11th May

[BobbyBiscuit]

...1983 - the pinnacle. 7 months later we'd be confirmed as the Kings of Europe, and on our way to a league and cup double.

 

...1985 - League title in the bag, but the frustrations of going out in the European Cup Quarter Finals looms over Pittodrie

 

...1986 - Cup double completed at a canter.

 

...1990 - the eve of completing another Cup Double.

 

...1991 - we lose the biggest game we had for years, the chance to win the league but a change in line-up and tactics and without our first choice goalkeeper mean we go down 2-0. The Dons had played with amazing skill and speed, one of the most entertaining Aberdeen sides of all time.

 

...1995 - After beating Dundee United, we can ensure our safety in the Premier League with a win at Falkirk and if results go our way elsewhere... we end up in the play offs with dunfermline and win comfortably. We win the league cup 6 months later, which will be our last silverware for at least 16 years.

 

... 2011 - Third bottom of the league and without a shot on target in over two matches, Pittodrie sees it's lowest ever crowd for a top flight league game and it is possible the fans have never felt so disconnected to AFC.  There is no connection between the (few) people in the stands and those on the pitch, some players are hated and are no longer wanted if they ever were in the first place.

The club is on it's knees and the people at the top seem oblivious.

 

Happy 11th May everyone. 

[Tyrant]

Thanks for that, Bobby. I'm feeling super now!

 

[BigAl]

The club is on it's knees and the people at the top seem oblivious.

 

 

And that Bobby is the most damning piece of your post.

Difficult to see where this will ever turn around

[BobbyBiscuit]

And that Bobby is the most damning piece of your post.

Difficult to see where this will ever turn around

 

Was looking at it there and surely the fact that nothing of substantial note has happened between 95 and now must tell those at the top that this just isn't right for our club?  I meant to put in the finishing bottom of the league in 2000 and the two cup finals as well, but what a sickening malaise... 16 years and fuck all has happened really.

 

Milne has presided over the bulk of this. Fuck the new stadium. Get a team on the park the fans can be proud of and then deal with everything else.  It's all arse about.

[Harcus]

Someone get that emailed to the club.

[dandy]

Nae even Kings of Aberdeenshire any more let alone Europe!!

[CtS]

 

...1985 - League title in the bag, but the frustrations of going out in the European Cup Quarter Finals looms over Pittodrie

 

 

Fergie's dross. 

[scotfree]

Just watching the Game on DVD now. 

[manc_don]

Nae even Kings of Aberdeenshire any more let alone Europe!!

 

that was quite embarrassing! I don't understand how the club can deem this to be acceptable. It's beyond a joke.

[bloo_toon_red]

11th May 2012

Craig Brown and Archie Knox's transformed youthful Aberdeen side cement their Europa League place and an upcoming trip to Hampden for their first cup final in over a decade.  Having turned down 7-figure sums for rising starlets Fraser Fyvie and Peter Pawlett who have dominated the Dons midfield in an impressive season, AFC have earned rave reviews for their style of play and next season the young side being a year older and wiser are expected to mount a serious title bid as a fitting farewell to fortress Pittodrie.

 

WHat a difference a year can make.  We have finished MMcG's second season of transition season meekly but with a grossly depleted squad filled with youngsters.  I have faith that Brown will sign at least 3 or 4 very good quality players this summer.  The likes of Smith, Milsom and Blackman (although the latter's form seems to have dipped since the beginning of the season) are all good players for this squad and I expect more of the same quality to be brought in this summer.  Brown and Knox will also vastly improve the young players on our books with a solid pre-season behind them.  AFC will be much, much better next year and we'll get back to top 6.  If we're not up there, I'll give you the money myself.

 

Keep the faith.

[BobbyBiscuit]

AFC will be much, much better next year and we'll get back to top 6. 

 

Hold me back...

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

Hold me back...

 

I'd tend to agree with BTR here but the problem isn't whether it happens anymore for most, it's giving a fuck either way. I'll be at more games next season, I expect, but there's plenty more I'd let get in the road of going than there ever was before and I'd doubt that will change much. The overwhelming apathy is something that will be very difficult to reverse and there will be fans lost to the club forever after these last 2 devastating seasons.

 

Craig Brown, your destiny awaits.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I'd tend to agree with BTR here but the problem isn't whether it happens anymore for most, it's giving a fuck either way. I'll be at more games next season, I expect, but there's plenty more I'd let get in the road of going than there ever was before and I'd doubt that will change much. The overwhelming apathy is something that will be very difficult to reverse and there will be fans lost to the club forever after these last 2 devastating seasons.

 

Craig Brown, your destiny awaits.

 

I agree that there are loads lost to it, i'll only pick and choose my games next season too because whether there is a drastic improvement in the Dons fortunes or not, the price puts me off.  Over £20 to watch a selection of footballers fail to trap a ball and consistently prove a 10 yard pass is beyond them is just not on... I can get all that for a quarter of the price at my local Juniors ground.  And if "Top Six" is all we've got to look forward to then I can live without it. We wouldn't even talk of or aim for "Top Six" if it wasn't for the utter abortion of a split we have in our league.

 

The "Keep the Faith" line is one I struggle with. In essence I agree and have used it myself many times before, but then logic tells me I shouldn't. They've let us down nearly every year for the last 16.  You could even say as much as 20. So why keep the faith when they've routinely given us nothing to hold on to and show a decreasing willingness to give us anything at all to cheer; whether that's the team on the park or how supporters are treated at Pittodrie or whatever. 

[Madbadteacher]

you forgot 11th May 1982....I passed my driving test

[bloo_toon_red]

I guess the truth is that Brown wasn't going to transform the team in one mid-season transfer window and I'd like to think the majority of fans with a shred of common sense realise that.

 

The point I was making was that he knows a player when he sees one as exemplified by his signings in January, and he and Knox have a good track record of developing young players too.

 

People can decide for themselves if they've had enough and they'd be entitled to make that choice given the rubbish we have had to deal with, no doubt about it.  However, this season is over and a new season means a new start.  There are seeds of optimism with the young players coming through, very likely 3 or 4 decent players coming in, and whether you are on board with it or not, an eye to the future with new modern facilities which will arguably be the best in the country.

 

We haven't had alot to be positive about in the recent past, but let's try and stay positive for the new season and give the new squad a chance.  The negativity around Pittodrie has been so damaging for years.  The club has their duty to give us something to shout about but we as fans also have a duty to back our team to the hilt and a bit of positive volition goes a long way.

[manc_don]

I guess the truth is that Brown wasn't going to transform the team in one mid-season transfer window and I'd like to think the majority of fans with a shred of common sense realise that.

 

The point I was making was that he knows a player when he sees one as exemplified by his signings in January, and he and Knox have a good track record of developing young players too.

 

People can decide for themselves if they've had enough and they'd be entitled to make that choice given the rubbish we have had to deal with, no doubt about it.  However, this season is over and a new season means a new start.  There are seeds of optimism with the young players coming through, very likely 3 or 4 decent players coming in, and whether you are on board with it or not, an eye to the future with new modern facilities which will arguably be the best in the country.

 

We haven't had alot to be positive about in the recent past, but let's try and stay positive for the new season and give the new squad a chance.  The negativity around Pittodrie has been so damaging for years.  The club has their duty to give us something to shout about but we as fans also have a duty to back our team to the hilt and a bit of positive volition goes a long way.

 

Whilst I don't disagree with anything you've said there, I personally am finding it quite difficult getting positive about next season. Obviously, I hope this changes, because this has been a complete abortion of a season on and off the pitch. Arguably the only things the club got right was the sacking off Magoo/appointment of a manager and the signings of Vernon, Hartely, Folly and Milsom. Thats not been a lot to shout about, and my concerns are that the board do not care/or are aware of the work involved in actually overhauling our team. I've emailed the club about this and they insist they are aware of the task ahead, but i remain sceptical. We cannot rely on youth in all departments, and need experience in crucial areas to develop these players.

 

Whilst the stadium and facilities are all well and good, there is no point in having some of the best facilities if we are in division 1. There are so many short term problems, which haven't been addressed, they're now long term ones. This could be one of the most important summers AFC has seen in a long time, it has to prove something to the fans before the fans show their side of the bargain that they have been holding since Milne took over.

 

As I said, I hope they get this right, and i'm sure my optimism will return over the course of the summer. But good riddance to a horrific season!

 

Stand Free.

[BobbyBiscuit]

I guess the truth is that Brown wasn't going to transform the team in one mid-season transfer window and I'd like to think the majority of fans with a shred of common sense realise that.

 

The point I was making was that he knows a player when he sees one as exemplified by his signings in January, and he and Knox have a good track record of developing young players too.

 

People can decide for themselves if they've had enough and they'd be entitled to make that choice given the rubbish we have had to deal with, no doubt about it.  However, this season is over and a new season means a new start.  There are seeds of optimism with the young players coming through, very likely 3 or 4 decent players coming in, and whether you are on board with it or not, an eye to the future with new modern facilities which will arguably be the best in the country.

 

We haven't had alot to be positive about in the recent past, but let's try and stay positive for the new season and give the new squad a chance.  The negativity around Pittodrie has been so damaging for years.  The club has their duty to give us something to shout about but we as fans also have a duty to back our team to the hilt and a bit of positive volition goes a long way.

 

I don't think the issue is with Brown and whether he's managed to transform the team after one mid-season window.

 

The bit in bold there... this is a huge part of the problem. AFC know or at least think the fans will turn up regardless. And for many seasons now that has been the case.  As TF said earlier in this thread, they're losing people now because of their unwillingness to act in any sort of positive fashion so perhaps the goodwill has now run out. 

 

Continuing to say "Doesn't matter how shite we are you should support the team" is all very noble and all that, but blind faith will get us nowhere as has been proven over the last umpteen seasons.

 

There are times when the club have pleaded for our support and on most of those occasions they have received it. Now it's time for the club to do something for us and prove they care about us and the future of something we all love.

 

We are a football club, get a team on the park that can play football above all else. We've not had one for years.

[Reekie_Red]

I guess the truth is that Brown wasn't going to transform the team in one mid-season transfer window and I'd like to think the majority of fans with a shred of common sense realise that.

 

The point I was making was that he knows a player when he sees one as exemplified by his signings in January, and he and Knox have a good track record of developing young players too.

 

I always worry when we're looking for a new manager that so many completely untried, novice managers who have only just gained their coaching badges throw their names into the hat. I was chuffed when we secured Brown. But what's even more important is that we secured Knox. Knox is one of the UK's most experienced Assistants, and he does not take any bullshit. He was assistant during Aberdeen's most successful period of all time. He was assistant during Rangers most successful period of all time. There's no denying that Knox is made of stuff that todays Drew Jarvies, Paul Heggarties and Scott Leitches will never know.

 

We've tried goodness knows how many combinations of players and tactics. I firmly believe that if this management team combination of Brown & Knox does not work, the ONLY thing left to try is a new board of Chairman/Board. This really should be the final throw of the dice for Milne et al

 

I'm ignoring the results from this season since Brown/Knox took over. They've added some decent quality to the squad, but they are still short of fully-fit Fyvie, Pawlett, etc, they are yet to see what Foster has to offer. They've also had to try and test McGhee's dross. This summer will be interesting. Brown MUST clear out all the dross.

 

I'm glad we're getting rid of the likes of Young and Diamond. He already saw fit to completely cancel the loan contract of Velicka six months ahead of schedule. Now he needs to do something with the likes of Paton who, in my view, has had too many chances to prove himself at Aberdeen, but fails time and time again to live up to his pre-match banter.

[TENEMENTFUNSTER]

This summer will be interesting. Brown MUST clear out all the dross.

 

 

 

He can't. We will always have "dross" of some shape of form, an inescapeable truth. The talent would be getting something worthwhile out of a group with a wee bit of talent but a lot of hard work and effort.

[Graeme_S]

I guess the truth is that Brown wasn't going to transform the team in one mid-season transfer window and I'd like to think the majority of fans with a shred of common sense realise that.

 

The point I was making was that he knows a player when he sees one as exemplified by his signings in January, and he and Knox have a good track record of developing young players too.

 

People can decide for themselves if they've had enough and they'd be entitled to make that choice given the rubbish we have had to deal with, no doubt about it.  However, this season is over and a new season means a new start.  There are seeds of optimism with the young players coming through, very likely 3 or 4 decent players coming in, and whether you are on board with it or not, an eye to the future with new modern facilities which will arguably be the best in the country.

 

We haven't had alot to be positive about in the recent past, but let's try and stay positive for the new season and give the new squad a chance.  The negativity around Pittodrie has been so damaging for years.  The club has their duty to give us something to shout about but we as fans also have a duty to back our team to the hilt and a bit of positive volition goes a long way.

 

what exactly is this bit in bold based on?

as much as I admire your optimism, regardless of Brown's eye for a player I can't see how anyone can be anything close to sure that we're gonna get decent players in.

our club has been a conveyer belt of folk that make me angry I didn't try a bit harder at becoming a professional myself!

Milsom has been a good spot by Brown, but then Blackman has been another drain on air/cash/hope. and regardless of Brown & Knox's contacts, we still need a board to back him up which is where any optimism disintegrates.