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A Guide to the Gothenburg Greats
Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the Dons triumph in the ECWC and fans will be heading to the AECC tonight to re-live the game. For the younger fans here is a guide to those players that created history.
There are RedTV interviews with Willie Miller, Jim Leighton, Neil Simpson and Neale Cooper.
Don't forget to tune in to Northsound 2 for the a whole day devoted to the Dons and the 11 May 1983.
Ian Angus
Signed from Eastercraigs in 1979, Ian Angus made his debut for the Dons against Morton on 6th December 1981. Angus was a vital part of the Aberdeen side that won the Premier League title in 1985 and he remains in a select few who have scored for Aberdeen in the European Champions Cup. Angus eventually left Aberdeen in 1986 when he was part of the deal that took Bobby Connor to Pittodrie from Dundee. Enjoyed success with Motherwell in the later part of his career and won a Scottish Cup winners medal in 1991 with the Fir Park side. After leaving Motherwell in 1994, Ian joined Clyde for two seasons. Ian is currently residing in the Bothwell area.
Doug Bell
Regarded by many as one of the most gifted and natural players at the club, Bell was perhaps not best suited for the rigours of the Scottish League. In the European arena it was an ideal platform for Bell who often excelled for the Dons in Europe, often used as a 'secret weapon' by Ferguson. It was Bell's tenacious running that opened the way for the Dons comfortable win over Waterschei in the semi final of the ECWC at Pittodrie in April 1983. In 1986 he joined Rangers in a £130,000 transfer and also had spells with Hibernian, Shrewsbury and Birmingham City. Currently youth coach with Clyde.
Eric Black
Eric Black formed a lethal partnership with Mark McGhee as the spearhead of the Aberdeen attack after breaking through to the first team in 1981. It was Black whose vital goals brought so much success to the club. Eric opened the scoring in the 1983 ECWC Final against Real Madrid and he was also on target in the Scottish Cup Final against Rangers ten days later. Black left Aberdeen in 1986 and he joined French club Metz in a £400,000 deal. A series of injuries curtailed his career and he only made 95 appearances for Metz before being forced to retire at the age of 27. Later embarked on a coaching career and is currently assistant to Steve Bruce at Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League.
Neale Cooper
Joined Aberdeen at 16 and was already a schoolboy international, Cooper had to bide his time with the Dons as an emerging central defender. However it was in midfield that Cooper was to find a regular place in the great Aberdeen side of the 80's. Formed a formidable partnership with Neil Simpson in the Aberdeen 'engine room' and allowed the more subtle skills of Strachan and weir to flourish. Left Aberdeen in 1986 for Aston Villa when a tribunal set a fee of only £375,000. Returned to Scotland and had a brief spell with Rangers and Dunfermline before embarking on a career in coaching. Had spells with Ross county and Hartlepool and is currently manager of Peterhead.
Bryan Gunn
Understudy to Jim Leighton at Pittodrie, Bryan Gunn was young enough to be patient in a learning curve at Aberdeen. Bryan made his debut for the club against Hibernian at Pittodrie on 30th October 1982 and he went on to play his part in the Dons double cup success in 1985.86 before joining Norwich City in a £100,000 deal. Bryan is currently working as Club Liaison at Norwich and he also coaches the keepers at Carrow Road. Bryan is also very much involved in his own Bryan Gunn Appeal; the charity set up after his daughter Francesca died of leukaemia in 1992. It has raised in excess of £900,000 and funds projects linked with a funding cure for the disease and helping children and families to cope with the suffering.
John Hewitt
Aberdeen born John Hewitt etched his name into Pittodrie folklore after scoring the winning goal in the 1983 ECWC Final against Real Madrid. John emerged through the youth ranks at Pittodrie after joining the Dons from Middlefield Wasps in 1979, making his competitive debut in December that year in a 2-0 win against St Mirren. It was Hewitt who developed the knack of scoring vital goals for the Dons; his 9.6 second winner against Motherwell in the Scottish Cup in 1982 set Aberdeen on their way to success that year and also opened the door to the ECWC later that year. Hewitt also scored the winner against Bayern Munich at Pittodrie in 1983 after he came on as a substitute and he was also on target in the 1986 Scottish Cup Final win over Hearts. In 1989 he moved to Celtic in a surprise move and he later played for St Mirren. John remains in the Aberdeen area and is currently working in the oil industry.
Stuart Kennedy
Signed from Falkirk for £25,000 by Ally MacLeod in the summer of 1976, Kennedy was already an U-23 international before he joined the Dons. A tough, tenacious full back, Kennedy was once described as the 'ultimate professional' by Alex Ferguson. A firm favourite at Pittodrie Kennedy would certainly have gained more than his 8 Scotland caps had it not been for completion from the Old Firm pair of Sandy Jardine and Danny McGrain. Kennedy was in the Aberdeen side that won the league Cup in 1976 and he played his part in the Aberdeen success story right up until a cruel injury suffered in the ECWC semi final match against Waterschei in Belgium effectively ruled him out of a starting place in Gothenburg. Some months later Stuart Kennedy was forced to retire from the game as injuries took their toll. Currently resides in the Grangemouth area.
Jim Leighton The most capped keeper in Scottish football history, Leighton joined Aberdeen from Dalry Thistle and it was in season 1980.81 that he became the regular first choice keeper at the club. He gained the first of his 91 international caps two years later and has the distinction of being involved in four World Cup campaigns for his country in 1982, 1986, 1990 and finally in France in 1998 when he was in his usual place for Scotland against Brazil in the opening game of the finals in Paris. Joined Manchester Utd in 1988 and Leighton enjoyed a second spell with Aberdeen in 1998 when he made his 500th appearance for the club. Received a deserved testimonial from the club in 2000 when Middlesbrough came north. Jim is currently working at Pittodrie and is the goalkeeping coach at Aberdeen.
Mark McGhee
One of Alex Ferguson's first signings for the Dons back in April 1979 when he paid Newcastle Utd £70,000 for his services. McGhee had begun his career with Morton and his scoring exploits had attracted the attention of Newcastle. Had the distinction of scoring the Dons first ever goal in the European Champions Cup in 1980 against Austria Vienna and it was his cross that led to John Hewitt scoring the winner in Sweden. Mark was also in the Aberdeen side that won the European Super Cup in December 1983. He scored one of the goals against SV Hamburg which prompted a move to the German club in 1984 after McGhee signed off by scoring the winning goal in the 1984 Scottish Cup Final for Aberdeen against Celtic; his last game for the Dons. Returned to Scotland last summer and is currently in charge of Motherwell.
Alex McLeish
Arrived at Aberdeen from Glasgow Utd in 1976, Alex McLeish was brought through the ranks at Pittodrie and he made his debut for the Dons in January 1978 under Billy McNeill. It was his partnership with Willie Miller at the heart of the Aberdeen defence that laid the foundations for such prolonged success. Alex went on to become the Dons most capped player with 77 appearances. McLeish also had the distinction of being captain on 8 occasions. It was Alex McLeish who scored a sensational equaliser against Rangers in the 1982 cup final that paved the way for future success. McLeish took over as Aberdeen captain in 1990 from Miller and he eventually left Aberdeen four years later to take up a coaching role with Motherwell. After spells with Hibernian and Rangers, McLeish took over as Scotland coach. Left his post with the SFA after the end of their recent qualifying campaign and took over as manager at Birmingham earlier this season.
John McMaster
Wide regarded as the best uncapped player ever at Pittodrie, John McMaster was another Aberdeen player who played a huge role in the Dons success in the 1980's. Joined Aberdeen from Port Glasgow in 1971 after legendary Aberdeen scout Bobby Calder persuaded him to come north. McMaster made his mark under Ally MacLeod in the side but it was not until Alex Ferguson switched him to a deeper midfield and defensive role that McMaster became a regular in the side. He was on the verge of full international honours in 1980 when he was badly injured against Liverpool in the European Cup tie at Pittodrie which sidelined him for 18 months. McMaster came back and played his part in the Dons 1983 ECWC success. In 1985 he received a testimonial from the club and two years later he returned to his native Greenock and played for Morton. John remains part of the Aberdeen scouting team in the west of Scotland.
Willie Miller
Aberdeen captain and one of the longest serving players ever at the club. Joined Aberdeen in 1971 from Eastercraigs and went on to enjoy a memorable career with the Dons. Once described by Alex Ferguson as the 'best penalty box defender in the world', it was Miller whose leadership qualities gave so much to the side. His first success came in 1976 as he led Aberdeen to victory in the League Cup after becoming one of the youngest Aberdeen captains in their history. He also gained his first full cap for Scotland that year after representing his country at Youth and U-23 level. Miller went on to play for the Dons for nearly 20 seasons achieving unprecedented success at the club and later managed Aberdeen in 1992. The only Aberdeen player who has received two testimonial matches from the club and one of the most loyal servants Aberdeen FC has had in their history. Willie was also a regular in the Scotland set up during his career and he gained 65 full international caps for his country. Returned to Pittodrie as director of football in 2004, a position he holds at present.
Doug Rougvie
Joined Aberdeen in 1972 from Dunfermline Utd. A giant defender who went on to become a cult figure with the Aberdeen support, Rougvie was a fearless competitor. Made his debut against Celtic on 9th August 1975 under Jim Bonthrone. After filling a variety of roles in the Aberdeen defence and midfield, Rougvie was also in the side that won the ECWC in Sweden. His final match for the Dons was the 1984 Scottish Cup Final and he surprisingly left Aberdeen for Chelsea that summer. Spells with Brighton, Shrewsbury, Fulham, Dunfermline and Montrose followed before he returned to the Aberdeen area and enjoyed further success with Huntly in the Highland League. Still resides in the Aberdeen area and is working in the oil industry.
Neil Simpson
Another product of local juvenile side Middlefield Wasps, Neil Simpson joined Aberdeen in 1978 and made his debut for the first team later that year. It was his partnership with Neale Cooper that was so vital in the Dons success. Another Scotland youth, U-21 and full international, 'Simmy' as he was known went on to play for his country on five occasions. Neil was in the Aberdeen side that conquered Europe in 1983, playing a vital role in the final against Real Madrid. Simpson made over 300 appearances for the Dons before he moved to Newcastle in 1989 after 11 seasons at Pittodrie. After a spell back in Scotland with Motherwell, Neil returned north to wind down his career with Cove before he was appointed by Aberdeen as part of the clubs' Community Development Programme.
Gordon Strachan
It was Billy McNeill who took Strachan to Pittodrie in what has been widely accepted as the best piece of transfer business done by Aberdeen. A fee of £40,000 including Jim Shirra moving to Dens Park resulted in Strachan joining Aberdeen in November 1977. After winning the Scottish Player of the Year award in 1980, he made his full international debut for Scotland two years later. Gordon was in the Aberdeen side that won three Scottish Cups in succession as well as the two European trophies that came to Pittodrie in 1983. His final game for the club was the cup final in 1984 after which he moved to Manchester United in a £500,000 transfer that summer. Strachan found further success with United and he was also in the Leeds Utd side that won the English title in 1992, the last championship before the Premiership began. He was also awarded an OBE in 1993. Embarked on a coaching career which has taken in roles at Coventry, Southampton and his current club Celtic.
Andy Watson
Aberdeen born Andy Watson was the only Aberdonian in the side that took the Premier League title in 1980. Actually made his debut under Billy McNeill when he came on as a substitute against Ayr Utd in January 1978. Watson perhaps enjoyed his best days at Pittodrie before the ECWC success in 1983. Was among the substitutes in Gothenburg and a month after the Dons success in Sweden, he was transferred to Leeds Utd in a £60,000 deal. The former Scotland youth and U-21 international retired from playing at the age of 29 after a succession of injuries forced him to quit in 1989. Joined up with former team mate Alex McLeish to develop a career in coaching. After spells with Motherwell, Hibernian and Rangers, Watson was part of the management team that helped Scotland in their Euro 2008 qualification bid before he moved with McLeish as they took over at Birmingham City.
Peter Weir
After Peter Weir had joined Aberdeen in 1981, many observers claimed that he was the final piece in the Ferguson jigsaw as Aberdeen embarked on a run of success at home and in Europe. Weir was a club record transfer at the time when the Dons paid St Mirren £330,000 for his services with Ian Scanlon going to Love Street as part of the deal. Peter was also a self-confessed Aberdeen supporter from a young age and he was another who had also played for Scotland before his arrival. A winger of great skill with both feet, Weir complimented the Aberdeen midfield and added balance to the left side. Arguably his greatest night was his two second half goal against UEFA Cup holders Ipswich at Pittodrie in 1981 as the Dons knocked the holders out in the opening round. Eventually joined Leicester City in 1987 and is currently back working for the Dons as he heads up the West of Scotland youth set up with Aberdeen.
