Aberdeen fans hit back at Strachan
By Michael Gannon
Published: 13/03/2010
Aberdeen supporters last night told Gordon Strachan to mind his own business after the Gothenburg Great branded a section of the club’s support as “morons”.
Strachan, manager at Middlesbrough, hit out at the Red Army for abuse aimed at his former Pittodrie team-mate and current manager Mark McGhee, who claimed he was spat at after the Dons’ Scottish Cup defeat against Raith Rovers.
Strachan said: “If you go back to a club, as Mark has done at Aberdeen, all the great memories can get soured by a couple of bad results and a few morons screaming at you. That can take away the happiness you had. It can chew you up and leave you asking: ‘What have I done to deserve this? I'm one of the guys who has helped you to have history of which you are proud’.”
The criticism has been dismissed by Dons supporters’ groups, who insist Strachan does not have his finger on the pulse when it comes to the current goings on at Pittodrie.
Neil McDougall, chairman of the Northern Lights Supporters’ Club, said: “Gordon cannot help but stick his beak in. It is just sour grapes after his assistant Gary Pendrie got involved in an argument with a Dons steward at Pittodrie in 2007 and Gordon got into bother for chucking in his tuppence worth.
“Gordon was well liked and respected as a player here but some of the things he comes out with as a manager grate. Mark McGhee is an Aberdeen legend and he will always be a legend in the supporters’ eyes.”
Gordon Duncan, from the Aber-deen Supporters’ Trust, said: “You can always rely on Gordon Strachan to give the west coast media a soundbyte or two. It is unfair to simply dis-miss unhappy supporters as morons. I agree some of the abuse after the Raith game went overboard but it was the result of frustration which had been brewing. The criticism has been aimed more at the players.
“I would say about 80% of the Dons supporters are behind McGhee, which is more than most managers receive. We know he has a mammoth job to do. The supporters are backing him but hope the board can do so as well by releasing funds to give him half a chance of achieving success.”