Fame at last for Reds’ Gothenburg Greats

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CUP CRACKERS: members of Aberdeen’s European Cup-Winners’ Cup squad line up before last night’s dinner. From left, back, Peter Weir, Ian Angus, Jim Leighton, Dougie Bell, Doug Rougvie, Bryan Gunn, Neale Cooper, John Hewitt. Front, Neil Simpson, Stewart Kennedy, Willie Miller, Archie Knox, Eric Black, John MacMaster. Kevin Emslie

THE Dons’ European Cup-Winners’ Cup-winning heroes of 1983 last night took their place in Aberdeen city’s sporting hall of fame as the 25th anniversary celebrations of the continental triumph kicked off.

The majority of the Pittodrie squad gathered at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre for the first of a series of events scheduled for the weekend.

A black-tie dinner, attended by 700 appreciative supporters, last night launched the celebrations. They will continue with another dinner this evening and tomorrow, exactly 25 years to the day from the Gothenburg success, with a big screen rerun of the 2-1 win against Real Madrid.

Before taking their place in the AECC arena the Gothenburg Greats were the subject of a civic reception at the same venue to officially install them in the Aberdeen Sports Council hall of fame. The tribute to the city’s greatest performers was created in 2006 and the initial 21 names were restricted to sports stars born in Aberdeen.

Only John Hewitt of the most famous Dons team qualified and organisers decided to delay his induction to include him alongside his team-mates in a mass induction to mark the anniversary. Sports council chairman Bill Berry said: “We are delighted that so many of that memorable team are able to join us to accept the team’s place in the hall of fame.”