35 years ago today Aberdeen retained the Premier League trophy. The RedMatchday team look back at an almost perfect League campaign.

1984/1985

Aberdeen went into season 1984/85 as double holders and they were the team to beat in Scotland.

They had reached the pinnacle with the Gothenburg squad virtually intact, but the pressure was now on as Doug Rougvie, Mark McGhee and Gordon Strachan all left the club in the summer.

Alex Ferguson moved swiftly for direct replacements, although Billy Stark had been brought in a year earlier to take over from Strachan. Tom McQueen was brought in from Clyde while Frank McDougall was plundered from St Mirren.

On the eve of the season, Ferguson declared that retaining the league title was his prime target and with Aberdeen also having another shot at the European Cup, there was guarded optimism in the ranks though the loss of three Scottish internationals at the peak of their careers left a huge void in the squad.

Many thought that Aberdeen could be knocked from their lofty pedestal and those claims gathered momentum when they were knocked out of both the League Cup and worse still the European Cup in the First Round, the Dons going down in a penalty shoot-out in Berlin against a side that was clearly inferior.

In hindsight that gave Aberdeen to opportunity to concentrate on the championship.

Rangers were still in the middle of a transitional period and were not expected to muster a challenge while Dundee United’s success in 1983 was not to be repeated.

It was Celtic that posed the biggest threat.

Games between the two sides in that era were highly charged and never without incident. Both sides knew exactly what was at stake and the four meetings would have a huge bearing on the destination of the title.

Aberdeen were keen to get off to a good start and lead from the front and the opening fixtures were kind to the Dons and they took full advantage by winning their first five matches against Dundee and Hibernian at Pittodrie while full points were taken from St Mirren, Dundee United and Morton.

It wasn’t until 15th September that the Dons dropped their first point; against Rangers at Pittodrie in a 0-0 draw.

Three weeks later, Aberdeen lost for the first time at Celtic. The 2-1 defeat was full of controversy but it was clear even at that early stage that the race would develop into a straight fight between Aberdeen and Celtic.

Nevertheless, it was a bad week for the Dons who had just come back from their penalty nightmare in Berlin, further heartache following when Billy Stark missed from the spot after Frank McDougall’s volley had levelled the match. A Davie Provan winner rubbed salt in the Dons’ wounds.

The winter months were critical to the Dons’ hopes as they held on to top spot despite their Parkhead defeat.

Aberdeen won seven straight league games between October and December, which an enjoyable 2-1 win at Ibrox. Mitchell had given Rangers an early lead by Stark hit back on 20 minutes and Frank McDougall, who had an incredible season, netted the winner just after the hour mark. Frank scored 24 goals in 29 appearances that season.

The run had piled the pressure on the Celts who were due at Pittodrie next.

The game was billed as the league decider and an all-ticket 23,000 crowd packed Pittodrie to see Aberdeen carve Celtic apart in a marvelous 4-2 win.

Eric Black did the damage with two goals in a game that the Dons dominated from the outset. Aberdeen had gone in to two-goal lead after a soaring header from Black and a deflected McKimmie drive put Aberdeen in control. Celtic came back twice, but Aberdeen kept extending their lead within minutes.

Despite a rare defeat at Tannadice in the New Year derby, Aberdeen were still two points clear and it was from that setback that Aberdeen went on a run that was to break the Celtic resolve.

Wins over Hibernian, Morton, Rangers and Dumbarton extended the Dons lead to eight points as Celtic slipped up and the Rangers win was a particularly memorable one as Aberdeen hit them for five with fabulous Frank McDougall weighing in with a hat trick.

On March 2nd a majestic Aberdeen swept aside St Mirren at Pittodrie in a 3-0 win with Billy Stark the architect.

Meanwhile Celtic dropped a point against Dundee United and the lead was further extended with convincing 4-0 and 5-0 wins over Dundee and Hibernian.

Aberdeen were relentless and looked unbeatable and their good form continued with a rousing 4-2 win over Dundee United at Pittodrie with John Hewitt scoring twice.

Celtic looked to Rangers to stop the Dons but another 2-1 win at Ibrox had Aberdeen firmly in the box seat, a position they were in no mood to relinquish.

Title won

On the 27th April the Dons met Celtic for a title showdown.

Celtic arrived in defiant mood and it was the usual frantic stuff when these sides met with tackles flying in.

The game exploded into life in the 39th minute when Celtic were awarded a controversial penalty. Frank McGarvey for once evaded Willie Miller and Billy Stark cleared his cross as he beat Celtic striker Mo Johnston to the ball. Amazingly referee Smith, no stranger to awarding dubious decisions against the Dons, pointed to the spot.

There was disbelief from both sets of players. Amidst chaotic scenes at the King Street end, Roy Aitken beat Jim Leighton with the penalty and the Celtic captain continued to celebrate behind the goal before police intervention prevented any further trouble.

The Dons then laid siege on the visitors’ goal in the second half.

Alex Ferguson threw on Neale Cooper for Doug Bell on the hour and that change paid an immediate dividend.

Cooper crunched into Peter Grant in midfield, robbing him of the ball and he set up Stewart McKimmie on the right where McLeod cynically hacked the Aberdeen defender down.

Ian Porteous floated a free-kick into the six yard box and it was Willie Miller who rose to head past Bonner to level the game. Miller dusted himself down and embarked on a triumphant jog along the South Terrace to the acclaim of the jubilant home support.

McGarvey had a goal chalked off late in the game but Aberdeen held on for the draw that, barring some astonishing results in the final two games, handed them the title – the only time it has been won at Pittodrie. The following week, Frank McDougall scored a superb first half hat-trick at Tynecastle.

Aberdeen created a record Premier League haul of 59 points, finishing seven clear of Celtic. The Dons also broke the goal scoring record with 89 goals from their 36 matches in a phenomenal season.

Stats

27/4/85 Premier Division

Aberdeen 1:1 Celtic

Pittodrie Stadium

Aberdeen: Leighton, McKimmie, McQueen, Stark, McLeish, Miller, Porteous, Simpson, McDougall, Bell, Hewitt.
Subs used; Cowan for McDougall, Cooper for Bell

Celtic: Bonner, W McStay, McGrain, Aitken, McAdam, McLeod, Grant, P McStay, Johnston, Burns, McGarvey.
Subs used; Provan for Grant

Scorers: Aberdeen; Miller 61
Celtic: Aitken (pen) 40

Attendance: 23,000

RedTV | watch the highlights on RedTV Archive by clicking here

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Around the Ground

Pittodrie was getting a bit of a makeover that summer as a new cover was being built over the King Street end of the ground. Work began in the summer but the new ‘Merkland Family Stand’ was not officially opened until October that year. The new structure also included new toilets and shops and was aimed at the younger element of the Aberdeen support.

The capacity at Pittodrie was 24,000 back then and the Dons averaged more than 15,000 for their home matches with a prime Centre Stand seat for the visit of Servette in the European Champions Cup would set you back £5. The Aberdeen match programme that season was also voted the best in Scotland. Produced by Sports Projects the full colour award winner cost a measly 40p.