      ‘A Word of Caution to the Crowd. Keep cool, keep your tempers, and don’t under any circumstance shout and bawl at the players. Keeping this seasonable advice in view, let the vast concourse of spectators help make the event an enjoyable, interesting and educative one, and above all, the success which it ought to be. If Aberdeen win, celebrate the occasion by attending the great Burns Concert in the Music Hall in the evening. If they lose, well go there all the same and seek solace in Burns.’

 

      As Aberdeen’s first season in the Division Two drew to a close, thoughts turned to their now familiar trek to the League offices to seek admission to Division One. Manager Philip and his delegation relentlessly pursued the club’s holy grail, and on 22 May 1905 in Glasgow’s West George Street their efforts were finally rewarded. Celtic, who had assisted Aberdeen’s cause so often, argued again that First Division membership be expanded from fourteen to sixteen. This proposal had no obvious prospects of success, as it had failed twelve months earlier. But this time the motion was carried.

      This did not of itself mean that Aberdeen would be one of the lucky two. The eight hopefuls included Motherwell and Morton, who had propped up Division One, while of the other aspirants, only Albion Rovers had finished beneath Aberdeen in Division Two. On grounds of merit, Aberdeen’s was one of the weakest claims, and the success or failure of the club’s intense and sometimes aggressive lobbying would hinge on the question of potential rather than the strength of the current team.

      When the votes were cast, Aberdeen came top with twelve. Falkirk were also voted in, while Motherwell and Morton were both re-elected. First Division football was at last coming to the north-east of Scotland. A sense of triumph prevailed at the club’s AGM in July. Perhaps the large crowds flocking to Pittodrie had been crucial in swinging a few votes. If so, it was the supporters of Aberdeen FC who deserve the credit for Aberdeen’s elevation.

      That money was the driving force in football was underlined when another Celtic proposal – that clubs should split home gate receipts – was also accepted.

      Needless to day, preparations for the new season were frantic. The club’s directors made exhaustive efforts to strengthen the team and upgrade their trim Pittodrie surroundings. Aberdeen’s most significant signing was dashing left-winger Willie Lennie from Fulham, who was perhaps the first player to join the Wasps with a proven pedigree.

      Pittodrie received a major facelift with the removal of the existing grandstand, which had previously served Orion at Cattofield. A new, quaint-looking stand was built in the eastern corner of the ground. Changes in the boardroom saw Bailie Milne step down to allow Harry Wyllie take over as chairman. Former Victoria United administrator William Philip was appointed as a director.

      Partick Thistle provided a tough baptism for the Wasps in Division One, deflating the Aberdeen bubble by winning 1-0 at Pittodrie. Although Willie Lennie proved an astute acquisition, the season provided few highlights. Aberdeen finished twelfth out of sixteen, just three points clear of the penultimate place – though, of course, promotion and relation did not yet feature in Scottish football. Although Aberdeen’s first team struggled in the top division, the reserve side swept aside all rivals in local circles, winning the Aberdeenshire and Rhodesia Cups as well as the Fleming Shield.

      For 1906-07 the number of clubs participating in the Scottish First Division was raised yet again, this time to eighteen. Aberdeen pulled off another transfer coup when Irish international Charlie O’Hagan agreed to join from Middlesbrough. O’Hagan signed on 18 December 1906, making his debut against Rangers four days later. His partnership with Lennie developed into a potent force, and early the following season Tom Murray also signed from Middlesbrough as a new side began to take shape.

      In April 1907 English side Newcastle visited Pittodrie for a friendly that Aberdeen won 4-2. The Geordies had made a previous visit some three years earlier, when they handed out a seven-goal footballing lesson to a fledgling Aberdeen. By such yardsticks the new team was certainly on the up, but in the crucible of the Scottish League Aberdeen had finished as a losing side in each of their first three seasons.

      That unenviable record was put right in 1907-08, when Aberdeen nosed into the top half. Jock Hume had been signed from Broxburn and would remain a fixture in the Aberdeen defence for fourteen years. Further stability was acquired when the remarkable Donald Colman joined Aberdeen at the advanced age of 29. That signing was a gamble by manager Philip, but it was to prove a masterstroke. Colman and Hume formed a full-back partnership that was perhaps the most resilient in Aberdeen history.

      For the first time, Aberdeen also advanced to the semi-final of the Scottish Cup. Following a comfortable win over Albion Rovers, it took three games to despatch Dundee in the second round. Willie Lennie recalled the second replay at Hampden as a game he would never forget:

      ‘It was a game I was actually scared to go on against our traditional enemy, Dundee. We had drawn both at Pittodrie and Dens Park and it was the first time a game had been played in Scotland in midweek, I think. I was feeling ill up to the morning of the game and was seen by a doctor in Glasgow. He told me that if I got a chill that I would probably get pneumonia. I made my way to Hampden to see the match if I could not play in it. I was sitting in the dressing room feeling down. A reserve was stripped to take my place. All at once I made up my mind to play. “I’m going on,” I told manager Jimmy Philip. The first twenty minutes was a nightmare. When I ran I gasped for breath. Then came the change. The exercise seemed to gradually throw off my feeling of illness. I soon forgot about it altogether. Dundee led by 1-0 at half-time. I got the equaliser. Then we scored the leading goal and I got a third. I remember the equaliser clearly. I sent in a shot, which Bob Crumley turned behind. He tore the side in the net in his effort. I stood waiting to take the corner while the net was being repaired. The spectre of developing pneumonia and letting the side down had departed. I took the corner-kick. The ball curled into goal. Crumley, attempting to clear, caught the ball with the back of his hand and it was in the net. I shall always remember the scene that followed. Sandy Mutch, who was deputising in goal for Rab MacFarlane, tore down the pitch to grab my hand. Jock Hume cried as he pummelled my back: “Man if that’s the wye ye play when you’re ill, a hope you are never weel.” It was a great day. To finish with a happy ending my illness did not return.’

      Lennie was soon to write another piece of Pittodrie history when he became the first Aberdeen player to be capped for Scotland. On 7 March 1908 Lennie made his international debut against Wales at Dens Park, in an all Scottish-based side. To cap a memorable day for the Aberdeen winger, Lennie scored the winner in a 2-1 Scots win. Lennie recalled his big day:

      ‘I remember carrying the ball well in and beating the Welsh keeper, Dick Roose. There was no time for the Welsh to reply. Dick had reason to be annoyed, no doubt, for as I closed in on goal, he positioned himself a yard from the post nearest to me. This, I thought was an invitation to me to try and put the ball to the other side of him. If I had done that he would have brought off one of his famous springs to stop the ball. I ignored the invitation and drove the ball hard between him and his near post.’

      Lennie’s partner on the left side of the Aberdeen forward line, Charlie O’Hagan, had already been capped by Ireland (which at that time was yet to be divided into North and South). A week after Lennie played against Wales he found himself opposing his friend against Ireland at Dalymount Park in Dublin. The Scots romped to a 5-0 win, a great disappointment for O’Hagan, who was the Irish captain on that occasion.

      The Aberdeen duo now teamed up for the club’s first Scottish Cup semi-final – against Celtic at Pittodrie. In those days there was no neutral venue for semi-finals and Aberdeen were happy to take on Celtic at home. The Glasgow club may have been an ally when Aberdeen were trying to break into the League, but thereafter that fraternal spirit did not last long. Indeed, the semi-final in 1908 was one of the most controversial cup-ties ever staged. Twenty thousand spectators crammed into Pittodrie, and the record crowd pelted the Celtic players throughout, having been provoked by the rough treatment dished out to the home side. A 1-0 win for Celtic sparked scenes of unprecedented disturbances as the teams left the field. The crowd, burning with a sense of injustice, bombarded the Celtic players with stones and other missiles. This time there had been no call to address defeat by seeking ‘solace in Burns’. Violence, it should come as no surprise to learn, was not confined to the modern era.

      Aberdeen repeated their 1907-08 eighth-place finish the following season. On 4 January 1910 Willie Lennie became the club’s first player to receive a benefit game, when Dundee visited Pittodrie. A crowd of 3,000 turned out to honour the winger. Aberdeen won the game 3-2 and Lennie pocketed the princely sum of £150.

      Aberdeen lost the services of Wilf Low – who enjoyed success with Newcastle – but were compensated with the arrival of Jimmy Soye, a prolific scorer. Finishing fourth in 1909-10 was Aberdeen’s best to date, so it is strange to report that a sense of malaise hung in the air that summer. Cody Mutch was sold to Huddersfield, while the team’s ‘engine room’ was weakened by the loss of Bobby Simpson and Charlie O’Hagan. All three had been first-team regulars.

      In these circumstances it took almost everyone by surprise when in 1910-11 Aberdeen embarked on a run that carried them close to a League and Cup double. But this was a season that ended in bitter disappointment. Celtic, once again, blocked the way (1-0) in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, while in the League, Aberdeen were pipped by Rangers by just four points. Rangers tasted defeat on only five occasions, yet two of those were against Aberdeen, who recorded a double over the Ibrox side and finished the season as the only British club undefeated at home.

      Many observers were of the opinion that it was a cruel twist of fate, rather than Rangers’ superior quality, that eventually counted against the Black & Golds. Injuries to key players in the closing weeks cost Aberdeen dear, but, if nothing else, for the first time in their history the club could boast a team to be feared.

      Finishing second spread the name of Aberdeen across Europe and helped facilitate an end-of-season tour of central Europe. Aberdeen were Scotland’s first provincial side to undertake such a tour. Their marathon journey began on 10 May 1911. The touring party headed for Prague, at that time part of Bohemia, now the Czech Republic. The journey alone took the best part of four days and the records show an overnight stay in Dresden. The touring party was on the small side, with only twelve players, accompanied by manager Jimmy Philip, director William Jaffrey, and the club doctor.

      It was a weary Aberdeen party that reached Prague on the Saturday. Nor was there any time to become acclimatised, as the first game, against Slavia, was arranged for the following day. Aberdeen’s visit had been keenly anticipated and the people of Prague extended a warm welcome. Slavia were Prague’s top club and were scheduled to play Aberdeen twice. The hot conditions did not favour the Scots and a tired-looking Aberdeen went down 2-3 in their opening game (Stewart Davidson and Dave Main scoring). Two days later Aberdeen won 2-1, with two goals from Jock Hume, who netted eighteen goals over the whole tour.

      From Prague the party travelled to Krakow, Poland, beating Wisla 9-1 and 8-0. In the first meeting, Aberdeen manager Jimmy Philip refereed, on the insistence of the locals! The tour ended against minor clubs in what is now Austria.

      It was time to reflect. Aberdeen had been in the Scottish League seven seasons, and each had brought an improvement. From their initial season in Division Two in 1904-05, the Wasps in Division One had subsequently finished 12th, 11th, 8th, 8th (earning one more point), 4th and now 2nd. But this sequence meant something had to give in 1911-12. Perhaps Aberdeen were destined for the Scottish crown, perhaps they would slip backwards. Either would be a first for the club.

      It was around this time that several press reports began referring to Aberdeen as the ‘Dons’. This new sobriquet was welcomed by almost everyone: the players disliked being called ‘Wasps’, as it often provoked sarcastic quips from the terraces. Various theories have since been proposed to explain the origins of ‘Dons’, but the most plausible is the abbreviation of Aberdonian.

      On the playing front, the club were dealt a blow with the departure to Celtic of WD Nicol, the ‘thunderbolt’, and Pat Travers, who had replaced Charlie O’Hagan to good effect. The loss of Travers was shrouded in controversy. He had refused new terms with Aberdeen, insisting that he wished to return to the amateur ranks. The club acceded to his request, only to be stunned when he signed for Celtic, thereby denying Aberdeen the benefits of a transfer fee. As for Nicol, he had had to be released from his Army service. Celtic swooped to sign him after Aberdeen had gone to the trouble of buying out his Army papers.

      Far from improving on second place, Aberdeen struggled from the outset in 1911-12 and never looked like mounting a serious challenge. Donald Colman remained an integral part of the set up and was rewarded with a benefit game in the New Year. Perennial rivals Dundee were again the visitors and an all-ticket crowd honoured the Aberdeen stalwart. Just before his big day, Colman reflected on the Dons’ recent 1-2 defeat at Morton:

      ‘It was a hard game, the ground had a lot to do with our losing of the points. Cappielow was in a terrible state and Greig [Aberdeen’s keeper] was unable to move on account of the mud. Young Walker played well though and I like the look of him. We still have a good side this season despite some poor results, and I am sure we will be back up there challenging.’

      Looking ahead to a cup-tie against St Mirren at Paisley, Colman remained upbeat:

      ‘I think we will win, Saturday’s result was close but we lost Dave Main through injury and he struggled to continue when he came back on. I expect Jimmy Soye will be back so we should be at full strength, the directors will see to that. I think we will win but it will not be easy. St Mirren are well down the league but they are a difficult side to play against and I expect it will be tough down there.’

      Reflecting on his Pittodrie career, Colman added:

      ‘This is my fifth season and I have missed only two league matches in that time. Once I missed the train and on the other occasion I was injured. I was likewise off for two weeks earlier on this season after a north-eastern League game against Hearts. I also missed another spell due to me playing for Scotland against England, Ireland and Wales. That was a highlight for me, to represent my country. Those occasions apart, I have played in all of the club’s cup-ties and friendlies for the first team. I feel honoured that the club has given me a benefit game and I am really looking forward to it. The result may not be so important but it would be good to get a win on the day.’

      Aberdeen finished ninth (out of sixteen) in 1911-12. They continued their undistinguished ways the following season and the harsh winter of 1912 had a far-reaching impact. Crowds had dwindled as the euphoria generated by the great 1910-11 campaign subsided. For the first time in their short history, Aberdeen were even facing a crisis. Financial difficulties blighted progress and, with the political unrest in Europe intensifying by the day, troubled times loomed down Pittodrie way. There were heated arguments among the directors when the popular Jock Wyllie was sold to Bradford. Although tempered by the return to Pittodrie of Pat Travers, the sale of Wyllie – in an effort to balance the books – split the Aberdeen board.

      Weakening the team in such circumstances meant that – for the first time – Aberdeen appeared to lack ambition, which went against the grain. Since its formation the club had striven to improve, so perhaps this was a reality check that could not indefinitely be postponed.

      What was acutely apparent was that throughout their history Aberdeen had been synonymous with skilful football, whereas the side of 1912-1913 was short on flair. Willie Lennie had been unceremoniously dropped, and with only the stout defence of Hume and Colman to shore up the team, the Pittodrie supporters had deserted in droves. If proof of their disgust were needed, it came in April when a huge crowd turned out to honour former player John Edgar, for whom a current Aberdeen XI took on a former XI. It was the last time that O’Hagan and Lennie played together.

      In 1913-14 and 1914-15 the Dons lost games and money hand over fist. As storm clouds gathered over Europe and the opening salvos were fired in what became known as the Great War, League football carried on (the Scottish Cup was suspended after 1914), although the thoughts of players and spectators were invariably drawn to the battlefields. Aberdeen endeavoured to bring in new players and attracted the signatures of Bobby Archibald and Bert MacLachlan.

      However, the club was thrown into turmoil when defenders Bobby Hannah and Alex Wright were called up for combat. And they were not the last. Not surprisingly, Pittodrie crowds shrank even further, and the added burden of travelling long distances to meet their fixture commitments strained the club’s resources to the limit. In dark moments there was even talk of Aberdeen withdrawing from the League, purely on account of its remote geographical position. A west of Scotland club, it was said, would be found to fill the void if Aberdeen pulled out.

      However, having fought tooth and nail to attain First Division status, Aberdeen’s directors were unlikely to capitulate lightly. The Dons battled gamely on, at times struggling to find enough players to travel. This was hardly surprising, for players’ wages had to be trimmed to offset costs. The club’s playing resources were savaged by the loss of six first-team players to the armed forces. No other club in the country suffered such a crippling loss, and in the circumstances it was remarkable to see Aberdeen finish as high as eleventh in 1915-16, an improvement on the previous two seasons. Curiously, the Dons’ found new supporters in the shape of the Gordon Highlanders, who were keen to see the Dons in action – a valuable distraction for soldiers stationed in Aberdeen.

      The club toyed with the idea of fielding different teams for their home and away fixtures. By 1915 this course of action was undertaken through necessity rather than choice. The practice was not strictly adhered to, though both Jock Wyllie and George Brewster were only prominent in the Dons’ home games. With no end in sight to hostilities, these were years of attrition at Pittodrie. Naturally, news from the front eclipsed results on the soccer pitch, to the point where football assumed less and less significance in people’s lives.

      Eventually, the effects of war took their toll. Having finished bottom in 1916-17, Aberdeen – along with Dundee and Raith Rovers – found themselves with little option but to cease competitive action for the duration of hostilities. But at least this decision held out hope for the future. Had Aberdeen withdrawn two years previously, they would have been out in the cold: now they knew they would be welcomed back when the time came. By then, the strain on their financial resources would, it was hoped, have eased. Between 1917 and 1919 no competitive football was played in the north-east of Scotland, other than occasional minor games. Those left at the club dedicated their time to assisting the minor grades. Pittodrie closed its doors to await the end of the Great War.

 

 

Part Three 1919-1938

 

 

 

Between the Wars

 

 

 

The Great War came to a blessed end in November 1918 and, following a pause for reflection, it was back to business for the Dons by the following spring. In an effort to reclaim the togetherness that had once been a feature of the club, a sequence of friendly matches were arranged before and after the club reconvened in May 1919. It was reported that Aberdeen had re-signed most of the players who had served them in the early days of the war. Of the 40 or so people employed by the club in one capacity or another, eight had lost their lives. Amongst the clutch of new players recruited were Jock Hutton and local lad Jacky Connon. The burly frame of Hutton attracted most interest and, beginning with a keen display against Partick Thistle in a Pittodrie friendly, he went on to forge a memorable Dons career. 

      Nobody knew what to expect after such a long lay off, as the vast majority of players had seen little serious action on the football field. Alec Wright was an obvious exception: he had been stationed down south and had regularly turned out for Millwall. The now ageing Donald Colman also made a dramatic and welcome return to the fold. The Dons’ full-back had been in Norway undertaking his first coaching stint and Pittodrie seemed a more familiar place with his name on the team-sheet.

      The First Division, reduced from twenty to eighteen clubs in 1917, was in 1919-20 swelled to an unprecedented 22. In addition to Aberdeen, Dundee, Raith Rovers and Albion Rovers also rejoined the fray. Although the Dons received a degree of financial assistance from the Scottish League, the club’s resources had been badly affected by their enforced absence, and that might explain the decision to double the admission prices to Pittodrie for their opening fixture against Albion Rovers on 16 August 1919. Surprisingly, only two debutants were on view, one of them Jock Hutton at centre-forward. But Hutton’s talents were more suited at full-back, to which position he slowly switched over the coming months

      The club continued to restore its depleted finances by selling George Brewster to Everton for a club record £1,500 in mid-season. Yet by the time Colman returned at about the same time, the Aberdeen support had reasserted itself. A new attendance record had been created when 25,000 turned out to see Celtic at the end of November.

      The Dons returned to Scottish Cup action for the first time in six years but their tie at Cowdenbeath ended amid disgraceful scenes. Denied a last-minute penalty, the Central Park crowd invaded the field, forcing the Aberdeen players to run for their lives. They survived that ordeal to progress to the quarter-finals, only to go down at Coatbridge against Albion Rovers. The season closed with a touch of nostalgia when an Aberdeen XI took on Wilf Low’s ex-Dons side in a benefit match for Bert MacLachlan. More than 15,000 turned out to honour the Dons’ stalwart. Donald Colman, now 42 years old, left the club for a brief spell with Dumbarton before returning to Norway. Jock Wyllie left for Forfar and Jock Hume was appointed coach at Darwen in the Lancashire Combination League.

      The Aberdeen reserve team had been virtually rebuilt from scratch, and to their credit they won the District League after a decisive win against Fraserburgh.

      This was, however, the end of an era for several Aberdeen players, many of whom had lost their prime years in the game to the war. Manager Jimmy Philip was back in charge, reverting to a full-time role as the club looked ahead to new challenges. One casualty of Philips’ re-instatement was Chairman Tom Duncan, who made way for William Philip.

      Notwithstanding the boardroom upheavals, the club pushed through plans for improvement. The financial situation eased sufficiently to permit the final payment owed on their purchase of Pittodrie. Aberdeen then applied to the Gas Committee at the end of 1920 for an extension to be built on the south side of the ground. The long-term plan was to build up the embankment on that side to increase the ground capacity, which at that time was set at 28,000. Gone were the old wooden rails around the pitch, and plans were laid to extend the grandstand the full length of the playing area. Meanwhile, two former Aberdeen players made names for themselves: Aberdeen-born Stewart Davidson and George Brewster were capped for Scotland against England in March 1921.

      With so many new players on board, it was no real surprise that the new-look Aberdeen struggled, finishing seventeenth (out of 22) in 1919-20. However, the club had acquired a knack of unearthing players of quality, and another diamond soon arrived in the shape of left-back Matt Forsyth. A Scottish Junior International, Forsyth was afforded the luxury of residing in his native Glasgow and training with Third Lanark during the week, only travelling to Pittodrie on match-days.

      Sir Alex Ferguson once said that the Dons’ 1980s star John McMaster was the best uncapped player in the country. In the 1920s that accolade surely belonged to Matt Forsyth. Although listed as a Scotland reserve on various occasions, Forsyth was never capped. His fellow full-back, Jock Hutton, had no such problems. The burly defender went on to become the third Aberdeen player to play for Scotland, following the example of Willie Lennie and Donald Colman.

      Other prominent players to join the club around this time included Jimmy Smith from Rangers, a classy winger, Harry Blackwell, who proved to be a worthy goalkeeping successor to George Anderson, and Vic Milne – son of former Dons’ chairman Bailie – a natural centre-half who went on to greater fame with Aston Villa. Manager Philip also snapped up Alec Moir, a local lad who had been scoring goals for fun with local side Mugiemoss.

      Ever since the Scottish League had come into being, its members could only be voted out should they have the misfortune to apply for re-election. By 1921-22 that was all to change. For years the top division had stood as a fortress to be breached. Aberdeen had experienced enough difficulties almost twenty years previously, but had fought the good fight to get elected. The introduction of automatic promotion and relegation would now put a stop to the ‘old boys’ network. Merit would reign, not secret deals done behind closed doors. The change was welcomed by many, feared by few. It would serve to improve standards and allow successful clubs from the lower divisions the right to earn promotion by their own efforts.

      Talk of a Scottish Cup semi-final jinx was again in the air in 1922, when Aberdeen failed once more to climb that hurdle. Despite going into the Dens Park semi against Morton as favourites, they were beaten 1-3. In the League, the Dons finished a disappointing fifteenth. That summer, manager Philip arranged a short tour of central Europe, but the trip was fraught with difficulties and had to be cut short due to political uncertainty in the region.

      One of the most remarkable and farcical games ever to involve Aberdeen FC also features in the record books. These show that the club’s all-time record win is a 13-0 Scottish Cup humiliation of Peterhead in 1923, but behind that score lies a story. Aberdeen had struggled to survive the two previous rounds and were happy to be paired against the Highland League side and nearest neighbours in the third round. The tie was originally scheduled for Recreation Park, but at the prompting of the Dons it was agreed to switch it to Pittodrie. Aberdeen offered their opponents cash guarantees and the promise of a friendly in the Blue Toon later in the year, in return for dangling the carrot of a sizeable crowd at Pittodrie.

      It was then that problems emerged. The Peterhead players were annoyed that their club had switched the game without consulting them. They believed that with home advantage they could have caused an upset, but moving the tie to Pittodrie weakened that prospect. They then demanded a share of the financial guarantee on offer. Bitter wrangling ensued. When the cash bonus was not forthcoming, it became clear that several Peterhead players were prepared to boycott the game, and when it went ahead on 10 February 1923 the visitors’ side was shorn of several regulars. Indeed, two Aberdeen University players were drafted in, despite being cup-tied, ironically against Peterhead! Mother Nature provided a final twist when only 3,241 turned up to watch the massacre. In keeping with the farcical nature of these events, Aberdeen goalkeeper Harry Blackwell spent much of the 90 minutes huddled under an umbrella, watching as the game was contested in distant parts.

      Aberdeen had habitually adopted a cautious attitude in the transfer market. Not that the club was sluggish in drafting in new players. Rather, they were not in the habit of paying over the odds for new recruits. Such tight control of the purse strings had been understandable in the past, but in the summer of 1923 the club cast caution to the winds. Motherwell centre-half Jimmy Jackson had been long admired by the Aberdeen board, who now paid a record £2,000 for his services. Ex-Don Stewart Davidson was also brought back from Middlesbrough. Despite this outlay, another Scottish Cup run ended frustratingly at the semi-final stage. On this occasion it took Hibernian three games to finally breach the Dons’ defence, with just one goal to show for 330 minutes of cup-tie football. A disappointing season concluded with a visit by Liverpool in honour of Aberdeen full-back Jock Hutton.

      In June 1924 Jimmy Philip stood down, and for the first time in their 21-year history the club had to seek a new manager. Philips’ contribution should never be under-estimated. He had been perhaps the most influential figure in the 1903 amalgamation. Renowned for his forthright views, he often fell foul of authority, but Philip was nevertheless dedicated to the Aberdeen cause. His untiring efforts to help Aberdeen gain admission to the Scottish leagues, and his subsequent management of the club in its formative years, gives cause for admiration. It was Philip who pieced together the powerful Aberdeen side of 1910 that came so close to lifting the title. He brokered the club’s first European tour and was also President of the Aberdeenshire FA and life member of the SFA.

      It is perhaps significant that his right-hand man and close friend Peter Simpson retired from his training duties in 1922, two years before Philip called it a day. The Philip-Simpson partnership had worked wonders. Simpson took charge of training, allowing Philips to concentrate on administrative matters. Although no silverware came Aberdeen’s way, four Scottish Cup semi-finals was no mean achievement. It is a pity that Philip was never afforded the honour of taking his beloved Aberdeen to Hampden for a Cup final.

      Right up until his retirement Philip had tested the patience of the authorities. In modern parlance, he ‘tapped’ a young player from Richmond (a junior club in Aberdeen) after he had apparently signed for Dundee. The Dons were also investigated for fielding a weakened side against relegation-threatened Queen’s Park (losing 0-1) in April 1924. This disadvantaged Clyde, who were none too pleased when they went down instead. But for his sterling service to Aberdeen, Philip was invited onto the board. One of his final acts as manager was to secure the deal that eventually brought Alec Jackson – later of ‘Wembley Wizard’ fame – to Pittodrie. Philip was killed in a road accident in Belfast in July 1930.

      Although Pat Travers had left the club in questionable circumstances in 1910, he returned a year later. He had since replaced Peter Simpson as club trainer and seemed the obvious choice to take over from Philip. With Billy Russell taking control of training, the new management team was hastily put in place. Travers’ first season in charge – 1924-25 – was remarkable in that although Aberdeen finished fifteenth (out of twenty), they were only two points off the bottom and had to fight a long rearguard action to stave off relegation.

      The shining light in that troubled season was Alec Jackson, who arrived with his brother from the United States, where he had lived following a brief spell at Dumbarton. Dons’ legend Jock Hume, playing with Brooklyn at that time, kept tabs on young Jackson. After the Dons had been alerted to his availability, Alec and his older brother Walter were soon snapped up. At a combined cost of around £1,000, it seemed that new boss Travers had inherited some of Jimmy Philip’s guile in the transfer market. Alec continued the fine tradition of Aberdeen wingers, though he wore an Aberdeen shirt for only one season before transferring to Huddersfield. A record incoming transfer fee of £4,500 represented good business, though the club had tried to hold onto their most prized asset.

      Jackson was destined for great things. In 1928 he scored a hat-trick for Scotland against England at Wembley in the Scots’ 5-1 win. His goals in the 3rd, 65th and 85th minutes for what became known as the ‘Wembley Wizards’ earned a place in Scottish football’s Hall of Fame. Alec Jackson later moved to Chelsea in a £8,500 move, which made him the costliest footballer in the country.

      Closer to home, Pat Travers cast his net wide as he set about rebuilding his squad. The experienced Bob McDermid was signed from Rangers to appease mounting dissent amongst the club’s shareholders, alarmed at the way Alec Jackson and his namesake Jimmy had been sold while the team was struggling at the foot of the table. Supporters even had to endure the loss of another hero when the affable Jock Hutton was sold to Blackburn Rovers for £5,000 in October 1926. Hutton was by then an established international and was arguably the first real cult hero of Pittodrie. He would win an FA Cup winners medal when Blackburn defeated Huddersfield 3-1 before 92,041 at Wembley in 1928, playing in direct opposition to former team-mate Alec Jackson, who scored Huddersfield’s goal. Who would have thought that Pittodrie’s influence would have such a bearing on such an auspicious occasion?

      It was also in the mid-1920s that a young Dick Donald was first introduced as a player, beginning an association with the club that would endure for more than 60 years. Not perhaps the most gifted of players – he did not break into the League team until 1931 – Donald’s overall contribution to Aberdeen Football Club would be incalculable. Travers also took Alec Reid from Third Lanark and unearthed a real gem in Alec Cheyne.

      Although silverware had eluded Aberdeen since its formation, the team had rarely lacked players of natural ability, and the knowledgeable Pittodrie patrons were quick to spot talent. Cheyne certainly came into that category, a tricky inside-right with a body swerve that eluded many a fine defender. He had filled the void left by Alec Jackson, and while the Aberdeen support never forgot their departed hero, they knew they had another in their midst. Ironically, Jackson and Cheyne would join forces in the Scotland team, and it was Aberdeen’s Cheyne who would carve out his own piece of football history.

      A year after Jackson tormented the English defence at Wembley, the Huddersfield winger played on the Scots right wing with Cheyne at inside-right against England at Hampden in 1929. Expectations were high, but fate dealt Jackson a blow in the first half when he fell awkwardly and broke an arm. With no substitutes permitted, Cheyne was asked to plough a lone furrow. It was a challenge that he relished and for long periods he carried the game to the English. With the contest threatening to finish goalless, the Aberdeen man made one final weaving run that earned a corner. Cheyne took the kick and hit a devilish cross that flew over the keeper and into the far corner of the net. An extraordinary climax, but Aberdeen followers should not have been surprised. After all, he had done it before and he would do so again. Hampden greeted the goal with a thunderous roar that hung in the air until the final whistle moments later. The legendary ‘Hampden Roar’ was born.

      Travers had taken his squad to South Africa in the summer of 1927, and during that ground-breaking tour he discovered among his new signings the perfect recipient for Cheyne’s crosses – Benny Yorston. The diminutive Yorston has been described as one of the all-time Aberdeen greats. Johnny Miller’s exploits in 1922 apart, the club had never been blessed with such a prolific goalscorer. Yorston started with Montrose before embarking on a relatively short but legendary career at Pittodrie. To this day, Benny’s 38 goals from 38 games in 1929-30 remains a club record. With Cheyne in full flow, and young Andy Love showing bags of promise, the Aberdeen forward line at that time was feared the length of the country.

      Not since 1911 had the Dons come so close to winning the title as in 1929-30. The side was buttressed by the formidable half-back line of Black, McLaren and Hill and at Pittodrie the Dons were unbeatable. No visitors left Pittodrie with the points all season. The team blasted 85 goals, but they conceded too many on their travels, and that was to prove crucial. Aberdeen finished third behind Rangers and Motherwell.

      Plans for ground improvements at Pittodrie had continually to be postponed, on account of the club’s delicate finances. Gradually those finances improved, but at a cost to the team. Aberdeen sold their better players throughout the 1920s, though the sale of Alec Jackson at least provided funds to extend the grandstand the full length of the ground. A brick surround had replaced the old wooden fence around the pitch, and the delightful granite frontage at the King Street end was built – the only surviving remnants of the old Pittodrie still visible today. It can only be imagined what the Dons might have achieved had they kept hold of their best players. Nevertheless, Travers had pieced together a team good enough to finish third, then sixth, and which contained the potential to climb yet higher in 1931-32. But those dreams were to crash in the most dramatic of circumstances.

      Aberdeen found itself with a potentially championship-winning team, based on the fruits of Travers’ ever-widening scouting network. However, in November 1931 the club was hit by a bombshell. As the side prepared to travel to Falkirk, three first-team regulars were hastily dropped to the reserves. The three – Hugh McLaren, Frank Hill and Benny Yorston – would never play for the first team again. Then two more players – Dave Galloway and Jimmy Black – were also pulled out. A makeshift Dons side lost 0-3 at Brockville.

      As the weeks passed, the club maintained a stony silence over the players’ continued absence. The Dons had been well placed in the table, but everything started to unwind. The supporters grew increasingly impatient for news, and the mounting crisis provided an acid test for Travers, who was having to fend off daily probing questions from the press.

     The Aberdeen manager finally went public, insisting that none of the five players would ever again pull on an Aberdeen shirt. He hinted that their ‘indiscretions’ were of a serious nature. Allegations of corruption surfaced, specifically to do with match-fixing. These allegations were never confirmed or denied, even to this day. It was a sordid episode for Aberdeen, and nobody came out of the matter with any credit. The disgraced players were offloaded one by one, the club’s prize asset, Benny Yorston, being sold to Sunderland for £2,000. Frank Hill, who had been capped for Scotland against Wales in 1930, went on to play for Arsenal. Some of the accused protested their innocence of any wrongdoing, but it is surely inconceivable that the club would have discarded its star names without good reason. At the end of this sorry tale, Travers and his able deputy, Donald Colman, had to go searching for replacements. The Dons manager, not for the first time, set about rebuilding his side and the drama of the ‘Great Mystery’ died in its own silence.

      Travers’ record was one of extraordinary consistency. In nine seasons from 1926-27 Aberdeen finished between fifth and eighth, and the following two seasons were to be even better.

      A new side slowly took shape. Willie Cooper was the regular right-back, with Charlie McGill his partner on the left. Steve Smith had been brought back from America to take over in goal from Harry Blackwell, but it was the emergence of a new forward pairing that would most excite Aberdeen followers. Willie Mills joined from Bridgeton (a Glasgow junior club) and Matt Armstrong followed him a few months later. By the time Armstrong was established, Irish Free State international Paddy Moore had replaced Benny Yorston, so easily it was as if one legend had simply stepped into the shoes of another. In 1932-33 the Dons’ sixth-place finish was abetted by a 27-goal haul from Moore, who contributed six in an 8-2 win over Falkirk.

      Aberdeen had achieved a remarkable turnaround, considering the crisis-driven exodus of 1931. The side had a cosmopolitan feel to it. The Irish influence was evident in the shape of Moore and Eddie Falloon – who had replaced Hugh McLaren at centre-half. Welshman Jackie Benyon joined South African winger Billy Strauss on the other flank. However, it was the emergence of Scottish-born Mills and Armstrong that was to provide the Dons with some of their finest moments.

      Though frustrated by another Scottish Cup semi-final defeat in 1934-35 (1-2 against Hamilton), Travers’ side peaked the following season. The Mills-Armstrong spearhead weighed in with almost half of the Dons’ tally of 96 League goals, which earned a record 61 points and just three defeats in 38 games. Yet the side were outscored by the Old Firm, who pushed Aberdeen back into third, scant reward for such a fine campaign. Mills had been acquired from Bridgeton Waverley, an area of Glasgow that had provided a crop of good players in the past. Vale of Leven (another Glasgow junior club) had been the source from which the Dons had secured Jackson, Colman and McDermid. Manager Travers takes up the story on how he signed the prolific duo:

      ‘I signed Willie Mills the day he was seventeen: under regulations I could not sign him before then. Mills was the youngest of a famous sporting family. His brother played for both Celtic and West Ham but it was Willie I was after. I wanted him to sign after the first time I saw him play and when the opportunity arose I got him fixed up on a provisional form. Matt had been with Port Glasgow Juniors and when I saw him I knew he could be a real asset for Aberdeen. I liked what I saw and fixed him up here and then. When you sign a junior you have to have patience. Young players are best when left to develop gradually.’

      Mills and Armstrong were arguably the most potent pairing ever seen at Pittodrie. Mills was a particular favourite of Travers, who had described him as the complete player. Armstrong provided the cutting edge and a remarkable goal ratio. It remains a sorry fact that the great Aberdeen side of the 1930s failed to claim that elusive first trophy. What the club did possess was something that success does not guarantee – a spirit honed from the early days and still flourishing in the 30s. Chairman of the time Frank Whitehead explained:

      ‘All of us are working for the common good of the club. We have a strong spirit. The club is a club in the real sense. The boys can drop in and enjoy a game of billiards or table tennis. We are all friends. This fine fellowship is reflected on the field. I recall one of our older players recalling that all of the professionals that come to Aberdeen swear by it for the rest of their days. They like the city and they like the club. We are now resisting the temptation to sell our players on. We heard a rumour that some English club was making a move for Armstrong and Mills before the Jubilee international against England. We decided as a club that we would not be selling any of our top players. We felt that we had a responsibility. We are continually improving the ground and our crowds are up.’

      The togetherness and bonding that was so noticeable in those years no doubt played its part in carrying the club to its first Scottish Cup final in 1937. Aberdeen had been losing semi-finalists on no fewer than six occasions, but that ghost was now laid to rest with a 2-0 win over Morton at Easter Road. The Dons’ run to the final had not been without its setbacks. An early tie against Inverness Thistle at Pittodrie had been played in such freezing conditions that several players had to be treated for hypothermia.

      Hopes were high that Aberdeen could finally take their first trophy, and many observers touted the Dons as the complete footballing side. The traditions laid down over the decades of a club that played the passing game looked set to carry to Dons to new heights over Celtic in the final. Although Aberdeen had pipped Celtic for second-place behind Rangers in the League, the Dons’ points and goals tally were down on the previous season, when they had finished third.

      Such was the excitement generated by the final that calls were made for it to be contested on a home and away basis. Those behind these demands clearly did not appreciate the working practices of the SFA. Only around 8,000 Aberdonians were expected to make the trip to Hampden because of the expense to be incurred. In fact, more than double that number made it to the national stadium on the day. However, 16,000 was but a trickle in the ocean of 146,433 bodies that somehow squeezed in – an all-time British club record attendance. It was reported that another 10,000 gained access through improper means and that an estimated 20,000 outside the ground gave up trying to get in. The Aberdeen Bon Accord set the scene:

      ‘The Cup Final is certainly the biggest sporting event the city has witnessed. Thousands will leave Aberdeen for the game, a spiritual rally equal to anything which the old clan bonds could muster. Let other minstrels and bards do this thing. Bon Accord gladiators! CV MacEchern the former Aberdeen player turned minister rued the day he accepted to officiate at a wedding on Cup Final day but his thoughts not surprisingly were with his former colleagues – “Cupid may have cheated me of spectating at the Cup Final, but we can all dream.” Indeed, MacEchern had predicted that the Dons would win the Final and even had the Lord Provost’s speech all made out for the players’ return – “Gentlemen of Pittodrie, O gallant eleven, Bon Accord is proud of you this day. It is a far better thing you do than ye have ever done. I salute you, and we look forward to a brilliant future”.’

      The truth, however, was that disappointment lay in store for Aberdeen. Before the match, even as late as midday, the Dons made strenuous efforts to get winger Billy Strauss fit to play. The South African had been superb in the earlier rounds but an injury sustained in the semi-final was serious enough to keep him out. His omission was a massive blow to the Dons, despite Johnny Lang deputising. Aberdeen lost a goal after ten minutes when Crum scored. Aberdeen fought back and Matt Armstrong levelled, converting a Jackie Benyon cross. The Celtic winner was tinged with controversy, as Celtic maestro McGrory seemed to control the ball with his hand before setting up Buchan to score. Despite a brave finale from Aberdeen it was cup heartbreak again. Celtic’s brawn had triumphed over Aberdeen’s more subtle approach, though Mills had failed to do himself justice.

      The club had arranged another tour of South Africa and plans were made to set sail two weeks after the final, on 7 May 1937. Sixteen players were named in the travelling party, among them Herbert Currer and Billy Strauss, who were returning to their homeland. During the tour the Dons struggled to come to terms with the heat and conditions. When Welsh winger Jackie Benyon was taken ill and whisked to a Johannesburg hospital it was initially thought he was suffering from appendicitis, but his condition deteriorated. Benyon developed peritonitis and never recovered. His death was a shattering blow, though the tour continued. Near its conclusion the party stumbled across a player who was turning out for a railway side in Cape Town. Stan Williams impressed so much that he was invited over to Pittodrie a year later.

      Towards the end of that eventful year, Aberdeen suffered another shock when it emerged that Clyde had sounded out Travers about the vacant position at Shawfield, and that the Dons boss was keen to take it. For only the second time in their history Aberdeen needed a new manager. Ironically Travers – whose affiliation with the Dons had spanned 28 years – would in 1939 see Clyde lift the Scottish Cup. Suggestions that the outgoing Aberdeen manager had become too overbearing at Pittodrie, and that his methods had not gone down well with new members of the board, may have had some bearing on his decision to move elsewhere.

      The club’s advertisement for the vacancy attracted more than 100 replies. Due consideration was given to that by Donald Colman, who had served the club with distinction for many years. However, it was a younger man the board opted for, in the shape of the relatively unknown Dave Halliday. Halliday had done well at Yeovil, who had been preparing for an FA Cup-tie with Manchester United at Old Trafford when he spotted Aberdeen’s advertisement. Halliday recalled:

      ‘After discovering that Aberdeen was on the lookout for a new boss, I sent off my application, not expecting too much to come from it. To my surprise I received a letter asking me to come to Aberdeen to discuss the matter. I was asked to say nothing to anyone about my visit. I was met by George Anderson at Aberdeen station and taken round the side streets to Pittodrie. They were keen to keep my visit secret. Chairman William Mitchell and the other directors received me. I evidently impressed them and they offered me the job. Before I could take up the position I had to finish off my spell with Yeovil at, of all places, Old Trafford. I had planned to travel to Aberdeen immediately after the match and on 5 January 1938 I took up the manager’s position at Pittodrie.’

      The impending war in Europe meant that Halliday’s early tenure at Pittodrie was brief. Aberdeen finished sixth in 1937-38, but climbed to third in Halliday’s first full season. Halliday boldly changed the team’s strip from black and gold to red, but then war intervened. Unlike the events of 1914, League football was immediately suspended and put on hold for the duration of the new crisis.