Aberdeen F.C.

The FC Aberdeen ( officially: Aberdeen Football Club ) - also known as The Dons - is a Scottish football club from the city, in the north city of Aberdeen. The club plays in the Scottish Premier League and is one of the most popular and successful Scottish football clubs. The most successful period of the club were the 1980s under coach Sir Alex Ferguson, said winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983 after a playoff victory against Real Madrid marks the biggest club success.

Aberdeen plays its home matches at the 22,199 -seat Pittodrie Stadium, which had both a complete roofing is the first stadium in the UK was also fully equipped with seats.

History

Origin of the association

The FC Aberdeen grew out of a merger of three clubs Aberdeen, Victoria United and Orion, where the roots of " Aberdeen " date back to the year 1881. After a public meeting with over 1,600 citizens of the way for the union was freed on 20 March 1903 which led to the official establishment of the Aberdeen Football Club in the same year on April 14.

Through this merger, the new club which completely took first in white colors to its Games of the Scottish Football League, could now deal with it, join. Since Aberdeen but just missed the admission to the Scottish First Division, the club completed its first official season in the Northern League.

Only a year later, then joined Aberdeen in the season 1904/ 05 the second-class Scottish Second Division and moved to this occasion his jersey colors in black and gold, giving them " The Wasps " (The Wasps ) earned the nickname. Although the club only finished in seventh place at the end of the season, he was allowed to ascend directly into the higher First Division after just one year. Since then, the FC Aberdeen is continuously in the highest Scottish league and never got down from that, what else only managed Celtic Glasgow.

In the early days there in 1923 was a spectacular 13-0 win against FC Peterhead. Eight years later the club were hit by betting scandal (known as the Great Mystery ), as a result five players were excluded.

Supremacy in Scotland

The FC Aberdeen, who used red jerseys from 1939 and should take fully into red game gap after 1965, established himself henceforth resistant to one of the most powerful clubs in Scottish football, but was for a long time - apart from six so-called Wartime titles during the Second World War - no major title win. This only changed in 1947 when the club after a 2-1 playoff victory against Hibernian could win the Scottish Cup for the first time. But no later than by winning the championship in the 1954/55 season was the FC Aberdeen becoming a serious competitor for the two dominant clubs in Glasgow.

In the summer of 1967, the FC Aberdeen graduated as a participant of the newly formed United Soccer Association, a season in North America. This league invited twelve teams from Europe and South America to play in American and Canadian cities. For this, the clubs were given new names. The FC Aberdeen, who raced under the name Washington Whips, initially cashed the East Championship and then lost the final to the Los Angeles Wolves 5:6 after extra time, with behind the winner of the Western Division of the English club Wolverhampton Wanderers hid. In the subsequent season, this league merged with the National Professional Soccer also launched in 1967 League and formed henceforth the North American Soccer League ( NASL ).

In the early 1970s, the FC Aberdeen was again achieved success, when the club first 1970 one more time could also double win the Scottish Cup and in the subsequent seasons, the runner-up. Despite outstanding player at this time as Joe Harper, Martin Buchan and Zoltán Varga, the association for the time being, however, could not maintain the level.

The 1980s should but then bring the best to date time in the club's history, as the Aberdeen FC celebrated a previously not thought possible success story. In addition to the legendary rivalry between Celtic and Rangers - Old Firm called - founded Aberdeen with Dundee United now on the New Firm and therefore urged the traditional dominance of Glasgow out seriously, with Aberdeen represented the non- successful team in the New Firm. The highlight of this development was the winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983; then also the clear favorite FC Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals was turned off ( 0:0 / 3:2 ).

The starting point for this success in 1978 was the arrival of new coach Alex Ferguson. After winning three championships, four Scottish FA Cups, three Scottish League Cups as well as the already mentioned European Cup Winners' Cup competition - the then even followed the UEFA Super Cup after a victory against Hamburger SV - was Ferguson became a legend in the North East of Scotland. Among the successful players who were able to get to this day the last time a European Cup to Scotland in Gothenburg, Sweden, included, among others, Willie Miller, Alex McLeish and Gordon Strachan.

When Ferguson joined Manchester United in November 1986, the Bureau was entrusted with the difficult task of finding a successor. The decision fell on the little-known Ian Porterfield, whose Trainerägide then lasted only until May 1988, was marked by disappointment.

90 minutes away from the championship

The coaching duo of Alex Smith and Jocky Scott took over from Porterfield and could with the double cup success ( FA Cup and League Cup) build on past successes in 1990. In the 1990/91 season, FC Aberdeen was after a series of twelve wins in thirteen games with goal difference against the Glasgow Rangers at the top and had on the last game against these same opponents away at Ibrox Park compete. Two goals from Mark Hateley and a tactical change by Jocky Scott - which ultimately led him to leave the club - then ensured that the Rangers won the game and with this re- Cup uninterrupted series of nine titles between 1989 and 1997 paved.

The decline of the association

Alex Smith could not give new impetus over the sole manager of the team and was released in 1992. He was succeeded by Willie Miller one of the legendary players from the 1980 team, but in coaching positions also could not meet the expectations. Then came ( and went ) a large number of new sports directors.

In the second half of the 1990s, the athletic prospects deteriorated progressively and the club was no longer competitive against the clear dominance of Rangers and Celtic. In several seasons of Aberdeen FC had to do in order to remain in the Scottish Premier League fear and could this just to make sure, because it did not meet the economic and safety conditions in the stadium for the major league football once against a Winner of the ( now second-class ) First Division. A curiosity is also happening in the Scottish Cup final in 2000, which lost the FC Aberdeen and is symbolic of this turbulent time. When the goalkeeper Jim Leighton injured, presented the eccentric Danish coach Ebbe Skovdahl instead of a replacement goalkeeper striker Robbie Winters between the posts.

After a period in which the club was trying on his financial situation also to keep up with the Rangers and Celtic, the FC Aberdeen then tried again to do business within the resources available.

Presence

The active until 2009 with FC Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood led the club after a sporting consolidation from the turn of the millennium more comfortable in the midfield area of ​​the League and scooped this new expectations for the continuation of past successes. In his first season, 2004/ 05 succeeded FC Aberdeen to position itself for the first time in three years among the top six teams and finished the season on a surprisingly good fourth place. The qualification for a European club competition was just missed. At this time, Willie Miller returned as sports director to Aberdeen.

Also in the season 2005/ 06 Calderwood was a " quality over quantity " strategy to continue its development work, which also English clubs in the Football League Championship and the second-rate third-rate Football League One were aware of him. In a Scottish Premier League, which is exposed in the recent future strong new influences ( such as recently at the dedication of the Lithuanian businessman Roman Romanov at Heart of Midlothian recognizable), also Calderwood received the promise of the Bureau, to be able to make advanced investment in the future. It should both be preserved competitiveness in the new environment as well as the qualification for a European competition in the near future be made possible again. This new policy was quickly fruits and FC Aberdeen was in the 2006/07 season, despite their early exit in the two domestic cup competitions, earn in the championship behind the two big clubs from Glasgow to third place and thus qualified for the UEFA Cup sure.

In the 2007 /08 season the club reached after a bumpy first half of the season and a losing streak in winter ultimately still the fourth place, the possible Intertoto Cup participation but refused. Highlights were the 4-0 over FC Copenhagen in the UEFA Cup and the 2-2 draw against FC Bayern Munich.

In the 2008/09 season finally was achieved by a victory on the final day of the fourth and the associated qualifications for the Europa League newly created, with one against Dundee United prevailed only on goal difference.

Nevertheless, had to resign just two hours after the final whistle of the 2-1 victory over Hibernian Jimmy Calderwood, his assistant Jimmy Nichol and Sandy Clark left the club also. On 12 June 2009 the former legendary player Mark McGhee has been appointed coach of the Aberdeen FC. He came together with the co- coach Scott Leitch FC Motherwell.

But under Mark McGhee ended the Dons a disappointing season in ninth place. In all cup competitions they retired early. McGhee stopped for the time being in office, he should get time for a transformation of the team.

In December 2010, took over Craig Brown formerly coach of FC Motherwell team with his assistant coach Archie Knox.

Squad 2013/14 season

Known player

Achievements

  • European Cup Winners' Cup: 1983
  • UEFA Super Cup: 1983
  • Scottish Football Champion: 1955, 1980, 1984, 1985
  • Scottish Cup Winners: 1947, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1990
  • Scottish League Cup: 1956, 1977, 1986, 1990, 1996
  • Drybrough Cup winner: 1972, 1981
2012–13 Scottish Premier League Scottish Football League Second Division Peterhead F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. North American Soccer League (1968–84) Dundee United F.C. New Firm (Scotland) Manchester United F.C. Motherwell F.C. Craig Brown (footballer born 1940) Jamie Langfield Defender (association football) Joe Shaughnessy Clark Robertson Andrew Considine Willo Flood Niall McGinn Barry Robson Craig Storie Alex Jackson (footballer born 1905) 1946–47 Scottish Cup 1985–86 Scottish League Cup 1989–90 Scottish League Cup 1995–96 Scottish League Cup Kilmarnock F.C. Partick Thistle F.C. St. Johnstone F.C. St. Mirren F.C.
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