Windass never wanted to leave

[Kowalski]

Windass never wanted to leave

Alex wielded the axe

 

Published: 14/08/2008

 

I COULD still have been a Dons player today if it wasn’t for Alex Miller. 

 

To be honest, I blame him for wrecking my Pittodrie career.

 

Even before Miller took over the writing was on the wall for me as Keith Burkinshaw used to make me train on my own in the afternoons.

 

That was after we lost 5-0 to Dundee United at Tannadice, when I was sent off in the match that ended Roy Aitken’s reign.

 

I had hoped to be given a fresh chance when Miller took over.

 

I had to wait for my chance as I was suspended for weeks after what happened at Tannadice.

 

I scored in my first game under Miller, at home to Motherwell, then scored the winner at Pittodrie against Dundee United before he dropped me when we played Rangers away.

 

Any hope I had of staying on for a few more years , or even longer, evaporated under Miller.

 

We never had that dreaded chat, but it was clear he wanted me out of the club.

 

There was a clash of personalties – something that wasn’t there when Roy was in charge.

 

Miller would set me hard running challenges and expect me to fail, but I would always rise to them.

 

He also had a go at me for having a big mouth – it was his way of getting at me.

 

I really loved my time with the Dons and will always be grateful to Roy, pictured left, and Tommy Craig for giving me a shot at the big time.

 

They helped to transform me into the English Premier League player I am today.

 

I’ll never forget them.

 

I was always going to be under pressure following my £700,000 move from Hull City in 1995.

 

Going from the old English Second Division up to the Scottish Premier League was a huge jump up, but Roy had real confidence in me.

 

And thanks to his extra faith I was really flying for a spell under him.

 

Everything turned sour under Miller, but there was no way I was going to let him wreck my career.

 

I opted to return south and joined Oxford United for just £400,000 in 1998.

 

My 15 goals couldn’t save Oxford from relegation.

 

But that run of form won me a £1 million move to Bradford and I eventually made it into the Premiership with them.

 

That transfer sparked a new chapter in my career and you’ll get to read plenty about it in this column.

 

I’m delighted to be back.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

"Miller is a fucking plunger" shocker?

 

 

[BobbyBiscuit]

There was a clash of personalties

 

Mainly because Miller doesn't have one.

[BobbyBiscuit]

Alex Miller = dour faced cunt.

 

Cunt of a manager too.  One of the happiest days of supporting the Dons was when he fucked off.

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

 

To be honest, I blame him for wrecking my Pittodrie career.

 

Even before Miller took over the writing was on the wall for me as Keith Burkinshaw used to make me train on my own in the afternoons.

 

 

 

So he blames Miller but in the very next sentence he says it was Burkinshaw who was forcing him out.

 

Anti-Miller headlines will get the fans onside and sell a few more copies of the EE than anti-Burkinshaw ones though I suppose. 

[tlg1903]

Burkinshaw was a fucking tit as well though.  The guy did absolutely nothing at the club

[Dandy_Don]

I met Deano when my brother was in the Dons Youngstars (do they even still exist?), and they had one of their end of season bashes. Seemed a really decent bloke, took the time to speak to almost everyone (no mean feat given the amount of people in the RDS that day, and gave his all for AFC.

 

I agree Bobby, one of my best days as an AFC supporter was when Miller left the club.   :wave:

[Kowalski]

A. Miller

Burkinshaw

Aitken

 

All cunts of the highest order!

[boboisared]

 

 

 

So he blames Miller but in the very next sentence he says it was Burkinshaw who was forcing him out.

 

Anti-Miller headlines will get the fans onside and sell a few more copies of the EE than anti-Burkinshaw ones though I suppose. 

They were both two different smells of shit to be honest.

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

A. Miller

Burkinshaw

Aitken

 

All cunts of the highest order!

 

Amen brother. Praise the Lord, hallelujah!

[boboisared]

I think it was milners who said on the hat that he will always be grateful to Aitken for saving us from relegation and winning the league cup and I agree. But he was still an abortion of a manager.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I think it was milners who said on the hat that he will always be grateful to Aitken for saving us from relegation and winning the league cup and I agree. But he was still an abortion of a manager.

 

I think the players would have got us out of the relegation thing anyway, impossible to prove but just a hunch I have. I was obviously delighted when we won the cup too, but there was always just "something" about him that I never liked. I always think that if a manager is sacked then his assistant should be sacked too. Aitken should have done the honourable thing and follwed W.Miller out the door.

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

I don't think Aitken should have been allowed within 500yds of our club.

 

It was change that kept us up, not Aitken.

[boboisared]

I think the players would have got us out of the relegation thing anyway, impossible to prove but just a hunch I have. I was obviously delighted when we won the cup too, but there was always just "something" about him that I never liked. I always think that if a manager is sacked then his assistant should be sacked too. Aitken should have done the honourable thing and follwed W.Miller out the door.

I understand what your saying and I agree to a point but the same players weren't doing it before. He just seemed to always have this arrogant persona about him too. Plus that horrible mullet he had in the 80's.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I understand what your saying and I agree to a point but the same players weren't doing it before. He just seemed to always have this arrogant persona about him too. Plus that horrible mullet he had in the 80's.

 

Very true, remains a mystery how a team comprising of Snelders, McKimmie, Grant, Jess, Booth, Shearer, Glass, Smith, Wright, Miller could find themselves in that situation.  Suppose the flip side of that is that we also had players like Inglis, McKinnon, Kane, Hetherston 

[boboisared]

Very true, remains a mystery how a team comprising of Snelders, McKimmie, Grant, Jess, Booth, Shearer, Glass, Smith, Wright, Miller and Dodds could find themselves in that situation.  Suppose the flip side of that is that we also had players like Inglis, McKinnon, Kane, Hetherston 

 

Sorted that for you mate 

 

But yeah totally, we'd be challenging for the league with a team like that nowadays.

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

Nae chance. Maist of them are in their forties.

[boboisared]

Nae chance. Maist of them are in their forties.

I tip my hat to you fine sir.

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

It was obvious but somebody had to do it. The less 'amusing' reply is that, on the evidence so far, we have got the new Paul Kane and Ray McKinnon in centre midfield.   

[boboisared]

It was obvious but somebody had to do it. The less 'amusing' reply is that, on the evidence so far, we have got the new Paul Kane and Ray McKinnon in centre midfield.   

Rather that than Gillies and Buchan, though we did actually beat the huns when they were great with that pairing in the middle!!

[Guest bloo]

The less 'amusing' reply is that, on the evidence so far, we have got the new Paul Kane and Ray McKinnon in centre midfield.   

 

That is an interesting observation.

 

Give them a few games though, I think they'll come good.

[BobbyBiscuit]

 

 

Sorted that for you mate 

 

But yeah totally, we'd be challenging for the league with a team like that nowadays.

 

cheeky bastard!

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

That is an interesting observation.

 

Give them a few games though, I think they'll come good.

 

Yeah, I'm only being deliberately knee-jerk.

 

I give them three games. 

[Superstar Tradesman]

The sad thing about this is that we're still crying over losing a player about a decade ago.

 

Think of the number of players that have came and went since then and not offered us anything in return for our gate receipts.  In fact in that position alone there could be close to 50 player since then calling themselves strikers.

 

I'm not surprised the kids of Aberdeen are turning to the dark side.  Who the fuck imagines themselves running around a park, aged 8, shouting "Pasquinelli" as they toe poke the ball between two jumpers?

 

As the Stranglers once sang - no more heroes any more.

[PittodrieGoesBerserk]

We're not alone there though mate. That's the main symptom of post-millennium Scottish football. Not even the OF are immune from that - there are no more Larssons or McCoists for the gruesomes. With so much money in English fitba (from top to middle) and precious little up here, we're feeding off scraps.

 

The only hope is for Sky to do an ITV Sport, or people getting bored of football, and there's no sign of either of those happening soon.