BigAl

American transfer window closed until 15th June, but Soapy is allegedly being invited over for trials with Houston Dynamo.

IT WAS the fairy-tale to end them all. If someone had told us that the mighty Cup-winners of Europe, from Scotland to the Soviet Union, from the Baltic to the Mediterranean, would one day knock each other out until the great Real Madrid was left to face the Dons of Pittodrie, we would have sent for the men in white coats. But it happened. In 1983, the venue for that European final would be the Swedish city of Gothenburg and Aberdonians were poised for the greatest adventure in their sporting lives. On the eve of that event, I urged readers of the Evening Express to throw their native, North-east caution to the wind and savour the moment, win or lose. Just to be there was wonderful. Upwards of 12,000 of us were on our way, 50 plane-loads augmented by motor-car and ferry-boat. Aberdeen Airport had never seen anything like it as the Red Army took off via North Sea oilfields to skim the forests of Scandinavia and take total possession of glorious Gothenburg. The folk of Madrid thought it so much of a formality that only small numbers bothered to come. So we had the Swedes on our side, and Gothenburg belonged to Aberdeen. From the day before the match, I have a snapshot of wandering across the pitch with fellow journalist Hugh McIlvanney, Dons vice-chairman Chris Anderson and that great legend of football, Jock Stein, whose invitation from manager Alex Ferguson was a master-stroke of psychology. For this was the moment. Quietly, there was a belief that the biggest upset in European football history might well be on the cards. It had all begun with the arrival of Fergie in the summer of 1978. The new man appeared very modestly at the Capitol Cinema on the night my very first History of the Dons book, marking the 75th anniversary of the club, was published in the presence of 2,000 cheering fans. How could I have guessed that, within the next eight years, the recently sacked manager of St Mirren would render that book out of date and set himself on the road to becoming the greatest club manager in the history of British football? From the sunshine of that Tuesday in Gothenburg, the storm clouds gathered next day as we made our way to the Ullevi Stadium, built for the 1958 World Cup finals, when first we heard of Pele. Now the heavens were opening as the Dons’ bus approached and the players filed into the dressing-room. Gordon Strachan, always a great observer, told me later of the hush that descended as the players went into their own thoughts, their own prayers, and just looked at each other. He was looking at the young lads, Neale Cooper, Neil Simpson, Eric Black and John Hewitt. “I was wondering what was going through their young minds,†he said. Fergie gave his final words. It was now up to them. From the utter silence, there erupted a shouting and screaming, like a bunch of schoolboys. The rest is indeed history. By the time Peter Weir had instigated that magnificent run on the left, chipping the ball to Mark McGhee, who sent the perfect cross for John Hewitt to head home the winner, a world-wide television audience of 800 million knew, if they didn’t know before, that a city called Aberdeen existed. Grown men of Aberdeen granite stood on the slopes of Ullevi, the rain rolling down their cheeks, except that it was not all rain. For once, they could let loose the pent-up emotions that are hard for a North-east man to release. In days of greater patience, their fathers and grandfathers had lived through the first 43 years of Dons’ history without a single trophy gained. Finally, on May 11, 1946, Frank Dunlop and his men beat Rangers at Hampden to bring home the Scottish League Cup. We should have checked the omens. Here we were, on that very same date, attaining the unimaginable pinnacle of experience. This was their finest hour. Back at the team’s hotel at Farshatt (“Faar’s ‘at?†became the joke), the Dons filed through to the applause of Swedish diners. In the banqueting room I noticed chairman Dick Donald heading for the buffet-table. I knew he had not had a chance to speak to Willie Miller, his captain and most significant player in the history of the club. Now was his chance, for Willie was just ahead of him. Anxious as ever to record historic moments, I eavesdropped quite blatantly, waiting for the immortal words. The conversation went like this: Dick: “Well well, Willie, it’s been quite a night.†Willie: “Aye, so it has.†The brevity of two great and unflappable figures in the history of Aberdeen Football Club had surely said it all. Next day, as the team returned to 100,000 welcomes, all the way from the airport, along Anderson Drive and down Albyn Place to Union Street, the men, women and children of the Granite City were not so reserved. As the celebrations reached Pittodrie I paused to reflect – and suffered a pang of anti-climax. Would we ever see a moment like this again? Unlikely. Then again, if we had had the choice, would we have preferred to miss out on that day of incomparable ecstasy? Twenty-five years later, I feel exactly the same. Gothenburg is not an albatross, as some would have us believe. It is an inspiration to future generations to dream their dreams. And to know that, in the mysterious workings of fate, they can actually come true.

Aye seen that one, just about spat my lunch o'er the laptop when i read the title

have read all the books written by Nelson Demille...... if you've enjoyed them so far, trawl charity shops and Amazon for the others

Difficult to tell if its gold, green or yellow

Aye film is titled "21". Saw it on Sat night, thought it was pretty good. Seem to recollect reading that it is based upon a true story

First two are fine and dandy Nae really decided on the third one though

Fuck them

Ooooppppsss, forgot to paste article UNDER-FIRE SPL bosses were last night on the verge of a dramatic cave-in to help Rangers in their bid for UEFA Cup glory. Record Sport can reveal the astonishing U-turn, which will see the season extended by a full week, should be completed today when executive chairman Lex Gold tables an eleventh hour plan to postpone the Scottish Cup Final. Gold's climbdown, which came about at the end of a day of frantic phone calls and furious rows, will allow the Ibrox club to pull the plug on this Saturday's Ibrox showdown with Dundee United - and give Walter Smith and his players a free week to prepare to play against Zenit St Petersburg for the UEFA Cup in Manchester on May 14. But it will also enrage Celtic who fear their title defence could be wrecked by giving Rangers more breathing space. The dramatic new twist came at teatime last night when Gold and secretary Ian Blair found themselves under pressure from SFA president George Peat as well as Rangers chief executive Martin Bain. Peat was all set to march into the SPL's offices first thing this morning and insist the league be extended to help Rangers get ready for their date with destiny against Dick Advocaat's side. Both Peat and SFA chief exceutive Gordon Smith believe it would be grossly unfair to force Rangers into playing a crucial league match just four days before they attempt to make history at the City of Manchester Stadium. Peat told Record Sport: "We should be doing everything in our power to help a Scottish club win in Europe." Now Peat will have to agree to put back his organisation's own end-of-season showpiece, Rangers v Queen of the South at Hampden. But sources close to the talks are sure a deal can be struck and expect Gold to make an announcement this afternoon. It seemed far off yesterday at lunchtime when, Record Sport can reveal, Rangers had a request to postpone Saturday's game turned down flat. This sparked fury from Bain who demanded Gold think again. Then, when it became clear the SFA were about to wade into the argument and take Rangers' side, it emerged Gold and Blair were beginning to wobble on their previous hard-line stance. Rangers had been hoping the SPL would follow the lead set by the Russian authorities who have bent over backwards to assist Advcocaat in his quest to land a European prize. But the the SPL stood firm, demanding Smith's team face United as planned - four days before the game in Manchester. SPL spokesman Greg Mailer said: "The SPL has decided that we will be pressing on with the fixture model which was announced on April 22, with the season to finish on May 22. "We can confirm we have received a request from Rangers to postpone their fixture with Dundee United on Saturday. We are unable to do that for a number of different factors one of which is the need for the final round of league matches to be played with simultaneous kick-off times. "This is necessary to ensure that no one club can gain an advantage over another club in terms of winning the championship or qualification for Europe through the UEFA Cup." But just hours later, as the pressure mounted, league bosses cracked and informed Rangers they were examining a compromise. That plan will see Gold ask the SFA to reschedule the Cup Final for May 31. However, this is guaranteed to spark further controversy as by then First Division minnows Queen of the South would have been idle for five weeks. Celtic are sure to be spitting feathers also over yet another delay to the season. Parkhead chief executive Peter Lawwell was furious at the initial extension of just four days, which was made to assist Rangers' Euro run. Celtic might even consider a legal challenge to this latest act of goodwill towards their rivals. Gordon Strachan's side are seven points clear at the top of the table but Rangers have three games in hand. Understandably, Celtic had been hoping for Rangers to trip up amid the fixture congestion. However, the SFA are adamant everything possible should be done to assist Smith's men in their bid to become only the fourth Scottish team to win a European trophy. Peat said: "It's not important that it's Rangers. What matters is that this country has to help one of its own clubs succeed in such a big arena. "The SPL should be turning somersaults because a Scottish club are in a European final and must reconsider the decision not to postpone Saturday's match." Ex-Rangers boss Advocaat even expressed his amazemant that the Scottish authorities wouldn't help own of their own clubs but the SFA are out to put that right. Peat added: "The Dundee United match can be moved and should be moved. "We should all be doing our utmost to ensure the Scottish club's chances of winning in Europe are enhanced. "I don't understand why it should be any other way. I really don't see why they can't move this game. "The SPL have to tell the SFA when they will finish their season and we agree to that so we can then agree to a further extension. "We have to accept these are exceptional circumstances. "We have a Scottish club in a European final and if we can't help them there is something wrong. "It would be exactly the same if it were Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibs, Motherwell, Dundee United, any of the others. "There is an opportunity here to improve the Scottish profile. "Everything possible should be done and that's what we'll be telling the SPL in the morning." Rangers were staying tight lipped last night, although Bain is hopeful the saga will finally be resolved today.

All change again by the looks of it. Huns really are a greeting faced bunch of bastards, as long as we're ok, fuck the rest of you attitude...... and then have the audacity to moan about the country not being behind them

Indeed it has

JOHN HEWITT is perched on the edge of the armchair in his living room, asking me to imagine that his front window is the goalmouth in the Ullevi Stadium and Mark McGhee has just crossed the ball through the door from somewhere in the hall. He is wearing slippers and the family's dog is playing at his feet, but in his mind he is in Gothenburg. "Open goal. I couldnae miss." With a small flick of his head he has just re-enacted the moment which changed his life, and buried an imaginary ball somewhere underneath his television. As part of their centenary celebrations five years ago, Aberdeen gave supporters the chance to pay for permanent, engraved messages on granite slabs in the shadow of Pittodrie's Richard Donald Stand. Many fans took up the offer and left their dedications, but one stood out from the others. It featured the three-word message: "I scored it!" Today John Hewitt is a 45-year-old father of two, a contractor in the oil industry who commutes to work in Peterhead and unwinds by playing golf or walking Rosie, the dog. But next weekend he will be fussed over again and remembered as the quiet, 20-year-old north-east loon who scored "it", the extra-time goal in Gothenburg which brought Real Madrid to their knees and won the 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup for Aberdeen. A weekend of events is being held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Gothenburg including a screening at which members of the team and hundreds of supporters will watch the whole match. It will be the first time in a quarter of a century that Hewitt has sat through coverage of the entire game. The evening after the final he made it home from Gothenburg to discover his video had stopped after 90 minutes with the score at 1-1. "That was the ironic thing: when I went across I never actually set my video for extra time. I came back and I'd taped the game but not the extra time. Thankfully I had umpteen people who said they'd easy get me a copy of the whole thing. Obviously I've watched the goal on clips on television, but I can honestly put my hand up and say I've never watched the whole game. I don't know why I never watch it, I just dinna. That's just me." He was uneasy about the "I scored it" phrase carved in the granite. "I had nothing to do with that, the football club worded it. I thought it was a bitty cheesy, that maybe people would think He's a bit big-headed'. I don't really dwell on the past." AS a tournament, the Cup Winners' Cup is slowly fading from memory. It became a casualty of the Champions League's success and declined in status until fading away for good in 1999. In the 1970s and '80s it was regarded as Uefa's second most prestigious club trophy. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Inter Milan were all in the quarter-finals the year Aberdeen won. For Aberdeen supporters the word Gothenburg no longer means the Swedish city itself but the summit of May 11, 1983; two gruelling hours in torrential rain on an Ullevi mudbath. It was so wet that when Gordon Strachan came in from the warm-up his soaking hair was in his eyes. Alex Ferguson reached for a pair of scissors to cut it until Strachan quickly agreed to do it himself. It was the start of a long, dark night, gloriously illuminated at the end by Willie Miller, arms outstretched, holding the cup in his right hand and raising it for the photographers and 14,000 Aberdeen supporters. The average age of the Aberdeen team was 23. Respect for them and for Ferguson had grown since their epic quarter-final win over Bayern Munich, but across the continent they were unfancied for the final. Few outwith Ferguson's sphere of influence imagined that they would not only defeat Real Madrid but outplay them, yet they did both. Eric Black hit the crossbar with a volley even before he screwed a poacher's finish into the net for the opening goal in the seventh minute. The night before the final, the squad had a quiz session which kept them until midnight - arguments over an answer continued at the breakfast table on the morning of the game - but Ferguson also gave them a team talk in which he warned that the ball would stick in the mud and any passes to goalkeeper Jim Leighton should be lifted slightly above the surface. Sure enough, Alex McLeish underhit one, Angel reached it before Leighton and was pulled down for a penalty which Juanito scored for a 14th minute equaliser. The game then settled into a long, tense rhythm of hopeful passes and hard chasing on the long wet grass. Almost all of the threats on goal came from Aberdeen. Peter Weir came alive at half-time and tore at Real's right, creating two great chances for Black to score with headers. Three minutes from the end of normal time Black succumbed to an ankle injury and Ferguson made his only substitution of the final. "Aberdeen have no qualms about putting John Hewitt on," said Brian Moore on the ITV commentary. "He really has a nose for goal." HEWITT had missed much of the season with an ankle injury and knew he would not play from the start in Gothenburg. His fate was to be remembered forever as a substitute. He scored 52 goals in a decade with Aberdeen and only 13 of them came as a substitute. Because two of those were among the most significant in the club's history, the winners against Bayern and Real in the spring of 1983, he was saddled with a nickname he resented. "I never liked that Supersub' tag. I still tell people to check their facts when they say that to me. I actually started and scored in far more games than I did by coming on as a substitute." On the bench in the Ullevi he was so cold that he came on wearing two Aberdeen tops. Later he swapped one with Uli Stielike and gave the other to a radio station's charity auction. It was hard to warm up and get into the game and Ferguson shouted and swore at him for dropping too deep as he chased possession. The message eventually got through, although when he began the run which ended with the winner in the 111th minute, he was 20 yards inside the Aberdeen half. "The goal itself? Initially it was great play from Peter Weir. He waltzed past two or three players and clipped the ball up the line to Mark McGhee. Mark made a run and took it on, dragged it with his right foot and then played it over with his left. By then I had started making my forward run and I was basically there on my own. For some reason there were no defenders there. I was bearing in on goal with no marker to lose. "It was about instinct. I was there on my own, staring at a goalkeeper and watching Mark. When he crossed the ball I could see the flight of it, the goal, and the goalkeeper rooted to his line. All of a sudden he decided he had to come for the cross. I thought to myself, There's no way he's going to get this cross'. He was just far too late in making his move. Once it had passed his hands there was me, just about on my hands and knees. I didn't even really need to head it. "Open goal. I couldnae miss. People say to me, You could have missed it' but nah, I'd have been severely disappointed if I'd missed that. I just had to direct it into goal. That was it." Not quite. Hewitt was teased for his celebration, a little star jump which was neither one thing nor the other after he picked himself up from the goalmouth. "I keep getting a bit of stick about that. People say I was doing the Highland Fling or a star jump or whatever. When I headed it in I fell down on my knees, in the mud. I picked myself up and I was soaking. I wiped my hands on my shirt because my hands were covered in mud. Then I just jumped." He had just become the third and, for the time being, last man to score a Scottish club's winner in a European final. THE game was touched by tragedy. A 22-year-old supporter, Phillip Goodbrand, collapsed in the Ullevi and died. The man who handed Miller the cup, Uefa president Artemio Franchi, was killed three months later in a car accident. Real's goalscorer, Juanito, also died in a car crash in 1992 aged only 37. But all of the Gothenburg Greats' live on. They flew back from the final to find people standing on the roof of Dyce Airport to welcome them and more than 100,000 choking the city streets to see them on their open-topped bus. "It was amazing. The players were asking each other Where's a' these folk come fae'?" A motion was tabled in the House of Commons congratulating them. Messages arrived from the president of Bayern Munich and Liverpool manager Bob Paisley among others. On BBC breakfast television that morning presenter Selina Scott wore her Dons scarf. Ferguson and some of the players went on to more, sometimes greater, achievements, but for the club, Gothenburg was the pinnacle. Hewitt left Aberdeen in 1989, played for Celtic and St Mirren and dabbled in coaching before leaving football in 1999. These days he goes regularly to Pittodrie, an ordinary fan who just happens to be extraordinary. There is not an industry around Gothenburg like Celtic have about Lisbon, but as well as the screening next weekend a couple of dinners will be held and Ferguson's Manchester United will be at Pittodrie for a testimonial match on July 12. Most of the 1983 team will attend although Strachan, McLeish, McGhee, Black and Neale Cooper may be preoccupied by managerial duties of their own. It is several years since the entire team was last together. "In my lifetime it will never, ever happen again for Aberdeen," says Hewitt. "It might never happen again for any Scottish club. When you're out socialising in the town you will get fans coming up and wanting to shake your hand and say Thanks for 1983'. More than anything I enjoy meeting up with all the guys again because we never really see each other. Everyone is dotted all over the country." Aberdeen are putting together a commemorative DVD which may involve Hewitt flying to Gothenburg for some filming on the Ullevi pitch. He tells me it will be his first time back since 1983. "I've not been back to the Ullevi, I've not been back to Sweden at all." Footballers travel so much that one stadium or even county can seem much like another. When checking something later I discover that his mind was playing tricks: he played from the start when Aberdeen were back in the Ullevi for a 1986 European Cup quarter-final against IFK. Imagine John Hewitt, of all people, forgetting Gothenburg.

Mind boggles

100% correct.

Really not like him to come out with something like that is it Does he never learn...... on second thought don't bother to answer that.

Joke

Incredible but true, I'm afraid

Have cut a' the shit oot of the article about Ayr releasing players this weeks Ayrshire Post. Looks like the boy Stevenston is setting his sights high Meanwhile, Ryan Stevenson, who scooped three player of the year awards, is playing a waiting game as transfer speculation mounts. Stevo, who is under contract for another two years, has been linked with old club St Johnstone and Hartlepool United. He said: “Full-time football in England appeals to me and my agent has told me Hartlepool have been watching me.†Chairman Lachlan Cameron stressed there had been no contact from other clubs but vowed that Stevo wouldn’t be sold cheaply. He said: “Exciting players attract attention and I know that Ryan wants to play at the highest level but there has been no direct interest.â€

Think it might have been Derek Young's idea of a joke

FFS just heard Maybury's season is over. Fractured ribs in training Wonder who did that to him then ?

Doesn't look as if the posters on there would be too upset at his loss

P.S merged our posts and used my title, nae offence mate, but mine made it clearer what it was about

Cynical but true I feel

Another Dunfermline connection ABERDEEN today revealed they have added a new weapon to their summer star search. Pittodrie chief Willie Miller has confirmed that Craig Robertson has now joined the club’s scouting team. The former Dons and Dunfermline midfielder will scour the country helping to identify new talent for Jimmy Calderwood. Aberdeen have already secured their first new signing of the summer after Oldham’s Gary McDonald penned a pre-contract and former Dunfermline assistant boss Robertson will help to uncover more. “I know Craig very well and trust him in terms of his assessment of players,†said Miller. “I first approached him after he got everything sorted out with Dunfermline and he was keen to come on board. “I’m very pleased with the work he is doing and he’s happy to be back working for Aberdeen after previously serving the club as a player. “It’s good to have more experience on board and in terms of scouting he’s going to be an asset to the club. “I also know Craig’s capabilities as a coach and he’s now working for us in a consultancy capacity helping to source new players for us.†Calderwood, who will make major changes at Pittodrie this summer, echoed Miller’s views about Robertson. The Dons boss, who has been preparing his troops for Saturday’s New Firm clash with Dundee United, is pleased to have landed McDonald to get his recruitment drive off to a flying start. And Robertson will help to lighten the workload placed on assistant Jimmy Nicholl and coach Sandy Clark who share scouting commitments. Calderwood added: “Craig has been looking at some players for us. “It’s great to have another set of eyes available and another opinion about certain individuals. “He’s been out and about looking at some of our targets and has filed some reports on them. “With us being tied up with Aberdeen’s matches, it’s good to have someone else who can work for us.â€