Aberdeen FC: The Humble Beginnings That Would Eventually Lead To European Success
Aberdeen Football Club instantly evokes memories of a rich sporting history. Of somewhat sporadic, but at times sensational levels of achievement. Of famous associated names such as Sir Alex Ferguson, Archie Knox, Willie Miller, Gordon Strachan, Alex McLeish, and many more. Perhaps most notably, of European glory against the odds - and some of the continent's very best teams - in 1983. But how did the clubs' existence come about in the first place? Why and how was Aberdeen FC founded?
'The Dons', in their current guise, were formed in 1903, and - once admitted into the Scottish Football League a couple of years later - have since spent the following 118 years in the Scottish footballing top-flight, thus making them one of only two sides in the country to have never been relegated out of the division. That's not to say there hasn't been considerable lows to go with some exceptional highs along the way, but Aberdeen have remained one of Scotland's key footballing institutions for well over a century; perhaps, alongside Edinburgh duo Hearts and Hibernian, and possibly Dundee United, being in the pack of clubs to have come closest to troubling the Glasgow giants of Celtic and Rangers with most regularity, certainly over the last half a century at least.
The Reds, however, started out from very humble beginnings. That of three local, perhaps ranging to regional, pre existing clubs within the city joining forces in what turned out to be a successful attempt to grow the sport of football in the Aberdeen area to that of a competitive nature nationally, and eventually continentally too.
Those three clubs were Orion FC, Victoria United and the initial Aberdeen FC (a team in its own right and exclusivity prior to the 1903 merger and reformation under the same name). The former of the three, Orion, were founded in 1885 and played their home games at the Recreation Grounds, before moving to the Cattofield district towards the North of the city. Perhaps the most successful of the three overall, and certainly the most well documented, they initially played in a claret and blue kit, before changing to red and white stripes within a few years.
Image - afc.co.uk. The Orion Football Club squad of 1897.
Taking part in the then regional Northern Football League alongside the likes of Forfar Athletic, Dundee East End, Montrose, and Arbroath, Orion would be divisional champions on two occasions (1887 and 1889). They would also win their first Aberdeenshire Cup - a tournament still in existence and largely dominated by the likes of Fraserburgh and Buckie Thistle these days - in 1891 with a 4-1 victory against Inverness side Caledonian, before going on to claim the trophy on four more occasions across that late 19th/early 20th century era between 1891 and 1901
The clubs first success, however, came in the 1988 Aberdeen Charity Cup (a trophy they'd go on to lift three more times over the next nine seasons). Whilst this and their subsequent cup triumphs saw Orion invited to take part in the Scottish Cup proper on twelve occasions, though only twice reaching the second round, with annihilative defeats to Arbroath (by score lines of 20-0 and 18-0) Kilmarnock (10-1) and Leith Athletic (11-2) alongside more competitive exits to the likes of Falkirk and Dundee Wanderers. Orion's only first-round victories came against Forres Mechanics and city rivals Victoria United. They did, however, win the Rhodesia Cup twice (1898/99 and 1901/02), a local tournament between the three Aberdeen clubs (before the merger) alongside other minor, predominantly local cup competition victories.
Victoria United came into existence four years after their city counterparts, also initially playing their home games at the Recreation Grounds before moving to Central Park in the heart of Aberdeen.
Image - aberdeen-fc.com. A snapshot of the Victoria United players in the late 19th century.
Playing in all-blue, United would only win one Northern Football League title, in 1898. Consistent silverware did come though, in the shape of six Aberdeenshire Cup titles, which saw Victoria become the tournaments most successful side prior to the 1903 union. The club also triumphed in the aforementioned Rhodesia Cup in the 1899/00 and 1902/03 campaigns respectively.
Victoria were fleetingly invited to take part in the national Scottish Cup, partaking in the tournament on just two occasions. United were knocked out in the first-round both times, firstly, in the 1899/90 season, by neighbours Orion (by a scoreline of three goals to one), whilst the following season Caledonian edged them out 2-1 at the first hurdle.
Predating both Orion and Victoria United, the initial Aberdeen FC were the city's oldest, and widely thought to be biggest, club. Founded in 1881, the club would start off leading a somewhat nomadic existence, playing their home Northern Football League games at various locations such as Holburn Cricket Ground and The Chanonry in the Old Aberdeen area to the North East of what is affectionately known as the Granite City.
Image - aberdeen-fc.com. a commemorative plaque showing the date and location the original Aberdeen FC were founded.
Initially playing in gold and black hoops, before changing to white shirts and blue shorts, Aberdeen FC were, perhaps surprisingly given their relative size and longer existence, the only of the three unable to lift the Northern Football League crown. They did however win five Aberdeenshire Cups and took part in the Scottish Cup on eleven occasions, once reaching the fourth-round before bowing out to eventual winners Queen's Park during the 1889/90 season.
The original Aberdeen FC - widely known to have been brought together by the teaching and education fraternity of the time - found a permanent home in 1899, moving into the newly built (on land previously used as a horse dung hill) Pittodrie Park. At the time of its construction, Pittodrie was thought of as one of the best stadiums in the North East of Scotland, hosting the Scottish national team on occasion. Such was the quality of the ground, it became the envy of others. This led to a 1902 enquiry from Edinburgh side Hibernian to relocate from their Easter Road home in the capital to Aberdeen and take over Pittodrie Park as their stadium; a request that was quickly rebuffed by Aberdeen FC.
So to the merger, and ultimately the birth of the Aberdeen Football Club we know today. In 1900, Aberdeen applied for entry into what was at the time a newly formed Scottish Football League. The feeling was that the area's population warranted a Football League club - certainly by comparison to others already elected. Their application, however, was denied by governing bodies because there was already two other prominent clubs, alongside Aberdeen, in operation within the city.
As the reasoning for the decision became clear, a solution was pondered. Ultimately, following extensive talks between officials of all three Aberdeen sides and other interested parties, alongside public meetings and the lobbying for support of elected clubs, a merger would be agreed and concluded on 14th April (1903) at a local solicitors office, and Orion FC, Victoria United and the former Aberdeen FC would become one club, and able to then compete at the higher level of the Scottish Football League, though not instantly, as The Dons would spend their inaugural campaign back in the Northern League; subsequently joining the SFL in 1905. The newly formed club would retain the name of Aberdeen Football Club, playing at the much admired Pittodrie stadium they call home to this day. In a nod to the past, the club would play in gold and black (though stripes rather than hoops from this point) up until 1939, when they adopted the red and white we've come to associate with Aberdeen.
Despite the fervour and excitement at the city having its own national Football League club, The Dons would have to wait until after the Second World War to taste success, with occasional cup and league triumphs in the 1940s, 1950s and 1970s respectively. It was the 1980s where things really took off though, an era that turned out to be halcyon days for the big, but previously unfashionable club from the North East.
Undoubtedly Aberdeen's greatest achievements came in 1983. At a time when, under the stewardship of Sir Alex Ferguson, they were pushing, and regularly beating, the Glasgow giants of Rangers and Celtic to Scottish football's top prizes - winning the Scottish League title twice (1983/84 and 1984/85), the Scottish Cup five times, and the Scottish League Cup twice across the decade as a whole, The Reds would flourish in European competition too, culminating in an incredible European Cup Winners' Cup run which saw them go all the way. After seeing off the likes of Sion of Switzerland, Dinamo Tirana (Albania), German heavyweights Bayern Munich, and Watershei Thor of Belgium, Aberdeen set up a final against Spanish and continental goliaths Real Madrid.
Against the odds, but in-keeping with the well-drilled, close-knit togetherness and determination Ferguson had instilled in his talented squad, Aberdeen saw off Madrid by two goals to one in the late spring showpiece; John Hewitt's extra-time header proving decisive in wet conditions at Gothenburg's Nya Ullevi ground.
Image - spfl.co.uk. Ferguson's men celebrate their memorable European success.
Later in the year, Ferguson's side would go one step further, beating European Cup Holders Hamburger SV 2-0 over two-legs to lift the UEFA Super Cup - thus becoming the first Scottish side to win two European Cups.
Eventually, the greats of Gothenburg '83 and Scottish title winners for the following two years would be broken up. Players would move on, and Sir Alex Ferguson would take up the reins at Manchester United (following a brief stint as Scotland national team manager following the untimely death of Jock Stein), in time leading them to dominance south of the border. Since then the club has fallen some way behind the Old Firm once more. In a different era for the game it's been difficult for them to compete financially and commercially with two clubs that have gigantic global fanbases. And so the successes have become very rare, with few and far between opportunities for Reds fans to celebrate the lifting of silverware to add to their current total of 17 major domestic honours (four Scottish titles, seven Scottish Cup victories, and six Scottish League Cup wins respectively). Though they remain the last club outside of the green and blue Glasgow clubs to lift the Scottish top-flight title with their 1984/85 campaign triumph.
They had their time though. The 1980s will always be theirs.
Industrially, throughout the years, Aberdeen has been known for its lead in the granite quarrying, fishing, and oil sectors. Nowadays, more so its evolution into an offshore energy hotspot. Its location as a North Sea coastal town has shaped its past, and most likely will its future too. In-turn, the city's football club has become ingrained as part of its unique social fabric. It is very dear to its hardworking, strong, dedicated and loyal supporters and wider community who hope to one day see their side reach the heights of four decades ago in challenging the Old Firm, and in-turn some of Europe's finest once more, regardless of the unlikelihood.
However, if it wasn't for the primitive beginnings of Orion, Victoria United, the previous Aberdeen FC, and the 1903 merger of the three leading to a newly formed clubs' inclusion in the Scottish Football League, John Hewitt's extra-time winner against Real Madrid on a boggy Gothenburg pitch in May of 1983 would more than likely never have happened.
Featured image - afc.co.uk
Some facts and statistics within this article sourced from afc.co.uk