Plans to grant the Freedom of Aberdeen to the Gothenburg Greats have been put on hold for two months, after last-minute agreement to honour the entire football club.
The 1983 Dons team, who beat Real Madrid to claim the European Cup Winners’ Cup, could have been lined up for the city’s highest civic honour on Thursday.
SNP and Liberal Democrat councillors had brought forward the proposals to celebrate the Reds’ greatest triumph.
But opposition Conservative and Labour groups called for the whole of Aberdeen FC to be recognised, not just Sir Alex Ferguson’s team.
Discussions between the two sides resulted in the decision to honour both.
However, the last-minute change meant the matter could not be settled on the day.
Lord Provost David Cameron blamed an extra two-month wait on a 1973 law.
The legislation says any motion proposing a nomination for the freedom of the city must be signed by at least 23 councillors.
It then needs to be backed by at least two-thirds of all councillors.
Mr Cameron said: “We could deal with it today, but then we’d be in trouble.”
He added: “‘Disappointed’ doesn’t quite go there.
“It’s been a long haul and we thought we had it sussed, but there is no point getting ourselves into a situation.”
The matter will now go on the agenda of the next full council meeting, due to take place in December.
Months of disagreement come to an end
The decision will bring an end to months of bickering over who most deserved the Freedom of Aberdeen.
For a period last year, it looked likely to be awarded to NHS Grampian out of gratitude for the hard work of staff during the Covid pandemic.
However, that campaign had been quiet for a while by the time the Conservatives announced a plan to give the Freedom of the City to Aberdeen FC to mark the club’s 120th anniversary.
It soon emerged the SNP – the largest party in the administration – had independently decided it should go to the Gothenburg Greats.
The party’s councillors wanted the presentation of the award to form the centrepiece of a weekend of celebrations next May, 40 years after the match regarded by many Dons fans as the club’s pinnacle.
Tory group leader Ryan Houghton, supported by Labour, put forward plans to award it to the club as a whole.
Dons’ Freedom of Aberdeen decision ‘will be welcomed by everyone’
But despite no vote being held on the matter, Mr Houghton said he was pleased the changes had been made.
He said: “I’m glad we’ve been able to agree a way forward, to ensure that not only the team that took part in the victory in Gothenburg but also the club as a whole will be conferred with freedom of the city.”
Supporters of the bid also pointed towards the work done by club organisations such as the AFC Community Trust as deserving of recognition.
Mr Houghton added: “This pays tribute to the support team and the coaches, and everyone else who has worked at the club over the past 120 years.
“I’m sure it will be welcomed by everyone.”
The presentation is still expected to take place during the Gothenburg 40th anniversary celebrations, which are being organised by the football club.
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