"Ah, well, here we go again. No longer has the dust settled on the celebratory champagne corks and another season of anxiety and worry await us all. With all the new signings this really is a journey into the unknown. If we don’t get it right sharpish I fear a long, hard season ahead. If we do, you never know, we may even surprise ourselves." |
| Colin Inglis |
This concentrates purely on away games which we are likely to travel to between now and Christmas. Obviously there are a number of home games which we will attend either independently or in groups, but to include home games before the league settles down and and other commitments become apparent it is impossible to include them. Also, I couldn't be arsed.
It’s been a long close season, but strangely felt very short all at once. Maybe that’s the way it works when you are Champions (note the capital C). Anyway, enough of such (enjoyable) reminiscing, on with FE IV ..
Dunfermline Ath (A) 9/8/97
Falkirk (A) 16/8/97
Hamilton (A) 30/8/97
Airdrie (A) 27/9/97
St Mirren (A) 18/10/97
Morton (A) 25/10/97
Dundee (A) 15/11/97
Raith Rovers (A) 29/11/97
Stirling (A) 6/12/97
Partick (A) 20/12/97
Scotland vs Belarus (H) 6/9/97
Scotland vs Latvia (H) 11/10/97
9th Aug 1997
Dunfermline Ath (A) Coca-Cola Cup Round 2
Departure: 10:00 from 3C Cuparstone Court
Driver: Colin
Plans: Leave Aberdeen and head to sunny Dunfermline. No stops for a change, just 5 guys (4 until we get back) on a beer and footy bonanza. A funny place Dunfermline. Mixed memories of 3-1 Scottish Cup wins and annual 6 goal slaughters ensure that feeling of approaching the unknown.
To be honest, a narrow defeat, a chance to give the new boys a chance to "gel", stacks of finest ale and a goal or 2 and I think most of us wouldn’t be too unhappy. Back to Aberdeen, mair beer, then a long-awaited return to our spiritual home, Oh Henry’s.
16th Aug 1997
Falkirk (A)
Departure: 10:00 from 3C Cuparstone Court
Driver: OC (Thanks)
Plans: Ah Brockville ! If I’m not mistaken this is the last season for one of Scotland’s finest examples of pre-jurassic architecture (Statto mode - admittedly Brockville is not as old as Somerset, now the second oldest ground in Scotland behind Boghead - it just looks it). Normally August afternoons are sun-kissed occasions with bronzed fans strolling around in blazing sunshine. That is, unless you are in Falkirk. You see, the sun never shines in Falkirk. This has a depressing effect on teams visiting and this is the reason it is so difficult to get points from Falkirk.
Seriously though, they have not improved during the summer as much as one would have expected with the money generated from their cup run. They seem fairly average at best, and as such we should be looking to take at least a point. Anyway, stop at The Horn, onto Falkirk, a few swallies, a point or 3, home via somewhere bizarre, then a crawl round the less salubrious pubs and nightspots of Aberdeen, before pathetic attempts at acting sober to procure our entry to Oh H’s.
30th Aug 1997
Hamilton (A)
Departure: 10:00 from 3C Cuparstone Court
Driver: OC (Cheers, Big Ears)
Plans: Possibly first all-ticket game of the season. I used to see Hamilton as one of these (slightly) smaller clubs who were harmless and little danger to our plans of greater things. Well, much like the promotion season with St Johnstone a few years back, a rivalry has developed between Hamilton and Ayr. Annoyingly, for a club of so few fans and no ground, they have a fairly tidy team, so this again will be a difficult and crucial match. It is exactly this type of game where we need to take points if we are not to struggle this season. It’s all very well saying "win your home games", but that theory in itself will not be enough to fall back on.
This is getting boring - stop at The Horn, a few in Coatbridge (or wherever they are these days), footy, beer, a few more, end up in Amadeus (na, just kidding, Oh H’s as usual).
27th Sept 1997
Airdrie (A)
Departure: 10:00 from 3C Cuparstone Court
Driver: OC (thanks)
Plans: If we get promoted this season, there will no doubt be redevelopment work required at Fir Park and Motherwell will move their home games to Broadwood, thus ensuring we have to endure further visits to Toytown. I despise this featureless desert of a football ground. No atmosphere, intellectually-challenged home fans and a wind tunnel numbing fans and players alike will sum up this truly XXX-rated affair.
I don’t think Airdrie are as good as they were last season. However, they will still prove a very difficult side to beat. Few clubs would complain about taking a point from Broadwood.
An early leave for a late finish - stop at The Horn, a few in Cumbernauld town (as last season), the match (with thermals in September) and Coupar Angus on the way home - just to remind the innkeeper that his beloved Killie are balls. Finally, a night on the squoosh in Aberdeen.
18th Oct 1997
St Mirren (A)
Departure: Friday Night/Saturday Morning
Driver: TBA
Plans: A visit to another of the grounds that Barr built. St Mirren are at last threatening to deliver what they have promised over the last few seasons with a number of their younger players starting to make an impact at first team level. However, by the time we visit Love Street they will no doubt have sold one or two more of their "starlets" and replaced them with ageing, ugly puddings in the Tommy Turner mould.
Could be a weekend in Ayr this one - if so, car/bus/train to Paisley, attend the footy and back to Ayr for a night out, undoubtedly ending up in Powerhouse. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..
25th Oct 1997
Morton (A)
Departure: Friday Night/Saturday Morning
Driver: TBA
Plans: As with St Mirren the week before, this could also require a weekend in Ayr, though this remains to be seen. After seeing Morton defeat Ayr on the first day of the season, this will be a far from easy match. The sheer size and strength of their defence, combined with the guile provided by their new continentals will make Morton a very tough nut to crack.
If in Aberdeen, leave early doors, possibly heading onto Ayr after the match. If leaving Friday night, up from Ayr, sample the raw beauty of Greenock, watch the footy and head back for yet another night on the tiles. I’m getting knackered and skint just typing this !
15th Nov 1997
Game: Dundee (A)
Departure: TBA Train Station
Driver: n/a
Plans: Cammy Fraser - can you hear me ! Bobby Glennie - can you hear me ! Cowboy McCormack - can you hear me ! Your pubs took one hell of a drinking !! Our "home" match of this season, and as such, a big occasion. Obviously one of the tougher matches of the season, but we have a strange habit of doing well against Dundee (apart from 1980/81 Bell’s League Cup Semi-final, but we don’t want to talk about that). Maybe we have an Indian Sign over them, whatever that’s supposed to mean.
Anyway, a short train journey, with arrival planned to coincide with the opening of the pubs. During the long walk from the station to the ground refreshments aplenty will be required, and as such, acquired. Arrival at the ground, puggled ( as Oor Wullie would say) after the walk up that hill, watch the footy, steal a point and head back to the station to arrive in Aberdeen mid to late evening. Hopefully a night on the sauce upon our return, but I DO think we should give Clarkies-happy-hour-doubles-for-singles a miss if we intend to (attempt to) last the duration.
29th Nov 1997
Raith Rovers (A)
Departure: 10:00 from 3C Cuparstone Court
Driver: OC (AKA Dad)
Plans: Raith are very much in the same boat as us this season. With many changes at the club, their fans must be apprehensive about what awaits in the coming season. By the time this game arrives both sets of fans will have a fair idea of which direction they are heading. Let’s hope we are the ones pleasantly surprised.
An early leave to partake in some pre-match beverages possibly at the Starks Bar, followed by the footy at another Barr Production ("For Heavens Sake, How Many Times ???", I hear you cry). Depending on the circumstances a point to head up the road with may be no bad thing.
Back to Aberdeen - see above for details, but fair to say Oh H’s will be a blurred sea of silly hats and ridiculous runs. Photos may be required as proof.
6th Dec 1997
Stirling (A)
Departure: Friday Morning
Driver: TBA
Plans: Forthbank is the most boring, featureless, dull, non-event football ground in Scotland, UK, Europe and the World. Watching your team getting beaten is terrible at the best of times, but getting beaten by a sub-standard football team, in front of a pitiful crowd on an industrial estate in central Scotland with no atmosphere must be one of the most nut-numbing ways to spend a Saturday afternoon in December. Little, if anything, could be worse.
If William Wallace was alive today, he’d probably be a Hun - and, sadly, I could almost forgive him. Oh aye, almost forgot - car, beer, football, more beer, singing, even more beer, Oh H’s, blah, blah ..
20th Dec 1997
Partick (A)
Departure: Friday Morning
Driver: TBA
Plans: Cute old Partick - doesn’t the Glasgow media just love them. Personally, I find it quite funny that they absolutely pants these days. Still, we may end up in a relegation dogfight with them so this could be a very important game. This game is certain to go ahead due to Partick’s undersoil heating which ensures all games, whatever the weather, go ahead. Oh sorry, did I say undersoil heating? What I actually meant was one man with a broken brush pathetically attempting to brush the snow off the pitch (remember Partick vs Aberdeen 3 years ago ?).
Christmas in Glasgow-definitely Santa hats and the old Jingle bells song if we were to win. On the other hand a bleak mid-winter if we are to lose.
I suggest an early leave, with a brief respite from our hangover at The Horn (from the Xmas nights out the night before), followed by beers to renew our optimism for the future of our great club. Back to Aberdeen, more beers followed by pathetic attempts to prey on pretty girls who, on Christmas nights out, can’t "handle it".
I’d better go, as I think I’m losing it. Let me know of any thoughts plans, etc. yo u may have as all input is gratefully received.
Ba, bye now.
El PresPS - Bonus matches
6th Sept 1997
Scotland vs Belarus (H!)
Departure: n/a
Driver: n/a
Plans: Whey Hey !! This will be a most excellent adventure. We have organised about 20 tickets together in the South Stand, most of which have been taken up by us and some of our Sheep-preferring friends. The plan is for an early meet, "huners and huners" of beers, Pittodrie for some xenophobic jingoism, howl our heroes home, then a night of the tiles in Aberdeen.
(Soapbox mode - It’s a disgrace they tried to move this game to Glasgow after playing two matches at Kilmarnock. To even think of moving it to that bigot-infested city is a disservice to the large number and proportion of fans who follow Scotland from the North-east and the Highlands. SFA - shame on you.)
11th Oct 1997
Scotland vs Latvia (H)
Departure: 10:00 from 3C Cuparstone Court
Driver: OC (hopefully)
Plans: My Birthday !! World Cup Qualification !! All roads lead to Shamblesville, France. An early leave, soak up the pre-match atmosphere (whether it be in Edinburgh or Glasgow), World Cup qualification, back to Aberdeen, beer, celebration, beer, bed, wake up, through Sunday, bed and travel agent on Monday morning.