During the heyday of Jim McLean’s mammoth twenty-two seasons as United boss, part of which played out against Aberdeen great Sir Alex Ferguson, you didn’t have to look lower than fifth in the table for over a decade to find the Tangerines and the Dons’ place in Scottish football.
Since the mid 90s, seven years after Ferguson left for Man United and a year after McLean put away his training whistle and put on his boxing gloves to go into the boardroom, the North-east’s ‘New Firm’ have had unforgiving fortunes.
76/77 – When it all kicks off
McLean, establishing himself as the dictator of United, and Ferguson, proving himself to be the young, aggressive, win at all costs miracle worker of St Mirren, these men took the power base of Scottish football out the central belt and slammed it down on the barren and harsh pastures of the North Sea coast.
McLean had been United boss for four seasons, Ferguson wouldn’t arrive at Aberdeen for another two but 1976/77 finished strong for both clubs, the Dandy Dons claiming third in the new style ‘Premiership’ and United going from eighth in the previous season up to fourth.
Following 76/77, McLean, establishing himself as the dictator of United, and Ferguson, proving himself to be the young, aggressive, win at all costs miracle worker of St Mirren, these men took the power base of Scottish football out the central belt and slammed it down on the barren and harsh pastures of the North Sea coast.
81/82 to 86/87 are the particular vintage years, the Dons winning two league titles, United winning one – with a squad of fourteen players – and both sides locking out the tail-end of the cup competitions – United regular League and Scottish Cup finalists and Aberdeen winning the Scottish Cup three years running.
Both clubs also had serious European stakes, Aberdeen famously beating Real Madrid to the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 83 and United beating Barcelona twice over two legs to reach the final of the Uefa Cup in 87.
Mid 90s decline
The days of asserting the pinnacle of Scottish football overlooking the grey waters of the North Sea are lost deep in the dunes of Balmedie.
94/95 is the season where the rot really began to show.
Ferguson was long gone, well on his way to building a new empire at Man United, and McLean had just given up the managerial role at Tannerdice and stepped up into the boardroom.
94/95 was a dethroning and humbling year for the New Firm with Aberdeen and United locked in a relegation battle – Aberdeen eventually finished 9th and United relegated from the league in 10th.
From there, Aberdeen managed to steady the ship and are now trying to build something new under Derek McInnes, who led the Dons to four second place finishes in a row between 14/15 and 17/18 (albeit with Rangers not in existence at the time).
United have had a more turbulent time, relegated twice and only just re-establishing themselves in the Scottish top flight this season after four years in the Championship.
Further articles:
–Tribute: Mr Dundee Utd and New Firm’s greatest adversary Jim McLean dies aged 83
–Analysis: the ‘Atlantic League’ is rolled out again as a suggestion to “revitalise” Scottish football. This time it’s got a £350m bow wrapped to it but does it add up?
–Bundesliga’s back after the winter break: review of the season so far and preview of what to look out for including a wonderkid and the world’s best player
–World Cup fact pact: Take a look at Scotland’s qualifying group for the 2022 Qatar World Cup, qualification starts in March
State-of-play now: on the up but the past is long gone
The days of asserting the pinnacle of Scottish football overlooking the grey waters of the North Sea are lost deep in the dunes of Balmedie.
The decades at the turn of the century where football was transformed into a money spinning entertainment business were pivotal in divvying out the first real big cheques in the sport, which ultimately fell into the coffers of the Old Firm.
Now, there’s simply no catching the Glasgow goliaths.
Both Aberdeen and United are making a resurgence to the top of Scottish football with good form in the league and the Hearts/Hibs axis – the other two big boys – going through a transition phase (Hearts are currently playing out a season in the Championship where it looks like they will bounce straight back into the top flight).
Aberdeen are favourites to finish third and United are having an impressive return season, currently sitting fifth in the Premiership.
Aberdeen can establish a tight grip on third with victory against the old adversary on Saturday while United can show both quality and fighting spirit in respect to the exacting standards set under the late McLean.
However it’s a very watered down version of success which these two club’s came accustomed to in the rip-roaring Eighties.
Aberdeen v Dundee United, SPL, Saturday 2nd January, 3pm KO.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 