Pittodrie, Scottish Premiership, 3/11/25
Me still 360
Aberdeen Football Club
Founded – 1903
Nickname – The Dons
Honours – European Cup Winners Cup – 1982/83. European Super Cup – 1983. Scottish League – 1954/55, 1979/80, 1983/84 and 1984/85. Scottish Cup – 1946/47, 1969/70, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1989/90 and 2024/25. Scottish League Cup – 1955/56, 1976/77, 1985/86, 1989/90, 1995/96 and 2013/14. Drybrough Cup – 1980. Aberdeenshire Cup -1903/04, 1904/05, 1906/07, 1907/08, 1908/09, 1909/10, 1911/12, 1912/13, 1913/14, 1914/15, 1919/20, 1921/22, 1922/23, 1923/24, 1924/25, 1925/26, 1926/27, 1927/28, 1928/29, 1929/30, 1930/31, 1931/32, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1987/88, 1989/90, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1997/98, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2025/26.
At the start of the day it seemed the Dons were in action in two venues in the city tonight it was a bit of toss up on which game to attend. Poor planning by the fixture mannies saw this top flight fixture clash with the rearranged Aberdeenshire Shield tie up at Spain Park.(Or so I thought) Guaranteed if I was with the Wee Man he would have chosen the south of the city but due to a late appointment for a stress ECG for work purposes (the rules now due to the after effects of covid jabs on peoples health) I was on my tod and truthfully, really there was no toss up. In the end the Aberdeenshire Shield game did not happen tonight anyway,which I didnt find out until later on in the day. A rare foray down Merkland Road East was always to win given the lack of opportunities these days. Also, rare descents on bars I used to frequent nearby is something there is not much scope for these days. To the Butchers Arms with an Evening Express and a pint of Tennent’s was the pre match shenanigans . This stirring up a bit of what used to be in my head as this was the norm for so long in life until other factors came into play. To be noted the inexcusable price of EE these days. Fucking £1.30 the robbing bastards. I bet the inflation on the Tennent’s is nowhere near as severe as whats happened with the now Dundee rag from days of old when the Butchers was a frequent pre-Pittodrie stop off. There was definitely a nostalgic vibe to the early part of the night which was enjoyable. As I was leaving Andy Walker was on the telly at Pittodrie on Sky Sports news, I couldn’t hear him as the other TV’s noise was up. One thing I could guarantee that hasn’t changed over the years is his dislike for the Dons. It was probably better that the fantastic slap bass from Paul Simon’s ‘You Can Call Me Al’ was the soundtrack to the pub as I exited. From memory lane to Hutcheon Street I headed.
After an upturn in form what would happen here against a team with in a current slump? On the Dons, they were winning when by no means setting the heather alight which is an improvement on where they were not too long ago. They are keeping clean sheets which is an improvement. They have dropped the habit of losing which is an improvement. Slowly it is heading in an upward trajectory in Scottish fitba (Europe is as good as done, lets face it). Was it to carry on, would we be handing out more domestic abuse to St Mirren who it feels like we just played?
Arriving for kick off, the first thing I noticed was the size of St Mirren. All their players barring Fraser Taylor in the starting XI looked like they should be in a squared circle as opposed to a rectangular expanse of grass. The Dons opened brightly and looked to play the ball well. They had early chances for Keskinen who rattled the post, Aouchiche who headed a corner straight at Shamal George then Nisbet tried a lobbed effort which went wide. A good start and clearly the better side. St Mirren weren’t bringing much to the party and I think the first chance was when they scored what I have been reliably informed was a good goal (by a Dons fan watching at home). This coming from a weak attempt at commanding his box from Mitov. A supposed nudge saw the keeper drop the ball for Scott Tanser to stick into the net. I’ll need to see it again but given Mitov and catching recently its probably wasnt a foul. A lengthy VAR check culled the Buddies fans celebrations in the end. Mitov was then called into action late on when he palmed away a long range effort from Mandron. The Dons were the better team for sure but a couple of things that annoyed me. The desire to look for a backward pass is very apparent. Numerous players are guilty of it. There is also the sometimes overly patient approach to getting forward. This actually induces the backward ball. Jensen was getting pelters from some around me at times but if there is nobody forward for him what can he do. I think there was more of a narrative to the shouts as the man definitely has his deriders.
HT 0 v 0
One thing I noticed when the teams re-emerged for the second half was how far ahead of the team Nicky Devlin was to do his shuttles. Also on the captain, with my perch in the Y, I was well positioned to watch him guiding the youngsters on his left and right, Milne and Lobban. The guy is a proper captain and he really is one of the most important players in the side.
Where do you start with this half of fitba. If you were a neutral in Pittodrie then you were quids in. St Mirren started well and had Aberdeen camped in their half. A free kick was played into the box which saw a shot fly high wide and handsome. Next thing you know the resulting goal kick was halted by Steven MacLean and we all know what happens next. Penalty for handball. Again, I need to see it again. But what I will say. If it takes that long to call the ref then there is a serious doubt from the folk in charge. If there is that much doubt then you cant give it surely? Marcus Fraser scored from the spot. The Dons came more into it from here aided by the subs. I think Karlsson should have scored when he forced a block from just outside the box, but the effort seemed tame. If he should have scored then Aouchiche absolutely had to score when he fired the rebound into the Dick End. The goal was gaping with a keeper on the ground. Awful stuff. The Dons were looking much better than they did at the start of the half and deservedly got the equaliser when Dante Polvara(man of the match for the in my eyes)took advantage of poor defending to lash home from close range. It wasnt level for long. Karlsson thumped an Armstrong corner at goal which George saved leaving quickest man off the mark Lazetic to stick it in the net. Great strikers awareness. Then the shambles started to unfold. A long ball was hit towards Milne who made a pigs ear of things ending up falling over leaving Ayunga with the ball in the box. The angle was tight and he had no business scoring but he did. His effort didn’t beat Mitov at the near post it seemed to go through him. Yes Milne made the initial error but his keeper had to bail him out but he failed and fucking failed miserably. It wasnt the first error from Mitov and was not the last. From being arguably the best keeper in the league at one point he has forgotten how to command his box and it’s not just been tonight. It’s been season long. The feigning injury when failing to catch simple balls is laughable. The Dons were to retake the lead in what felt like immediate circumstances. Some neat quick passing on the left saw Armstrong find Lazetic who grabbed his second late in the game. Surely the Dons had done enough to see this through. But no and everyone of a Dons persuasion were let down again when Mitov shat the bed once more. Yes they were down to ten men, yes it was probably Molloy’s man who scored, yes the goal was beyond the eight minutes allocated but the Mitov has to claim the cross and Mitov has to make up for that error by saving the header from King, but he put the icing on the cake of his nightmare. Overall just not good enough despite clearly being the better team for the majority of the game.
It was almost like an old school occasion for me on the night and this was made all the more authentic with the massive “fuck off” at full time and the feeling of dejection walking up Merkland Road added to it. I got the all clear with my ECG earlier. I’m glad it wasnt done at ten o’clock at night as the machine would have blown up after watching the Bulgarian.
Entrance – £26
Attendance – 14826 (official)
Pie – £7.80, Coffee and pie
Pint – £4.30 Tennent’s, Butchers Arms
FITBAWBAG 