Aberdeen
Aberdeen Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen, Scotland, founded in 1903 through the amalgamation of three local clubs. They compete in the Scottish Premiership at Pittodrie Stadium, which has a capacity of 19,274, and have never been relegated from the top division since joining in 1905. Aberdeen have won four Scottish league titles, eight Scottish Cups, and six Scottish League Cups, and are the only Scottish team to have won two European trophies - the European Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup in 1983 under Alex Ferguson. They were the last club outside the Old Firm to win a league title in 1984-85 and the last Scottish team to win a European trophy, with their most recent major success being the 2024-25 Scottish Cup.
History
Overview
General information about the club
Aberdeen Football Club was formed in 1903 following the merger of three Aberdeen-based clubs: Aberdeen, Victoria United, and Orion. The club has maintained its position in the top tier of Scottish football since being elected to the expanded First Division in 1905, making them one of the most stable clubs in Scottish football history. Throughout their existence, they have played at Pittodrie Stadium, which became the first all-seated and all-covered stadium in the United Kingdom.
Most recent season and achievements
Aberdeen's recent period has been marked by renewed competitiveness under various managers. After a 19-year trophy drought, they won the 2013-14 Scottish League Cup under Derek McInnes. The club achieved multiple second-place finishes in the Scottish Premiership during the 2010s behind Celtic. Most significantly, on 24 May 2025, Aberdeen won their first Scottish Cup in 35 years after beating Celtic on penalties, marking their return to major trophy success under manager Jimmy Thelin.
History
Early years
The current Aberdeen F.C. was formed following the merger of three clubs based in the city in 1903. Their first match was played on 15 August 1903, a 1-1 draw with Stenhousemuir. The new club applied for Scottish League membership and were elected to the Second Division for their first season. Despite finishing seventh out of twelve teams in their debut season, Aberdeen were elected to the new, expanded First Division in 1905 and have remained in the top tier ever since.
Under manager Jimmy Philip from 1904, the club made steady progress with Scottish Cup semi-final appearances in 1908 and 1911. In the 1910-11 season, Aberdeen recorded their first victories over the Old Firm of Celtic and Rangers and led the league for a time before finishing second. World War I significantly affected the club, forcing them to drop out of competitive football in 1917 along with Dundee and Raith Rovers. Senior football returned on 16 August 1919.
Successful period
The most successful period in Aberdeen's history came under manager Dave Halliday (1939-1955) and later Alex Ferguson (1978-1986). Halliday became the first manager to bring national trophies to Pittodrie, winning the Southern League Cup in 1945-46 by defeating Rangers 3-2 at Hampden. This was followed by the club's first major trophy, the 1947 Scottish Cup, with a 2-1 victory over Hibernian. Halliday's team won Aberdeen's first Scottish League title in 1954-55.
The Ferguson era (1978-1986) represents the golden period of Aberdeen football. Under Ferguson's guidance, the club won three league championships, four Scottish Cups, one League Cup, the European Cup Winners' Cup, the European Super Cup, and a Drybrough Cup. Key players included Jim Leighton, Willie Miller, Alex McLeish, and Gordon Strachan. The pinnacle came on 11 May 1983 when Aberdeen beat Real Madrid 2-1 after extra time to win the European Cup Winners' Cup, becoming only the third Scottish side to win a European trophy.
Crisis and recovery
After Ferguson moved to Manchester United in November 1986, Aberdeen struggled to compete with Celtic and a resurgent Rangers. The club experienced various management changes and financial difficulties. The low point came in the 1999-2000 season under Ebbe Skovdahl when they finished bottom of the table, though they retained their top-flight status due to stadium requirement issues affecting promotion candidates.
The period from 2000-2013 saw continued struggles with multiple manager changes including Steve Paterson, Jimmy Calderwood, Mark McGhee, and Craig Brown. Notable low points included a 9-0 defeat to Celtic in November 2010 under McGhee and a 19-year wait for a major trophy.
Current period
Derek McInnes was appointed in March 2013 and immediately transformed the club's fortunes. In his first season, Aberdeen won the 2013-14 Scottish League Cup, ending their 19-year trophy drought. The club achieved consistent second-place finishes in the Scottish Premiership during the 2010s and made regular European appearances.
Following McInnes' departure in March 2021, Aberdeen went through four managers in three years: Stephen Glass, Jim Goodwin, Barry Robson, and briefly Neil Warnock as interim manager. In April 2024, Jimmy Thelin was announced as the new manager, taking charge in June 2024. Under Thelin, Aberdeen won the 2024-25 Scottish Cup, their first triumph in the competition in 35 years.
Achievements and Honors
Domestic competitions
Aberdeen have won four Scottish league titles (1954-55, 1979-80, 1983-84, 1984-85), eight Scottish Cups, and six Scottish League Cups. Their most recent Scottish Cup victory came in 2024-25 when they defeated Celtic on penalties, ending a 35-year wait for success in the competition. The club also won the League Cup in 2013-14, breaking a 19-year trophy drought. They were the last club outside the Old Firm to win a league title, achieving this feat in 1984-85.
Continental and global competitions
Aberdeen are the only Scottish team to have won two European trophies. In 1983, they won the European Cup Winners' Cup by defeating Real Madrid 2-1 after extra time in the final. This was followed by victory in the European Super Cup in December 1983, when they beat Hamburger SV over two legs. These achievements under Alex Ferguson made Aberdeen the last Scottish team to win a European trophy.
Symbols and Colors
Current logo and logo history
The club did not have an official crest before 1972, but several variations on the letters AFC had occasionally featured on shirts. In November 1972, Aberdeen unveiled an official crest designed by Aberdonian graphic designer Donald Addison. The design represented a capital letter A as the side view of a football goal, with a ball forming the crossbar. The ball was crosshatched to depict it as being inside the net, signifying the scoring of a goal.
This badge was used on shirts from around 1978, with modifications in the mid-1980s when "Aberdeen Football Club" was added in a circular border and the founding date of 1903 was included. The current version was introduced at the start of the 1997-98 season. Two stars signifying the winning of the two European trophies in 1983 were added over the badge in the 2005-06 season.
Traditional home and away kits colors
For their first season, Aberdeen played in predominantly white strips. In 1904-05, they adopted black and gold striped shirts, earning the nickname "the Wasps." This color scheme lasted until March 1939, when Aberdeen changed to red and white, reflecting the silver and red colors of the official City of Aberdeen arms.
Since 1966, Aberdeen have worn an all-red kit similar to Liverpool, who made a similar change around the same time. This arrangement has continued to the present day with various design modifications. Away colors have typically been white (often with black shorts) or yellow and black combinations, referencing the pre-war black and gold strips.
Traditional club anthem
The club's supporters sing "The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen" and "Stand Free," the latter set to the tune of "Lord of the Dance."
Traditional Rivals
Rangers
Aberdeen's rivalry with Rangers developed during the 1980s following several incidents in matches between the clubs, including Willie Johnston's stamp on John McMaster's neck and Neil Simpson's tackle on Ian Durrant in 1988. Manager Alex Ferguson's personal history with Rangers also contributed, as he believed the club had frozen him out after discovering his wife was Catholic. The rivalry persists with occasional violent clashes between supporters.
Dundee United
In the early 1980s, Aberdeen and Dundee United were known as the "New Firm" due to their success both domestically and in Europe. However, this rivalry was not always reciprocated to the same degree as Dundee United have their city neighbors Dundee as closer rivals.
Celtic
Aberdeen's rivalry with Celtic increased during the 2010s as Aberdeen re-emerged as one of the top teams in Scotland. There have been minor incidents at games between the clubs as they competed for domestic honors.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Aberdeen developed a minor rivalry with Inverness Caledonian Thistle since Inverness were first promoted to the SPL in 2004. This is known as the North derby, as Aberdeen and Inverness are the two largest settlements in northern Scotland.
Club Traditions and Behind the Scenes
Sponsors
Shirt sponsorship began in 1987 with JVC as the initial sponsor. Since then, sponsors have tended to be local to Aberdeen, including Northsound radio station and several Aberdeen-based oil service companies. As of 2025, the current shirt sponsor is TEXO.
Nicknames
Aberdeen are known as "The Dons," a name in use since at least 1913. The origin is unclear but may derive from "don" meaning teacher (given Aberdeen's university town status), reference to the nearby River Don, or a contraction of "Aberdonians." Before this, they were known as "The Wasps" or "The Black and Golds" due to their yellow and black striped shirts. Rival clubs sometimes refer to them as "The Sheep," a term eventually embraced by supporters.
Ownership and finances
In November 2019, Major League Soccer side Atlanta United acquired less than 10 percent stake in Aberdeen for £2 million as part of a strategic alliance. Vice-chairman Dave Cormack became chairman, replacing Stewart Milne, while Atlanta United president Darren Eales took a seat on Aberdeen's board.
Traditions and culture
Aberdeen's supporters are known as the Red Army and are listed in the team squad as wearing the number 12 shirt. The club has had ultras groups including the Red Ultras (1999-2010) and Ultras Aberdeen (formed 2022), who create displays and use pyrotechnics. In the 1980s, a minority of supporters formed the Aberdeen Soccer Casuals, one of Britain's prominent casuals groups.
Stadium
Aberdeen have played at Pittodrie Stadium throughout their existence since 1903. The name derives from Pictish for "place of manure." The stadium currently seats 20,866 with a record attendance of 45,061 during a 1954 Scottish Cup match against Hearts. In 1978, Pittodrie became the first all-covered, all-seater stadium in Britain. The stadium features four stands: the Main Stand, Merkland Road Stand (Red Shed), South Stand, and Richard Donald Stand.
Aberdeen train at Cormack Park, opened in 2019 by Alex Ferguson, featuring multiple training pitches and serving as home to the Bobby Clark Football Academy. The club has been examining a move to a new stadium since 2009, with various plans proposed near Loirston Loch, Westhill, and the city's beachfront, though progress has been delayed by planning and financial challenges.