We have produced a bumper New Year edition of Red Matchday for the home fixture against Ross County on the 2nd January as we welcome you to Pittodrie.

The retro programme cover by Dolly Digital is inspired from Donald Addison design in 1969. Donald had a long career as a Lecturer in Design at Gray’s School of Art. He is a former director of Peacock and a former President of Aberdeen Artists Society. He also designed some of the most iconic AFC programme covers during the late 60s and early 70s and we are very pleased to reproduce this design, one of our favourites.

The past programme cover was used on the 30 August 1969 for an Aberdeen v Clyde game – so not actually the start of the year, but to mark the start of the new league season.

The ‘Aberdeen FC’ programme of 1969.70 was certainly innovative in design and almost futuristic of the time. The 16-page issue was along similar format to the previous season where the club included the ‘Football League Review’ inserted into the programme. The English production was included in many English issues at that time. Aberdeen ahead of season 1969.70 decided to dispense with its inclusion due to the lack of Scottish content and general malaise from the Pittodrie patrons.

The opening pages of the programme were perhaps the most informative with detailed observations, news and opinion from the club secretary.

On page 4 there was the regular full-page photo of the Aberdeen first team squad. The selection of action shots was taken by well-known photographer of the time George Ashton who would visit all the major Scottish grounds and action shots of the players.

One of the most striking adverts was for the ‘Balmoral Lounge Bar’ or Bells Hotel in Union Street as it was better known. The proprietor Harold F Bell was a familiar supporter of Aberdeen and well-known publican in the area.

The Dons fixtures were a constant in every issue with scores updated accordingly. The visiting team were covered well, usually with a full-page team pic and detailed pen pics. The centre pages had the team line ups in a distinctive and effective style with adverts in the middle. Statistics were not very often seen in match programmes back then, but the Aberdeen issue certainly had the current league tables and list of leading scorers in both Scottish divisions.

There was also a full page of the league results from all teams that season and that was complimented by the list of the Aberdeen squad with their vital statistics. Included in the Pittodrie Ground Staff back then were youngsters Chic McLelland and Joe Smith.

The back page had the age-old Half-Time Scoreboard a real throwback to the time as results from around the country were placed minutes into the second half. No instant scorers and results back then.

For the record the Dons beat Clyde 6-0 – both sides had already met home and away the weeks before in the League Cup group stages, Aberdeen drawing 0-0 away and winning 3-0 at home. In the league fixture Davie Robb (pictured in the photo above) scored a hat-trick, Forrest netted twice, and Petersen scored the other.

There are also columns with the manager and captain, an interview with keeper Kelle Roos and Jack Milne does the Q&A. Plus all the usual features – Top Ten, Glory of Gothenburg, Aberdeen FC Archives, The Foundation Dons, Former Players Club, On Sacred Ground, Past Programme, As Time Goes By, Picture This and Memory Match.

Please note, the sad news of the death of Pele happened after our print deadline, so we will have a full tribute in Red Matchday Issue 15. We have unearthed some superb photos of the great man at Pittodrie from the AFC collection and have the full story of how he became an AFC shareholder!

Red Matchday Magazine is available to buy from in and around the ground on Tuesday evening from the sellers and is also now in the AFC Club Shop. You can also buy your copy online and have it delivered direct to your door by clicking here

Finally, the Red Matchday team would like to wish all our readers and AFC supporters all the very best for 2023.