Bbc Alba Gothenburg 83 Doc

[King Street Loon]

Unbelievable that Peter Weir only won a paltry 6 Scottish caps

He didn't look in the best of nick in the documentary,

Has he been ill or anything like that?

[neilser]

Lots of extended interviews with the players on the STV website - this one's with Hewitt, but there are links to the others lower down the page:

 

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/aberdeen/224420-gothenburg-anniversary-match-winner-john-hewitt-on-the-euro-victory/

[ericblack4boss]

Unbelievable that Peter Weir only won a paltry 6 Scottish caps

Have to agree but yet again a victim of being around in an era which had countless candidates for a role on the left, Burns, Provan, Cooper, Bannon, Sturrock(believe he was left sided, the quality available to the national side may never be bettered.

[ChutneyLove]

Have to agree but yet again a victim of being around in an era which had countless candidates for a role on the left, Burns, Provan, Cooper, Bannon, Sturrock(believe he was left sided, the quality available to the national side may never be bettered.

All of whom he was streets ahead of. I hate the love-in for Davie Cooper. He was inconsistent. If he was as great as is made out, would he have landed up at Motherwell? Motherwell who were a lesser team then than they are now.

 

Jock Stein and even Ferguson struggled to pick some Aberdeen players for the national side - because there was already a large contingent from the team there. Leighton, McLeish, Miller & Strachan were already definites. If you added in McGhee, Simpson, Cooper, Bell and Weir you would have upset the ugly sisters too much. I think that is why some Dons players never got the number of caps they deserved. Scotland would have benefited at Spain in 1982 - and possibly at Mexico in 1986 if they had just fielded the Dons first team.

[sooth_stander]

He didn't look in the best of nick in the documentary,

Has he been ill or anything like that?

He was hardly ever interviewed during the glory days, probably a bit camera shy. Think he was nervous last night. Hope that's all it was.

[sooth_stander]

Simmies goal v Waterschei just summed him and the Dons up.

 

Determination, effort, never say die spirit, honesty, hard graft, great attitude etc etc

[Henry]

He's one of the guests at the Gothenburg night in the Weeg tonight.

 

He's probably worried sick about that, my thoughts are with him.

[rgudon]

The program just brings home what man management is all about and how we've lacked in since Fergie left.

 

I see bits of Fergie in McInnes and hope he can bring back some backbone to AFC.

 

A trip to the Farrs Hatt and then on to the Ullevi is a defo for the future me thinks

 

[King Street Loon]

If anyone has Redtv, there's a decent recently done interview with Fergie when he was up in Aberdeen recently.

 

The boy has some memory for names and events.

[strachanmcgheegoal]

All of whom he was streets ahead of. I hate the love-in for Davie Cooper. He was inconsistent. If he was as great as is made out, would he have landed up at Motherwell? Motherwell who were a lesser team then than they are now.

 

Jock Stein and even Ferguson struggled to pick some Aberdeen players for the national side - because there was already a large contingent from the team there. Leighton, McLeish, Miller & Strachan were already definites. If you added in McGhee, Simpson, Cooper, Bell and Weir you would have upset the ugly sisters too much. I think that is why some Dons players never got the number of caps they deserved. Scotland would have benefited at Spain in 1982 - and possibly at Mexico in 1986 if they had just fielded the Dons first team.

 

You'll also find there was a bit of a Liverpool thing going on (in fairness coming off a fantastic european run) , probably more so than the ugly sisters tbh who were frankly a bit of a distraction by then (Mcstay and Gough being two notable exceptions) hence the Murray/Souness/Masterton era beginning

[RTYD]

At this time 30 years ago I was probably spewing after finishing a bounce game of fitba in downtown Gothenburg after having consumed several pints.

I remember my mate blagging us into the Europa hotel's nightclub and finding one Ian St John at the bar. He bought a pint so not a bad lad.

[daytripping]

As KSL says it's on sky catch up, just go to BBC Iplayer, click documentaries and it's on the front page, watching it now.

[caledonia]

At this time 30 years ago I was probably spewing after finishing a bounce game of fitba in downtown Gothenburg after having consumed several pints.

I remember my mate blagging us into the Europa hotel's nightclub and finding one Ian St John at the bar. He bought a pint so not a bad lad.

 

how much can you actually remember as its all a bit blank to me

only things i can remember is plane (cant even remember hotel name but went on plane with afsc)

remember game and rain and fountain and using hotel sheets to make banners

and thats me done

 

edit remember some sort of massive shopping street or centre and 2 bars with fish tanks

[daytripping]

Goosebumps at the crowd roar after the 3rd against Bayern, the guy on the programme is right, you could have heard it from Stonehaven,

[caledonia]

Goosebumps at the crowd roar after the 3rd against Bayern, the guy on the programme is right, you could have heard it from Stonehaven,

 

best ever atmosphere i ever heard at pittodrie (i was in the paddock at the time and some of us were over the wall)

It all happend so quick we were not finished celebrating the last goal when we scored again

[Tommy]

At this time 30 years ago I was probably spewing after finishing a bounce game of fitba in downtown Gothenburg after having consumed several pints.

I remember my mate blagging us into the Europa hotel's nightclub and finding one Ian St John at the bar. He bought a pint so not a bad lad.

We were playing 20 a side fitba in car park before getting on the Kiel to Gothenburg ferry.

[ericblack4boss]

You'll also find there was a bit of a Liverpool thing going on (in fairness coming off a fantastic european run) , probably more so than the ugly sisters tbh who were frankly a bit of a distraction by then (Mcstay and Gough being two notable exceptions) hence the Murray/Souness/Masterton era beginning

 

there is no doubt though that Bell, McMaster, Simpson , Rougvie, McGhee, Black all were unfairly overlooked the point i was really trying to make was that the 1980s was the golden era for Scottish football, also i think the Dons playesr suffered due to the Anglos who were plying there trade in England, can anyone seriously suggest that Albiston, Burley, Nicol, Sharp, Gray,Wark, Speedie were more desrving of international honours than the aforementioned dons players,

[daytripping]

Fuck sake min.

I dinna shed tears easily...but in the last hour, I've been on the brink o' bursting into tears on aboot 10 separate occasions.

 

What a wonderfully constructed documentary.

 

What a fucking set of players/management that was.

 

 

Fuck I was the same, the scenes on Union street near tipped me over the edge.

 

Amazing documentary, put together just perfectly, by far the best I've seen about it. A must watch for any dons fan.

[daytripping]

best ever atmosphere i ever heard at pittodrie (i was in the paddock at the time and some of us were over the wall)

It all happend so quick we were not finished celebrating the last goal when we scored again

 

I was in the paddock as well, the place just went mental, never ever experienced anything like that ever in my life, had no idea where I had been sitting after the 3rd went in, was about 10 rows away from where I'd started anyway, was just mental!

[OddJob]

Just watched it now, brilliant documentary and the attitude of the players and management was superb going by that. A belief, not arrogance that they felt they could win the cup.

 

Wish i was born 10 years earlier so i could have experienced those glory days

[The Boofon]

 

 

Fuck I was the same, the scenes on Union street near tipped me over the edge.

 

Amazing documentary, put together just perfectly, by far the best I've seen about it. A must watch for any dons fan.

Haha. I thought you and Mutton were a pair of poofs but having just watched it I can confirm that I was close to greeting as well. Magical times. I missed the welcome home as we came home from Gothenburg the same day. Nae that fussed at missing the open top parade given the fact I was at the game though.

[daytripping]

Haha. I thought you and Mutton were a pair of poofs but having just watched it I can confirm that I was close to greeting as well. Magical times. I missed the welcome home as we came home from Gothenburg the same day. Nae that fussed at missing the open top parade given the fact I was at the game though.

 

I was 14 at the time and couldn't afford to go, had to make do with all the home games.

 

I wasn't too bothered at the time as I thought we'd be in many more Euro finals, I'd just go in the future.

[tightbreeks]

that was a great programme, a fars hatt t-shirt in the same style as the hotel sign, is a must.

 

one of the banners spelled Emmanuelle wrong, they had it as Emmanuel. unless the corner of the banner blew up in the wind.

[Sheep#1]

 

It's hard enough trying to get you to go to a Dons game in this country

True. Cunt.

[Pudgie]

Just finished watching it. That is second best only to team of the decade. Why it's a sin to mention '83 I'll never know. It's a feat that "doesn't happen, unless you're Aberdeen".

 

Anyway, my plan worked, and I'm now absolutely jumping for the game tomorrow. Gothenburg day party bus? Yes please!

 

HERE WE GO, HERE WE GO, HERE WE GO!

[muttonhumper]

Following days match report from the Scotsman

 

 

By MIKE AITKEN

ABERDEEN’S place in the European football firmament was confirmed here tonight when the heavenly dancers from Pittodrie outshone Real Madrid and lifted the European Cup-Winners’ Cup for the first time.

Aberdeen 2 Real Madrid 1 (aet) The Scotsman, 12 May 1983

On an unbelievably wet night, it took an extra-time goal from John Hewitt to give Aberdeen the victory that assures them of a place in the history books.

The opening strike had been made by fellow under-21 internationalist Eric Black. And it was only after coming on as a replacement for Black that Hewitt delivered his goal. In between, Real Madrid had equalised with a penalty.

It was an astonishing victory given how little the Italian referee had been prepared to give Aberdeen. The Scots should have at least one penalty and perhaps even two.

That mattered little, however, when Hewitt did the business, just as he had done against Bayern Munich in the quarter-final.

In a quite amazing finish to the extra period, Mark McGhee could have scored twice more and Neil Simpson had a good effort saved as Aberdeen strove towards victory.

Apart from Peter Weir, who had a magnificent hour, Aberdeen had stars in John McMaster, Willie Miller and just about every other name you care to mention.

The game began in weather so appalling it was said Aberdeen supporters dived into the fountain outside the ground to keep dry. Thunder and lightning added variety to the torrential rain and, as a consequence of the conditions, virtually the only spectators in the ground were the 10,000 from Aberdeen.

While some felt the heavy going might suit Aberdeen, Real Madrid had played splendidly in a similar downpour against Austria Vienna in the semi-final. As it was, Aberdeen began like a runaway train. They dominated play in the opening spell with slick, effective attacking. Gordon Strachan was in his World Cup form and his prompting worried the Spaniards.

It was from Strachan’s cross ball after just five minutes that Black made connection with a ferocious volley. However, with cruel luck, the ball struck the bar and Real were saved.

Aberdeen’s lead was only delayed, mind you; they went ahead in the seventh minute from a setpiece. Strachan struck a corner which Alex McLeish met with a powerful header. The ball was blocked but Black was ideally placed to drive low and hard into the back of the net.

Aberdeen couldn’t have wished for a better start and there was evidence of frustration in the Real ranks as Paco Bonet kicked Black on the ground and Isidro heavily fouled Strachan. It was exactly the wrong moment psychologically, then, that a bad pass-back from McLeish in the 15th minute produced the equaliser.

Isidro ran on to the ball, which was slowed in the mud, forcing Jim Leighton to come out to make a challenge which was correctly rated a penalty by the referee. The spot-kick was taken by Juanito and his well-struck shot went to the side of Leighton.

That goal was just the tonic Real required. After misjudging their early passes, Real’s midfield settled to a probing, disciplined game. Ricardo Gallego, Uli Stielike and Juan Jose ensured Real had the lion’s share of the play up to half-time.

Having said that, there was only one genuine moment of danger when, 12 minutes before the interval, Stielike slipped away from Miller. An avenue opened up towards goal for the German, but he dallied too long, allowing Aberdeen to break up the move on an offside decision.

All told, honours were even at the end of the first half with Aberdeen requiring to increase the pace of their game and to improve the accuracy of their passing under admittedly treacherous conditions.

If Aberdeen had been behind on points at the end of the first half, they soon recaptured the initiative after the interval. In spite of the desire of the Italian referee to give Real the benefit of the doubt at every turn, Aberdeen played the more direct and positive football.

Miller showed the way with a fine tackle and an expert pass to McGhee in the 51st minute. Two minutes later Strachan pinpointed Weir on the left with a pass, and the winger’s useful high ball into the box was met by Strachan on the volley. The Scotland player’s effort was on target and with a goal very much on, Agustin had to rely on a save made instinctively with his legs.

In the 64th minute Weir delivered the outstanding solo contribution of the match with an amazing run deep from in his own half. The tall winger danced his way past four Madrid defenders in a lung-bursting run which ended with a cross to Black at the back post.

Nine times out of ten Black would have put this simple chance away but sadly for him, and Aberdeen, he got underneath the ball when an angled header down the way would surely have found the target.

The increasingly violent play of the Spanish side met with no action from the Italian referee.

Strachan’s bravery and electric pace saw him win a 50-50 ball in the 75th minute that left two Real defenders stranded. The Scotland player homed in on the box but was a shade guilty of over-elaboration and the chance was lost.

Strachan did his best to win the game in normal time with a marvellous run and chip three minutes from the end. It was just a shade over-clubbed.

Aberdeen then made a substitution with Hewitt replacing the injured Black as the game went into extra time.

Juan Jose continued to enjoy licence to foul Weir and the bias of the Italian referee was never more blatant than in the 96th minute when he waved away claims for a clear-cut Aberdeen penalty.

Simpson’s cross ball was aimed towards the incoming Cooper who, as the ball got stuck in the mud, was brought down by Metgod. Amazingly the referee was having nothing to do with it.

There was another astonishing decision when Hewitt was pulled down but only a corner was awarded.

The first thrust of the second period was made by Weir who again slipped past two defenders before delivering his cross ball to the back post - but there were no takers.

Both sides were playing from instinct now and then remarkably came what proved to be the winning counter. As with so many of Aberdeen’s incisive attacks, the move began with Weir. He coasted past the usual posse of Real defenders then shot the ball to McGhee whose fine cross was met by super-sub Hewitt. The youngster’s incredible scoring record continued with an angled header away from Augustin in the 112th minute.

Aberdeen needed to be cool and determined now to hang on to a famous victory against all the odds.

Aberdeen: Leighton, Rougvie, McMaster, Cooper, McLeish, Miller, Strachan, Simpson, McGhee, Black (Hewitt 87), Weir.

Real Madrid: Augustin, Juan Jose, Camacho (San Jose 91), Metgod, Bonet, Gallago, Juanito, Angel, Santilana, Stieleke, Isidro (Salguero 103).

Referee: G Menegali (Italy).

Attendance: 17,804.

[muttonhumper]

[muttonhumper]

Willie in Herald Miller: Defeating Bayern shows we won cup with style

Martin McMillan

Saturday 11 May 2013

Willie Miller says Aberdeen earned their place among the biggest names in world football with their European Cup Winners' Cup triumph in 1983.

The greatest day in the Pittodrie club's 110-year history is still cherished by the supporters, perhaps more so as their 17-year wait for a trophy lingers on.

Managed by Alex Ferguson, the Scottish side not only shocked Real Madrid to lift the trophy but also shot down German giants Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

The defender said: "It's a huge achievement to lift any major trophy – but a European trophy is pretty special. I don't think we realised at the time how special it was. As the years have gone by, we realised it. We put Aberdeen's name on the map. When we travelled abroad, people knew who we were.

"We were just a little provincial club from Scotland. But we won a European trophy and that gives you pedigree. When you see that we are sandwiched in between Juventus and Barcelona on that cup, it sums up what we did. We didn't just win the trophy, we did it with style. We put out Bayern on the way and beat Real in the final, so that shows that we did it with style."

Aberdeen were forced to pre-qualify for the tournament but fought their way past the Swiss side Sion in the Preliminary Round before knocking out Albania's Dinamo Tirana, Lech Poznan of Poland, Bayern and then Belgians Waterschei Thor on their way to the final.

But for Miller, it was their two-legged triumph over the German Cup winners from Munich that convinced him they were real contenders for the trophy.

"We definitely went in thinking we could win the final," said the former Scotland defender of his side's meeting with the Bernabeu team.

"The mindset in those days was that the German sides were the top dogs in Europe. The Bundesliga was huge. They had one of the best international teams in the world and some of the best players. We always felt that if we could overcome the Germans, which we did in the quarter-finals, then we would have a chance of lifting the trophy.

"Strange as it may seem, we went into the game with Real feeling like we were the favourites, even though we were classed as the underdogs. We were confident that we could do it and on the night we were by far the better team."

The victory in Sweden was manager Ferguson's first continental cup success and was quickly followed up seven months later when European champions Hamburg were beaten 2-0 in the Super Cup final as Aberdeen became the only Scottish side to win two UEFA trophies.

That and three Scottish Premier Division championships convinced Manchester United he was the right man to replace Ron Atkinson as Old Trafford manager three years later.

But Miller is in no doubt it was the night of glory in Gothenburg that made all his later success in England possible.

He said: "It was significant in that it was a magnificent achievement. It caught attention, and it caught the attention of Manchester United. We are talking about taking a small provincial club that had no history of dominating in Scotland, with little resources, to the top of European football and then beating the European Cup holders the next season. That was bound to grab the attention of big clubs."

[muttonhumper]

[muttonhumper]

Some brilliant photies here:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2321835/Alex-Ferguson-Aberdeens-glory-Gothenburg-Picture-special.html