Plans to give Aberdeen FC a top civic honour have been put on hold as councillors bicker over the best way to celebrate the Dons – and who else should be recognised.
The SNP and Liberal Democrat administration have now confirmed they will propose giving the freedom of the city to both the 1983 Gothenburg Greats and NHS Grampian.
Since the beginning of the month, councillors of different parties have disagreed over which organisation should be given the freedom of the city.
The momentum appeared to be with the honour going to Aberdeen FC, to mark 120 years since the club’s founding and 40 years since its greatest victory against Real Madrid in Gothenburg.
That effort was led by the council’s Conservative group, though it has now emerged the SNP had a similar-but-different plan in the works all along.
Freedom for the Greats
The party, which forms the administration in partnership with the Liberal Democrats, wanted to give the freedom of Aberdeen specifically to the Gothenburg Greats team who triumphed in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup final.
It is understood Lord Provost David Cameron was in contact with the club over the move, which would follow the honour being given to that team’s manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, in 1999.
Aberdeen FC has voiced support for that effort, with a spokeswoman saying: “The club would like to recognise and celebrate the Gothenburg Greats, which would be good for them, the club and the city.”
However, some members of the administration were irked by the apparent abandonment of a previous plan – backed by the SNP and Lib Dems – to give the keys to the city to NHS Grampian in recognition of health workers’ efforts throughout the Covid pandemic.
An unnamed councillor told the P&J: “People are particularly unhappy around the way (the Aberdeen FC plan) has ended up in the media, and feel they’ve had to sign up because of that.
“The football club now expect it to happen, and it’s almost like it’s a done deal.”
In response, Lib Dem leader Ian Yuill suggested both organisations could be given the honour, an idea that was echoed by Conservative group leader Ryan Houghton.
Motions not up for discussion
But Liberal Democrat Depute Provost Steve Delaney, acting for the holidaying Mr Cameron, struck down both motions from the Tories and the SNP calling for the Freedom of Aberdeen to be given to the Dons.
It is understood no motions had been submitted in favour of it being awarded to NHS Grampian.
That means the topic will not be discussed at all at Wednesday’s meeting.
Mr Delaney said he decided not to put the motions on the agenda because the applications came through after the deadline for submissions.
Council co-leader Mr Yuill confirmed that the detailed wording of the proposal to jointly award the honour to NHS Grampian and the Gothenburg Greats had not been finalised on time.
Mr Houghton, who submitted the motion for the Tories, said: “It appears that the administration is falling out already after a few months together.
“I received confirmation that a similar request from the SNP regarding Aberdeen FC and the Freedom of the City was submitted alongside mine.
“However, it is clear that the Lib Dems who seem to be really running the council are against it.”
He said that his own bid would be resubmitted for the December meeting, adding: “I hope common ground can be found, including for NHS Grampian if there’s support for that too.”
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