1985 League Cup Feature |

We recently voted the 1976 League Cup Final win over Celtic as our number League Cup moment. At number two we chose the 1985 Final against Hibs …..

FERGIE’S SEVEN-YEAR ITCH

In 1985 a significant milestone was reached in the clubs history when the Dons won the League Cup for the third time. Significant in that it was the one trophy that had eluded Alex Ferguson during his spell at Pittodrie. Despite winning almost everything in that glorious spell the League Cup had not been secured. Under Alex Ferguson the Dons had lost two previous finals and they set the record straight in style in 1985 as The RedMatchday Magazine team look back on a stunning cup run…

At the start of season 1985.86 Aberdeen looked invincible. They had just retained their coveted Premier League crown after a record-breaking season with goals scored and not many conceded. The only blot in the Dons copybook was their failure to win a trophy the previous season, the first time that they had not achieved that for four years. That was perhaps one of the reasons that Alex Ferguson had insisted that his players do something about. In the league the previous season Aberdeen were so far ahead of the others there was never any doubt that the title was coming to Pittodrie. It was in the cup competitions that for once they let themselves down. That was soon to be rectified with success in the 1985 League Cup competition.

Ferguson was always keen to build on his squad from a position of strength and he moved in the summer to bring Jim Bett back to Scotland. Bett was an established Scottish international and his £300,000 move from Belgian club Lokeren was the one big transfer deal Aberdeen completed in the close season. On their way out of Pittodrie were Doug Bell who was sold to Rangers and Steve Cowan who joined Hibernian. Pittodrie had went through some structural changes for the start of the season with the main development being the rebuilding of the Merkland Road End which was not yet open for the start of the season. New access was also made to the South Terrace from Park Road to bring the stadium into line as one of the most modern in Britain.   

In the opening round Aberdeen looked to have the relatively easy task at home to Ayr United. The Somerset side had been out of the top league since 1977 and they had been struggling in the lower leagues ever since. In the previous season Aberdeen had went down in a shock defeat at Airdrie and manager Ferguson was having none of it this time around—“We will regard winning the League Cup just as important as that of retaining the league title.

This is the kind of thinking we must have at this club. Maybe the fact that we have not won it for seven years will inspire us to put that right. Our failure to win the cup has been down to a variety of reasons. As it is only Willie Miller has a winners medal from this competition and we want to change that. Those players who have won League, cup and European and international honours in recent years want a League Cup badge to add to their collection. The hunger is still there. Ayr come up to Pittodrie as underdogs so me must give them respect. I stated previously that winning just one major trophy a season is not enough for us and the campaign to rectify that starts now.”

As expected Ayr were not up to the task of making life difficult for the Dons and when Billy Stark opened the scoring after only three minutes. Jim Bett’s fierce drive was not held by Ayr keeper Purdie and Stark followed up to slam the ball into the net. Aberdeen not surprisingly dominated their Second Division opponents and it was a matter of how many the Dons would score. What was perhaps significant was that the Dons showed a ruthless streak in this match, challenging for every loose ball despite them being dominant. In 39 minutes Ayr Utd defender Ian McAllister tangled with Frank McDougall in the box and the big defender clattered the Aberdeen striker. Tom McQueen the former Clyde player stepped up to score from the penalty. Billy Stark added a third with a superb looping header in 55 minutes before a late double from Frank McDougall sent the Aberdeen support home happy after a resounding 5-0 win.

It maintained the Dons unbeaten start to the season and that was to continue in the next round when the Dons travelled to Perth to face St Johnstone. The Saints were still playing out of their ageing Muirton Park ground and it was never the easiest or most welcoming of venues for visiting teams. Bryan Gunn continued to deputise for the injured Jim Leighton in goal while Alex Ferguson took the opportunity to hand young Steve Gray his first competitive start. Billy Stark was rested to the bench while new signing Jim Bett continued to impress. St Johnstone were another side struggling in the lower reaches of the Second Division but they made a real scrap of it as they tried to knock Aberdeen out of their stride.

Despite that Aberdeen took the lead after 27 minutes with a superb John Hewitt goal and it was the Dons who remained in control. In a difficult second half the home side tried to rough it up a bit and three of the St Johnstone player incurred the wrath and yellow card from referee Ferguson. It took another late goal from Frank McDougall to confirm the Dons superiority. Manager Ferguson was not that concerned about the Dons form as he expected it to be a battle against the Perth side—“When you look at the other results we have to be satisfied that we went through. I feel we have still to be at our sharpest but we remain unbeaten so are positive about that.”

Aberdeen were handed a home draw in the quarter finals against a Hearts side that had only a Tennent's Sixes trophy to show for their efforts. Nevertheless the Tynecastle side would be a tough obstacle but with a large home support behind them Aberdeen went in to the tie as overwhelming favourites. With Hearts also due at Pittodrie three days later it would be imperative for the Dons to stamp their authority over the Tynecastle side. September 1985 was always going to be a crucial phase in the season with League, League Cup and European Cup matches all coming thick and fast.

Aberdeen also welcomed Jock Stein the Scotland manager for the game as checked on the five internationals in the Aberdeen side prior to Scotland’s crunch World Cup tie in Cardiff. Sadly it was to be big Jock’s last visit to Pittodrie as he tragically lost his life six days later in Wales. Alex Ferguson was of course assistant manger to Scotland as well as looking after the Dons and he made only one change to the starting line up as Brian Mitchell came in at left back for Tom McQueen. The tie was decided in the 24th minute when Aberdeen were gifted a goal. Hearts keeper Henry Smith, so often prone to a mistake crucially delayed coming out for a through ball and indecision between him and defender Roddy MacDonald allowed Eric Black the space and room to score easily. Aberdeen remained in control although they never added to their tally, Hearts never threatened the Dons defence at any point. Not for the first time Aberdeen were through to the semi final against Dundee Utd, a tie that was oddly played on a home and away basis.

It made no real difference that the first leg of the semi final would be at Tannadice as both sides invariably fared well away from home against each other. On 25th September 1985 Aberdeen gained a valuable first leg lead by winning at Tannadice through another Eric Black goal The young Aberdeen striker had the knack of popping up with some vital goals and against United it was Black who was a constant threat. The game was never allowed to flow freely with a succession of fouls and personal battles on the field. Neale Cooper was brought in to the starting line up to replace the injured Jim Bett and he was involved in several meaty challenges. Black’s priceless goal came in the 63rd minute when he headed past McAlpine after a superb John Hewitt cross. Shortly afterwards Richard Gough was sent off after a succession of fouls as he had been given a torrid time of it by Black and Hewitt. His scything lunge at Hewitt as the Dons striker swept past him was worthy of a red card alone. There were a total of nine bookings in a match that was threatening to get out of hand on more than one occasion.

The return at Pittodrie two weeks later gave Aberdeen the chance to exorcise the final of 1979 in front of another near capacity Aberdeen crowd. It was also the first time that the new Merkland Stand was opened with a range of new facilities. Aberdeen were dealt a pre match blow when Eric Black failed to shrug off an injury and Ian Angus was brought in to the side. With Aberdeen having the edge following their first leg win it made for an exciting cup-tie as a normally defensive Dundee Utd side were forced to be more adventurous which meant there were plenty of chances, most of which fell to Aberdeen. In a virtual repeat of the first leg it was another great run by John Hewitt down the left that ended with a superb cross converted by Frank McDougall in 68 minutes.

McDougall was arguably the finest front post forward in Britain at the time and many of his goals came from that area. Fabulous Frank got in between Hegarty and Holt to superbly clip the ball past McAlpine who barely moved to attempt a save. Alex Ferguson stated after the game that McDougall was the finest finisher in the country and not many would have argued the point. That goal set up Aberdeen for a comfortable finish to the game, as United were down and out. With both halves of the Old Firm out of the competition not that it would have mattered to the Dons, it was to be Aberdeen and Hibernian in the Skol League Cup Final on the 27th October. Aberdeen had qualified for the final in style and had yet to concede a goal, Hibernian would be facing the Dons as rank outsiders to lift the trophy.

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