The Guardian Joy of Six Training Ground Set Piece Goals

[BobbyBiscuit]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/jan/28/joy-of-six-training-ground-goals

 

6. Alex McLeish (ABERDEEN v Bayern Munich 1983)

 

But Ferguson had already earned himself a reputation as a wily set-piece schemer in Scotland, of course. And indeed across Europe, thanks to the signature moment of Aberdeen's 1983 Cup Winners' Cup campaign. The Dons looked to be heading out of the competition at the quarter final stage when, after a 0-0 draw at Bayern Munich, they were 2-1 down in the return leg at Pittodrie with 14 minutes to play.

 

But Ferguson had been working his men hard in practice. With the clock ticking, Aberdeen won a free-kick on the right. Gordon Strachan and John McMaster both went to take the set piece at the same time. The crowd groaned at the cock-up – but they were unaware that it had been pre-planned. As both players wandered disconsolately back to their starting points to take another run-up, Strachan checked, turned and whipped the ball into the area for Alex McLeish to head into the left-hand side of the net, with Bayern to a man on the back foot. So rocked were the German side by Aberdeen's audacity, they conceded the winning goal to John Hewitt almost straight from the restart.

 

Fergie's training ground industry had paid off. As had his determination to keep the plan under wraps: ahead of the game, he frequently stopped the team practicing the free-kick whenever old men walking their dogs passed by, on the off-chance they were Bayern spies.

[mini59dons]

Wasn't the groan because the fans had seen the same stunt before and it didn't work?

[Kowalski]

My favourite Dons goal 

[KGB]

I remember Strachan and McMaster even doing it at corners at one point so the opposition had no idea whether they were defending an outswinger or an inswinger.

[Stewart]

My favourite Dons goal 

 

Far too young to remember/have been more than a sperm but that is the greatest goal/winning goal combination I've ever seen.

 

Can't belive the camera was still on Eck when Hewitt was about to stick in the winner.

 

Think I was born twenty years too late.

[Reekie_Red]

If only Ebbe's "swarm of bees" corner tactic had been successful once

[tlg1903]

im pretty sure we did score from that at least once

[tsr]

Wasn't the groan because the fans had seen the same stunt before and it didn't work?

 

Fairly sure I read that it had worked before, in a game that wasn't screened on TV.

[Azteca1903]

We won a penalty off it during the sna ba' game v celtic. Can't think of a goal, mesmeric though that routine was.

[Tyrant]

Youtube clips or none of this happened.

[dave_min]

I'm pretty sure we scored from it at Almondvale - but i'm often wrong.

[glasgow sheep]

I'm pretty sure we scored from it at Almondvale - but i'm often wrong.

I thought it was Dens, Anderson header to bring us back from 2-0 to win the game.  In fact we maybe even scored twice with the "red arrows" that day, which I'm sure was the one and only time.  Dundee's players were trying to man mark and were tripping over each other

[BobbyBiscuit]

I thought it was Dens, Anderson header to bring us back from 2-0 to win the game.  In fact we maybe even scored twice with the "red arrows" that day, which I'm sure was the one and only time.  Dundee's players were trying to man mark and were tripping over each other

 

you are right re Anderson at Dens. that was one of his first games back