When the ‘Harrogate Bairn’ (author of earlier articles on Falkirk legends Tiger McLaughlan and Willie Whigham) asked me to submit an article to a Bairn’s fanzine as a Don’s supporter ahead of the league game at Pittodrie on 5^th April and without reference to the match statistics of the previous fifty years (Let’s put it this way, Falkirk have not had much luck in Aberdeen since 1958), I really did not have much idea where to start.

  In looking for common ground between the two clubs, it occurred to me several players came to mind all of whom had played for both teams over the decades.  The question then became, firstly, exactly how many players could I recall who wore both the red and navy blue jerseys and, secondly, could I engineer a ‘select’ team from their number covering all positions.  I would also require a manager and his assistant using the same criteria.

  Some serious trawling of the memory banks followed and the Aberdeen/Falkirk Select finally lined up as follows:

1. John Burridge

2. Stuart Kennedy

3. Tommy McQueen

4. Gary Smith

5. Tommy McMillan

6. Brian Irvine

7. Jimmy Wilson

8. Willie Allan

9. Lee Miller

10. Peter Hetherston

11. Jim Shirra

Substitutes: Steve Tosh, Jamie McQuilken and John Stewart

Manager: Alex Ferguson 

Assistant Manager: Billy Little

  Several players will not be known to younger readers.  More mature supporters will remember some as great characters in the game.  Comment on the individuals is worthwhile:

1. John ‘Budgie’ Burridge.  John was recognised as quite an eccentric goalkeeper and played well into his forties.  He turned out for both the Bairns and the Dons in 1994.  I seem to recall a press article from his time with Hibs suggesting he even wore his goalie gloves in bed.

2. Stuart ‘Kiddie’ Kennedy signed for Aberdeen from Falkirk for the start of the 1976/1977 season and was probably the finest full back to grace Pittodrie.  Stuart won all of Scotland’s major honours in his time with the Dons and a total of eight Scottish caps.  He was notably with Scotland in the ill-fated World Cup Finals in Argentina in 1978.  His career ended in Belgium in the semi-final of the European Cup Winners Cup with a knee injury albeit that Stuart figured on the bench in the win against Real Madrid in the final of the competition at Gothenburg as a gesture of respect by Manager Alex Ferguson.

3. Tommy McQueen was a decent full back and importantly won medals in three divisions of the Scottish League; Premier with Aberdeen, First with Falkirk and Second with Clyde.

4. Gary Smith, debuted for the Bairns in Season 88/89 and joined Aberdeen for the first of his two spells with the club in 1992.  He tried his luck on the continent with Rennes but returned to Pittodrie after only a short period away.  Gary did experience success with the Dons and had the distinction of scoring the winning goal in the Skol Cup final of 92/93 but unfortunately an own goal to give the cup to Rangers.

5. Tommy McMillan arrived in Falkirk from Aberdeen in 1972.  Tommy is still fondly remembered in Aberdeen as part of the Don’s team who, against all odds, beat Celtic in the 1970 Cup Final; Celtic having won themselves only a few days previously away against the mighty Leeds in the European Cup.  Sadly, Tommy was also part of the Bairn’s defence that shipped eight goals in thirty eight minutes to Aberdeen on 20^th September, 1972 in the League Cup competition of Season 72/73.  It has to be said, however, Falkirk won the second leg 3-2 at Brockville on 4^th October coming back from 2 down at half-time.  I presume honour was restored to a degree.

6. Brian Irvine, nine Scottish caps whilst at Aberdeen, was another import to Aberdeen from Falkirk.  He entered Pittodrie folklore in the Scottish Cup Final of 1989/90 when, in a penalty shoot out for the Cup, he took the Don’s ninth and decisive kick to win the match.  Brian is well known as a born again Christian and his fight against a muscular illness has been carried with widespread admiration.

7. Jimmy Wilson was the original man of many clubs having turned out for Aberdeen, Newcastle, Morton, Motherwell, Dundee and Falkirk.  He figured in the Aberdeen team that lost to the Celtic Lisbon Lions in the 1967 Cup Final, was capped by the Scottish League in the same year and subsequently signed for Falkirk around 1975.  Until quite recently at least, Jimmy was still involved with the Dons on a community basis.

8. Willie Allan was a player for both clubs during the early 1960’s firstly for Aberdeen.  I am at the edge of my recall on Willie and can add no more information.  A friend, however, remembers him as a useful inside forward.

9. Lee Miller is one of only a few of the players mentioned who is still active in the game.  Of the current Pittodrie squad, he would be first on my team sheet. For a big guy, he is nimble and leads the Don’s line intelligently.  The Bairn’s defence will need to watch him on 5^th April.

10. Peter Hetherston signed for Aberdeen in 1994 from Raith Rovers having left Brockville for Starks Park in 1990.  ‘Silky’ as he was known by fans in both Falkirk and Aberdeen was a pretty skilful player and a potential match winner on his day.

11. Jim Shirra moved to Pittodrie from Brockville in 1977.  He, as far as I can recall, figured in the deal that moved Gordon Strachan from Dundee to Aberdeen (the rest is history!), with Jim moving to Den’s Park where he rejoined several former Falkirk colleagues including Ally Donaldson and Wilson Hoggan.

  The substitutes, Steve Tosh, Jamie McQuilken and John ‘Budgie’ Stewart, continue to play and all by coincidence with Queen of the South.  Queen of the South stand between Aberdeen and a Cup Final slot this season in May with a semi-final tie scheduled for 12^th April.  Will one of these individuals come back to haunt Aberdeen?  I sincerely hope not!

  And so to the management team…… what can I say ?  Sir Alex requires no  further introduction or explanation.  ‘Fergie’ was a great player at Brockville from 1969 to 1973 but a legendary manager at Pittodrie.  Billy Little was a fine forward at Aberdeen and Falkirk manager during dare I say a difficult period involving seasons 76/77 to 78/79.

  What of the grounds?  I have to say Brockville, Pittodrie apart, was my favourite ground in Scotland.  I think it was Joni Mitchell who said, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”  I believe this to be true of Brockville.  The song involved, ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, goes on to say, if my memory serves me well, ‘They paved Paradise and put up a parking lot’ but, in Falkirk’s case, it should be changed to ‘They paved Paradise and put up a supermarket!’  At Brockville, who could ever forget changing ends at half-time involving passage over that small wooden bridge and it was Brockville that hosted two of the most unforgettable matches I have ever seen in my life.  On 11^th October, 1979, Falkirk beat Queen of the South 7-5.  The Bairns were quickly 3 down, level by half-time, 7-3 up by sixty-eight minutes and clawed back to 7-5 by the final whistle.  It was sensational stuff from the Bairns and the Doonhammers.  Secondly, on 1st September, 1971, Falkirk beat the Dons 3-1 under the floodlights at Brockville in front of a capacity crowd.  One down at half-time and outplayed, the Bairn’s comeback was admirable in only an atmosphere Brockville at night could supply.  A pitch invasion followed at full-time.  Regrettably, we will never be allowed to view such an outflow of fan’s joy again even, if on the evening, I looked at it pretty glumly from the away support.

The one that got away!  I am often asked which Falkirk player, who never made it to Pittodrie, I would like to have seen on our books.  There can and will be only one answer, Tiger McLaughlan.  I can say no more than refer you to a terrific article on this Falkirk legend by the Harrogate Bairn in an earlier issue of this fanzine.

  At the beginning of April, Falkirk travel to Pittodrie, still in search of a top six place at the time of writing and, in my opinion at least, with a great chance of beating the statistic I was told not to dwell on; a first win in fifty years.  Sadly, due to a family wedding, I won’t be there but could I have just missed the ‘Dawn’ of a new era with Falkirk breaking the run and achieving a place in the upper six? … …….or will it be another ‘Don Deal’?  Time will tell.

  Best wishes to all you Bairns.         
 Abby Dean.