Aberdeen could do little wrong when it came to the big matches in the 1980s.

No cup finals had been lost after the disappointments in 1978 and 1979.

Despite Cup final opponents Hearts looking impressive in the closing weeks of the 1985/86 season, the Dons would still enter the fray at Hampden as favourites, especially after a dramatic final few minutes of the league season the week before. It would be the last piece of silverware that Alex Ferguson brought to Pittodrie.

1985/86 was certainly an eventful one for Aberdeen.

The Dons had blazed a trail at home and abroad in all competitions and although the league championship title was gone, Aberdeen had already won the League Cup earlier in the season and had reached their fourth Scottish Cup Final in five years.

In Europe they suffered an agonising exit in the European Champions Cup, falling to Gothenburg at the quarter final stage on away goals.

Reaching the last eight of Europe’s premier competition was a feat in itself but such was the measure of what Ferguson wanted to achieve, the exit to the Swedish champions was still looked upon as a chance missed. It was also a measure of the success that Ferguson achieved that the Dons were still strong enough to compete for all of the honours after losing several of their great Gothenburg players.

In the Scottish Cup Aberdeen looked to regain their supremacy in the competition.

Winners in 1982, 1983 and 1984, it took a controversial defeat against Dundee United in April 1985 to halt a record four successive wins in the national competition. In 1986 Aberdeen were on the Hampden trail once more and reached the Final against Hearts after defeating Montrose 4-1 at Pittodrie, Arbroath 1-0 at Gayfield, Dundee 2-1 at Pittodrie after a 2-2 draw at Dens, and Hibernian 3-0 at Dens Park in the semi final.

What was unique about that relatively easy run to the final was that Aberdeen did not play any of their matches beyond Dundee and all ties were played on the east coast.

The semi final against Hibernian was as easy as the 3-0 score suggests and the Easter Road side were glad to see the back of Aberdeen that season as the Dons disposed of Hibernian in the League Cup Final earlier in the season.

Hearts had a tough road to Hampden after beating Rangers 3- 2, Hamilton 2-1, St Mirren 4-1 and Dundee United 1-0 in the semi final. While that run was impressive, Hearts had contend with the
astonishing disappointment of losing the league title only seven days before the cup final.

On the back of an incredible 31-game unbeaten run, they had the Premier title within their grasp as they went to Dens Park on the final day but it all went horribly wrong as two late Dundee goals and a five-goal haul for Celtic at Paisley took the title to Parkhead in an amazing sequence of events.

The Hearts party was well and truly stuffed and questions remained as to their nerve when it came to facing Aberdeen in the final.

It was a huge blow to Hearts hopes as a generation of Tynecastle supporters had been starved of success and the manner of events at Dens Park that fateful afternoon would leave a long lasting legacy.

If there was one side that could capitalise on Hearts’ misfortune then it was Aberdeen; seasoned campaigners at Hampden on the big occasion and a team that rarely lost when it mattered.

The Dons were used to winning and that would be a crucial factor in the cup final.

While Hearts were throwing the towel in at Dens Park, a shadow Aberdeen side cruised to a 6-0 win at Clydebank as Ferguson kept his big guns fresh for the final. The only injury doubts were Neil Simpson who played for the reserves against Clydebank but felt a reaction to his groin injury. Jim Leighton looked certain to return which was tough on Bryan Gunn who had deputised in recent weeks.

Neale Cooper also shrugged off his injury to return to the side.

The Aberdeen preparations were however hit by the news that striker Eric Black had told the club that he would be moving to French club Metz in the summer. That infuriated Ferguson who promptly dropped Black from the cup final squad.

Ferguson said at the time, “Any player is entitled to leave a club at the end of his contract if he feels he can better himself elsewhere.

“Since the introduction of freedom of contract, that has become normal procedure and we are not the only big club to experience that. However I feel players should go about it in the proper way.

“Agents operate secretly and can get up to 20% of the proceeds. Aberdeen as a club will never conduct their business like that. We have had no contact whatsoever from the French club and the first I knew about it was when Black told me that he was moving. Aberdeen FC do not deserve this kind of treatment and we are big enough to take a stand on this matter, even if it means leaving Black out of our cup final side.

“Everyone knows how determined I am to win trophies for Aberdeen but the line has to be drawn somewhere.

“It is a sad end to the successful association, which we have had with Black since he first joined us as a 13 year old. He had our support when he was out with back trouble and he has repaid us with many valuable goals. It is a pity it has turned out this way but I feel he has been badly advised.

As with everything there was another side to the story, and Eric has his opinion on what happened, but what it meant was that the Dons would be without their striker for the final. For all he had done for the club, Eric deserved the chance to bow out at Hampden.

While the Black departure was the only cloud on the Aberdeen horizon, Hearts had to pick themselves up following their disappointment at not taking the championship. That would be a tall order as they had set themselves up as champions but that dream came crashing down about them, it would be difficult for Hearts to forget about what happened at Dens Park.

While Hearts duo Alex MacDonald and Sandy Jardine had a wealth of experience as players behind them, they were up against the master in Alex Ferguson. In Willie Miller he had an experienced captain that had got used to winning ways and Miller was confident going into the final:

“Aberdeen have a deep affection for Hampden and to be honest we never play badly there. But we have set high standards for ourselves, so most people will think we have had a bad season if we don’t win both domestic cups—that is just the way it is but we are not complaining.”

Aberdeen had boasted about being a big occasion side while a Hearts trip to Hampden was a rare occasion. The Dons were certainly aware of that and with the disappointment their opponents would be feeling before the game. Crucially captain Willie Miller won the toss and elected to play with a strong wind behind him. Aberdeen went for the jugular from the start, testing Hearts nerve to the limit.

After five minutes Miller sent a through ball to John Hewitt. The Dons striker took control of the ball and made his way towards the Hearts goal. As the Tynecastle defence backed off, Hewitt let fly with a screamer that flew past Henry Smith into the bottom corner of the net.

It was the perfect start for the Dons and that early goal settled an Aberdeen side that took control of the game in an almost imperious fashion.

Hearts seemed to have the Hampden jitters although they did make a fight of it in spells but Jim Leighton looked as though he had never been away with some superb handling while Sandy Clark and John Robertson rarely troubled McLeish and Miller.

Goal number two duly arrived four minutes into the second half and it was one that was worthy of winning any cup final. Peter Weir, who had tormented the Hearts defence all afternoon, made his way down the left before Frank McDougall superbly dummied his low cross and John Hewitt ghosted in to clip the ball past Smith with an exquisite finish.

At that point there was no way back for a Hearts side that were clearly shattered and substitute Billy Stark completed the rout with a well taken header after another slick Aberdeen attack who were now turning on the style. Again it was Peter Weir who instigated the move.

It all got too much for Hearts captain Walter Kidd who became the first captain to be sent off in a Scottish Cup Final after a moment of sheer madness. Kidd had been given a torrid time of it by Weir, simply outclassed at every turn.

The Hearts skipper allowed his fustrations to boil over when he initially hit Neale Cooper on the head with the ball after play had stopped. After catching the rebound he threw the ball into Frank McDougall’s face; all in front of the referee.

It was certainly his final involvement as he was rightly sent packing to end his torment.

The final result of 3-0 was about right as Aberdeen showed just why they had been so successful.

Willie Miller and his side went on to make the familiar trek up the Hampden steps to collect their fourth Scottish Cup in five seasons. There would be the usual parade down the city’s Union Street a day later while Hearts were sent home to lick their collective wounds. While Ferguson was sympathetic towards his close friend Sandy Jardine after the game, the ruthless efficiency of his side had shown just why Ferguson was one of the most sought after mangers in the game.

The Aberdeen manager would have little time to dwell on his latest success as three days later he was taking the Scotland squad to Mexico for the World Cup Finals. Aberdeen received £15,000 from the sponsors for winning the trophy while Hearts’ indiscretions on the field, with Kidd being sent off and three other booked, cost the Tynecastle club almost half of their prize money.

Ferguson was content after the game but was still unhappy that the Dons had not won the treble that year “As far as I am concerned we should have won the lot. We just lost too many players through injury at crucial times in the league campaign. I suppose two cups in the same season will mean that I am a good manager though!”

Aberdeen; Leighton, McKimmie, McQueen, McMaster, McLeish, Miller, Hewitt, Cooper, McDougall, Bett, Weir.
Subs; Stark, Joe Miller.

Hearts; Smith, Kidd, Whittaker, Jardine, Berry, Levein, Colquhoun, Black, Clark, G MacKay, Robertson.
Subs; MacKay, Cowie.

Attendance; 62,841

Referee; H Alexander (Kilmarnock)