Aberdeen FC celebrated two important anniversaries this week, and while one was certainly more momentous in nature, both were important in the context of the eras in which the matches originally took place.
On Thursday, it was 40 years since Pittodrie’s greatest night, the never to be forgotten 3-2 victory over Bayern Munich which took the Dons to the European Cup Winners’ Cup semi-finals, and one step closer to Gothenburg.
And on the same day, younger fans in particular were able to reflect on the club’s last major trophy win, nine years on from the penalty shoot-out triumph over Caley Thistle.
It was an afternoon which resulted in Russell Anderson lifting aloft the League Cup trophy, and allowed many supporters their first opportunity to revel in such success.
In the wake of the dramatic climax, and with the celebrations going on all around him, then chairman Stewart Milne uttered his infamous “Nineteen years, one hundred and twenty minutes, and then f***ing penalties” outburst live on national radio. It was a memorable moment, one which was entirely understandable as almost two decades of disappointment and frustration came to an end.
It was an incredible occasion, and I do not mind admitting I shed a tear while presenting the aftermath on Sportsound. The emotions were raw that day as the club finally returned to the winner’s circle.
We all hoped it would herald another successful era under Derek McInnes, but no further silverware materialised, despite some big opportunities, and it is hard to believe the 2014 League Cup remains the only final success the Dons have enjoyed in the last 28 years.
It is the most barren spell the club has endured since winning its first major trophy, the Scottish Cup, in 1947.
Given that, the loyalty of the present days fanbase is remarkable. Very few, if any, harbour any hopes of emulating the team I had the privilege of growing up with, and that is just as well. Those halcyon days will never be repeated.
The younger supporters can only imagine what it was like to be at Pittodrie on the evening Alex Ferguson masterminded the downfall of the German giants, but it was the most intense atmosphere I have ever experienced at the old stadium, and it will live with me forever.
The match had all the ingredients required to make it so spectacularly memorable.
🗓️ #OnThisDay in 1983…
🏆 Pittodrie witnessed its greatest ever night as we defeated Bayern Munich 3-2 in the Quarter-Finals of the European Cup Winners Cup.#StandFree pic.twitter.com/5OyhvMEU99
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) March 16, 2023
Aberdeen had put in an impressive performance at the Olympic Stadium to secure a 0-0 draw in the first leg, so we trooped along the Merkland Road that night with reason to be optimistic.
That took a hit early on when Klaus Augenthaler ripped a long-range effort past Jim Leighton, but Neil Simpson forced home an equaliser just before the interval. Pflugler’s volley restored Bayern’s lead, quietening the stadium for a few minutes, and then came the most sensational 60 seconds in the Dons’ history.
The cleverly worked free-kick, Alex McLeish’s equaliser, John McMaster’s long driven ball forward, Black’s header, Muller’s despairing save, and John Hewitt’s slip and hook shot into the net.
It is almost incomprehensible to believe all that happened in one single minute, but it did, and although further anniversary celebrations lie ahead during 2023, that night against Munich will always burn brightly for those of us who witnessed it.
The road to Euro 2024
Following a hiatus of more than four months, and almost six months after the national team’s last competitive outing, Steve Clarke is about to embark on qualifying for Euro 2024.
He does so safe in the knowledge that the impressive Nations League campaign has secured a play-off spot, should that be required, but the manager will be keen to make it through the more traditional route.
With a group that includes Spain and Norway, that will be no easy task, but confidence should be high, and the fact it kicks-off with a Hampden double header gives the side the opportunity to put early points on the board.
That should certainly be the case in next Saturday’s opener against Cyprus, and while the Spanish will be a tougher proposition, they do not have a vintage side right now.
However, the only guarantee is that more nervous anxiety lies ahead for the Tartan Army.
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