Press and Journal and Evening Express subscribers were able to put their questions to Aberdeen’s greatest-ever player and captain Willie Miller on Thursday night – and you can watch a full replay of the event right here!
Around 350 of our digital and print readers snapped up tickets for the free “evening with” at the Chester Hotel, which was the first in a planned series of exclusive P&J/EE subscriber events going forward.
Dons icon Miller chatted to P&J/EE joint sports editor Ryan Cryle about the club’s 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup triumph – 40 years (and one week) on from Aberdeen’s glory in Gothenburg.
The audience were then able to put their questions to the most-decorated figure in Reds history, the man Sir Alex Ferguson described as “the best penalty box defender in the world”, with a diverse and entertaining range of subjects tackled.
*** Warning: The video above does contain some swearing.
Willie covers it all – from his early days as a striker, to arguing with ref Kenny Hope at Ibrox, to Top of the Pops
As well as the famous trophy-securing triumph at the Ullevi Stadium against European giants Real Madrid, Willie also discussed how he transitioned from a striker in his early days to a world-class centre-half, at a time where he got to witness perhaps the Dons’ most-talented foreign import, Zoltan Varga, up close.
He also opened up on the knee injury with Scotland which ended his two-decade playing career, his reputation for “refereeing” games (including his famous Ibrox blow-up with whistler Kenny Hope), as well as the broader siege mentality at Aberdeen in the 1980s under Fergie which enabled them to regularly, and crucially, beat the Old Firm in Glasgow.
In addition to the above, there were hilarious stories from Aberdeen training, reflections on Willie’s own spell as Dons manager, Ally McCoist’s dive in the 1989 League Cup final, with the managerial tenures of Eddie Turnbull, Jimmy Bonthrone, Ally MacLeod and Billy McNeill also discussed, alongside the recording of the European Song and his other dalliances in the music industry.
The best pictures from our audience with Willie Miller/Q&A event:
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