1986–87 Aberdeen F.C. season

Aberdeen
1986–87 season
ChairmanDick Donald
ManagerAlex Ferguson
(until 6 November)
Ian Porterfield
Scottish Premier DivisionFourth place
Scottish CupThird round
Scottish League CupQuarter-final
UEFA Cup Winners' CupFirst round
Tennents' SixesWinners
Top goalscorerLeague: Billy Stark (12)
All: John Hewitt
Billy Stark (14 each)
Highest home attendance23,500 vs. Rangers, 2 May 1987
23,500 vs. Celtic, 3 September 1986
Lowest home attendance6,000 vs. Clydebank, 11 April 1987
Average home league attendance12,787

Aberdeen competed in the Scottish Premier Division, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in season 1986–87.

Overview

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Aberdeen lost their manager Alex Ferguson to Manchester United in November 1986. He was replaced by Ian Porterfield. On the field, the club finished in a disappointing fourth place in the Premier Division, and were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions by Celtic. In Europe, they were knocked out of the Cup Winners' Cup by Swiss club FC Sion at the first round stage.

New signings included midfielder Bobby Connor from Dundee and striker Davie Dodds from Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax.

Results

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Scottish Premier Division

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Match Day Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
1 9 August Dundee United A 1–2 Stark 10,910
2 13 August Hibernian H 4–0 Stark, Gray, J. Miller, Angus 12,983
3 16 August Hamilton Academical H 2–0 Stark (2) 10,316
4 23 August Celtic A 1–1 J. Miller 46,073
5 30 August Dundee H 2–0 J. Miller, Hewitt 12,486
6 6 September St Mirren A 1–1 Stark 4,435
7 13 September Heart of Midlothian H 0–1 15,625
8 20 September Clydebank A 3–1 Hewitt, Weir 2,766
9 27 September Rangers A 0–2 40,155
10 4 October Motherwell H 2–2 W. Miller, Dodds 8,751
11 8 October Falkirk A 3–3 Stark, McLeish, Bett 4,800
12 11 October Dundee United H 2–0 Hewitt (2) 14,922
13 18 October Hibernian A 1–1 Connor 9,127
14 25 October Hamilton Academical A 1–0 Bett 3,001
15 1 November Dundee A 2–0 Porteous, Dodds 8,200
16 8 November St Mirren H 0–0 11,366
17 15 November Heart of Midlothian A 1–2 Hewitt 17,108
18 19 November Clydebank H 5–0 Stark (2), Connor (2), Hewitt 7,301
19 22 November Rangers H 1–0 Dodds 21,733
20 26 November Celtic H 1–1 McLeish 22,040
21 29 November Motherwell A 1–0 Weir 4,479
22 3 December Falkirk H 1–0 Stark 9,253
23 6 December Dundee United A 0–0 10,242
24 13 December Hibernian H 1–0 Stark 11,003
25 20 December Celtic A 1–1 J. Miller 32,624
26 27 December Hamilton Academical H 0–0 10,500
27 1 January Dundee H 2–1 Wright, Grant 11,000
28 21 January Heart of Midlothian H 2–1 Grant, W. Miller 15,030
29 24 January Rangers A 0–0 44,000
30 27 January Clydebank A 5–0 Hewitt, Dodds, Wright (2), Connor 2,007
31 7 February Motherwell H 1–0 Wright 10,000
32 21 February Falkirk A 3–0 Stark (2), McLeish 5,000
33 25 February St Mirren A 0–1 3,553
34 28 February Dundee United H 0–1 14,000
35 7 March Hibernian A 1–1 Bett 6,000
36 14 March Celtic H 1–0 Irvine 20,000
37 21 March Hamilton Academical A 2–0 Bett, Porteous 3,594
38 28 March St Mirren H 0–1 7,000
39 4 April Dundee A 1–1 Grant 4,346
40 11 April Clydebank H 1–1 Irvine 6,000
41 18 April Heart of Midlothian A 1–1 Hewitt 12,539
42 25 April Motherwell A 2–0 Hewitt, Miller 2,886
43 2 May Rangers H 1–1 Irvine 23,500
44 9 May Falkirk H 3–1 Hewitt, Miller, Grant 6,500

Final standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Celtic 44 27 9 8 90 41 +49 63 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3 Dundee United 44 24 12 8 85 34 +51 60
4 Aberdeen 44 21 16 7 63 29 +34 58
5 Heart of Midlothian 44 21 14 9 64 43 +21 56
6 Dundee 44 18 12 14 74 57 +17 48
Source: Statto
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Scottish League Cup

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Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R2 20 August Alloa Athletic H 4–0 J. Miller, Hewitt (2), Connor 7,000
R3 27 August Clyde H 3–1 Stark (2), J. Miller 8,081
QF 3 September Celtic H 1–1 Connor 23,500

Scottish Cup

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Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R3 1 February Celtic H 2–2 Bett, Hewitt 23,000
R3 R 4 February Celtic A 0–0 55,405
R3 2R 9 February Celtic N 0–1 21,255

European Cup Winners' Cup

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Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 L1 17 September Switzerland FC Sion H 2–1 Bett, Wright 12,312
R1 L2 1 October Switzerland FC Sion A 0–3 11,800

Squad

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Appearances & Goals

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Premier Division Scottish Cup League Cup Europe
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Scotland SCO Bryan Gunn 4 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
GK Scotland SCO Jim Leighton 48 0 42 0 3 0 1 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO Brian Irvine 23 0 20 0 0 0 2 0 1 0
DF Scotland SCO Tommy McIntyre 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF Scotland SCO Stewart McKimmie 45 0 37 0 3 0 3 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO Alex McLeish 48 0 40 0 3 0 3 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO Tommy McQueen 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF Scotland SCO Willie Miller (c) 43 0 36 0 3 0 2 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO Brian Mitchell 22 0 17 0 0 0 3 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO David Robertson 42 0 34 0 3 0 3 0 2 0
DF Scotland SCO Ian Robertson 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Ian Angus 2 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Jim Bett 45 6 38 4 3 1 2 0 2 1
MF Scotland SCO Bobby Connor 39 6 32 4 3 0 3 2 1 0
MF Scotland SCO Brian Grant 18 4 15 4 3 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Stevie Gray 16 1 13 1 0 0 3 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO John McMaster 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Ian Porteous 9 2 9 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Neil Simpson 8 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF Scotland SCO Billy Stark 40 14 36 12 0 0 2 2 2 0
MF Scotland SCO Peter Weir 40 2 35 2 1 0 2 0 2 0
FW Scotland SCO Davie Dodds 29 4 25 4 3 0 0 0 1 0
FW Scotland SCO Willie Falconer 7 0 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO John Hewitt 42 14 33 11 4 1 3 2 2 0
FW Scotland SCO Frank McDougall 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW Scotland SCO Joe Miller 34 8 28 6 3 0 3 2 0 0
FW Scotland SCO Paul Wright 31 5 25 4 3 0 1 0 2 1

References

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  • Kevin Stirling. Aberdeen A Centenary History 1903-2003. Desert Island Books 2002. ISBN 1-874287-49-X.