GRAND MASTERS

MATHEW MANN TALKS TO ABERDEEN LEGEND JOHN MCMASTER ABOUT HOW ALEX FERGUSON CHANGED THE MINDSET AT THE CLUB AND MADE THEM KINGS OF EUROPE 40 YEARS AGO

- MATHEW MANN

THERE was a surprising name at the top of the European Football Club rankings in April 1984 – Aberdeen.

Formed in 1903, the Dons are one of a handful of clubs that have never been relegated. Although they were competitive, it wasn’t until David Halliday became manager in 1937 that Aberdeen began to win trophies - the Scottish Cup in 1947, followed by the league title in 1955.

However, the proceeding years were barren, with the two Glasgow clubs, Rangers and Celtic, dominating Scottish football.

Enter Alex Ferguson. The now legendary Scottish manager jumped at the chance to join Aberdeen in June 1978, having just been dismissed by St Mirren – the only club ever to sack him.

The first player to greet Ferguson on his arrival at Pittodrie was Dons midfielder John McMaster.

“Before Sir Alex arrived at Aberdeen, there was a mentality within the whole set-up that we were quite happy to be legends by finishing as runners-up in the league and reaching cup semi-finals,” says McMaster in his newly released autobiography McMaster & Commander. 

“In some ways this view was shared by the supporters. I personally think that at that time Aberdeen FC would have been viewed as a club that did enough to get by.

“But getting by wasn’t good enough for Sir Alex. He set about taking this sleeping giant of a club forward and was determined to turn us into a global, world-class football team.

“In the boss’s first year in charge we reached the 1979 League Cup final where we lost to Rangers. After the game we travelled to Perth for the runners-up banquet that the club laid on for us.