Aberdeen fans have been sharing their views as the club’s most famous team, the Gothenburg Greats, receive the Freedom of the City award.
Lord Provost David Cameron bestowed the top civic honour on the club in front of its cheering fans at Pittodrie Stadium.
A weekend of celebrations have been planned to mark the 40th anniversary of the famous team’s 1983 victory over footballing titans Real Madrid.
But the team was well supported as 12,000 Aberdeen fans made the journey to Sweden to attend the match in the torrential rain and watched captain Willie Miller lift the trophy.
The Press and Journal asked fans at the ceremony to share their memories.
‘Never to be repeated’
Doug McKay, 72, came along to the ceremony with his longtime Aberdeen FC supporter’s bus partner David Catto, 71.
Mr McKay was one of the 500 fans who set sail on the St Clair “booze cruise” to Gothenburg and remembers the party with a big smile and a glint in his eyes.
“It was absolutely fantastic. We were buying beers by the crate – not the can”, he said.
“When we came back to Aberdeen Harbour, Alex Ferguson shook everyone’s hand and I put him on my shoulders.
“Never to be repeated.”
Mr Catto was unable to go to Gothenburg, something he wishes he could have managed.
“I had a one-year-old daughter at the time, but she is a season ticket holder now so it all worked out in the end”, he said.
‘I still get nervous looking back at the game’
Bert Innes worked at Aberdeen Journals and had just booked his summer holiday the previous week and couldn’t afford to go to the game.
He watched at home in Turiff with his sons Michael and Dave, who are now in their 50s, and their neighbours.
Dave, who was 10 at the time of the match, said: “I was full of emotion and really nervous.
“I still get nervous looking back at the goals.
“When we scored in extra time, I jumped up on the sofa which I was not allowed to do. But I never got in any trouble.”
Michael said: “I remember skiving off school the next day and celebrating. Everyone got into Pittodrie for free when the players got back.”
‘Band of brothers’
The award ceremony, this morning, was a family occasion.
Kelly Thomson, 35, travelled down from Fraserburgh with her mum Aileen Fuerst, 61, and her sons Logan, 10 and Kieran, nine.
Despite not being alive to see the game, Mrs Thomson said it was still important the Aberdeen-mad family came to the ceremony.
“It was a really emotional ceremony, just seeing them all together it was like a band of brothers”, she said.
“The banter was great.”
Neale Cooper remembered as ‘one of the boys’
However, during the celebrations, there was also time to remember Neale Cooper who was a legend both as a player and a person.
Cooper, affectionately known as ‘Tattie’ sadly passed away in May 2018 at the age of just 54.
Fans who remember him well include Graham Yackiminie, 66, and David Innes, 66, both attended Gothenburg in 1983.
Mr Yackiminie, who knew Cooper growing up, said: “He was the best guy you could ever meet.
“Despite being a superstar in the city, he was just one of the boys.”
But both men seemed doubtful if a European trophy would ever return to Pittodrie in their lifetimes.
“The game has changed now”, said Mr Innes.
“There is so much money in it nowadays, but we are debt free and I think we will have a good future.”
The top civic honour comes as the Dons also celebrate their 120th anniversary.
It is the first Freedom of the City award to take place in Aberdeen, since Denis Law received the honour in 2017.
It is also 24 years since the former Aberdeen manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, was honoured in 1999.
The celebrations will continue on Saturday with the Gothenburg Greats being honoured during the home league match against Hibernian.
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