It has been quite the year for Aberdeen FC.
Managerial changes, a host of departures and new arrivals, and of course the never-ending story of a new stadium.
You can even throw in the return of Sir Alex Ferguson to boot.
There’s a been a little bit of everything at Pittodrie in 2022 and we’ve gone back through our archive to pick out who said what about the big events as they unfolded in the last 12 months.
Ins and Outs
“The investment for Ronnie’s transfer came from an interest-free loan from my family, which was subsequently converted to shares.
“The board believed this to be a good investment for the club. Had we any inclination that he would rarely play, we would never have signed him.”
In a lengthy statement Dons chairman Dave Cormack explained the background to the club’s signing and decision to sell Ronald Hernandez after the defender completed a move to Atlanta United.
“This club is about pressure. I came in here full-time at 16, I fought to get in the first team, helped stave off relegation, we won a cup and since I left as a player, this club has won one more trophy.
“We can talk and talk all we like, but what turns this around is results, pure and simple.
“I believe in myself, I believe in the players, I think they believe in themselves, but we’ve not won enough games. We need to start putting that right.”
Aberdeen manager Stephen Glass following his side’s Scottish Cup exit at Motherwell on February 12. He was sacked the following day.
“I have been in football long enough to know that you half expect things the way that results are going.
“We came in on Sunday morning to do our recovery and some of the boys were going to do some training, it was still a bit of a shock.
“As a player group we understand that we have to bear the brunt of that.”
Veteran winger Jonny Hayes’s reaction to the departure of Glass and coaches Allan Russell and Henri Apaloo.
A new man in charge
“We have to be more organised, we have to be more solid and get back to keeping clean sheets, which I think is the easy part of coaching and managing.
“I think that can be easily ironed out in the next week or so.”
New Dons boss Jim Goodwin, who was appointed hours before his side’s league game at Motherwell on February 19, believed the porous defence was an issue which could be easily fixed.
The Pittodrie cull begins
“Regardless of what has been out there on social media or whatever, he left on great terms. He was very understanding of my situation here.
“Scott came to Aberdeen with the previous management team to get some coaching. I’m quite hands on as a manager. I do a lot of the day to day stuff. There really wasn’t going to be an opportunity for Scott on that front.
“Also on the playing side of things, we’ve got quite a few midfielders and I just didn’t feel Scott was going to play regularly between now and the end of the season. He kind of agreed that maybe it was best that we part company.”
Goodwin reflected as Scott Brown, captain and the final coach remaining from the Stephen Glass era, left the club in March.
“Now look, everybody will have different opinions on how it’s all been handled.
“In my opinion, they were private and confidential discussions – and should have been kept that way. Unfortunately they weren’t.
“As a club, we had to respond in the manner that we did. We felt we owed it to our supporters to give them the truth and the facts of the matter.
“We made Andy a really good offer, okay? He’s 35 years old, his agent wanted an offer that took him until he was 37 and we just felt that wasn’t doable.”
After stating he felt the leak of the news had thrown him and the club under the bus, Goodwin discussed why Andy Considine’s contract offer was withdrawn.
New chaps on board
“He ticks all the boxes in terms of the profile of striker I asked (head of recruitment) Darren Mowbray to get when I first took the job in February.
“He’s about 6ft 2ins, mobile, very athletic, a decent turn of pace and most importantly for a striker he has a knack of being in the right place.
“We feel there’s a hell of lot of room for development as well. Coming in his current state he’ll be a very good striker in the Scottish Premiership, but once we get to work with him I believe we can make him better and hopefully in two or three years we have a very sellable asset.”
Goodwin on the arrival of Bojan Miovski. It’s fair to say this prophecy has a very good chance of coming true.
“He is quick, strong, and powerful and he fits our recruitment strategy perfectly.
“He is a young player who still has a lot to learn, and he is not quite the finished article yet, but we firmly believe we will give him the platform to perform and continue his development.
“He’s had a really good football education at Benfica, and I am sure he will come to Aberdeen, score goals, and make a positive impact.”
The Dons boss on his other striker signing, Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes. He too, is making rapid progress at Pittodrie.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s homecoming
“What I achieved at Aberdeen was almost a miracle. But you know something? We battered them. We absolutely battered them.
“When I came here it was the right place. I had a great chairman and board. They supported me 100%. No manager can have a better start to their career than I had.
“We won the European Cup Winners’ Cup with a staff of four. Today they talk about 40 staff – times change.”
Sir Alex on the football miracle of beating Real Madrid to win the Cup Winners’ Cup in Gothenburg.
“Everywhere I go in football over the last 45 years everyone has wanted to know what it was like to be managed by Sir Alex Ferguson.
“Most footballers in the world would love to be in a dressing room with Sir Alex Ferguson just once and see how it works.
“We were fortunate we had it 300 or 400 times — or maybe it was unfortunate on many occasions for me.
“In fact, I think that statue is going to say: ‘Strachan, you’ve got 10 minutes and you’re off.’
Gothenburg Great Gordon Strachan entertained the crowd which gathered for the unveiling of Sir Alex Ferguson’s statue at Pittodrie in February.
“To actually go on and do what we did in 1983, lifting the Cup Winners’ Cup and really beating the Germans, because it was the top league in Europe, then anything was possible.
“To then have the belief to go and take on Real Madrid in the final, it’s quite incredible when that story is told. “You only beat Bayern Munich and then Real Madrid in the final.” You can’t really believe that can you?
“But it did happen and then of course we went on to lift the Scottish Cup the same year. Me and big Alex (McLeish) actually won that trophy on our own.
“It was a great tactical move by the gaffer. We actually went down Union Street in a tandem.”
Iconic former captain Willie Miller’s memory of Gothenburg may be a little hazy.
“It was an amazing dressing room to be part of. There were characters but they all had character, every one.
“Led by Willie being a driving force and then the manager pushing everyone on, game after game after game, you were on the park and you had to win.
“He convinced everyone they were a winner. He convinced a quiet loon from Newmachar he could run through brick walls.”
Neil Simpson is proud to have been at Pittodrie during a special period in the Dons’ history.
“My wife and kids were all looking forward to having breakfast together as I haven’t seen them for a week but I had to break the news to them I wouldn’t be standing Mr Ferguson up as he had told me to come for a coffee at 9am.
“It’s been one of the most manic weeks of my career but I have to thank everyone for the welcome they have given me and Lee Sharp here.”
The chance for a chat with Sir Alex was an offer Dons boss Jim Goodwin simply could not refuse.
Stadium saga continues
“Two things keep me awake at night – performances on the pitch as I’m like a regular fan, and how we solve this issue.
“We can build a basic stadium for a lot less. We have employed some of the best people who do new stadiums in terms of evaluating what we should have and what the turnover can be.
“But if we want to have a quality stadium where we can uplift our income by £3m or £4m per year because we have better facilities then that is what it is going to take.”
Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack is determined to deliver a new stadium at the beach but admitted finding the finances to cover the cost will be a challenge.
“We are all in agreement that it would be a fantastic thing if we could get it signed off with assistance from the council and local government.
“If everyone can see the bigger picture and see what it would do for the future of Aberdeen, I think it would be well worthwhile investing in.
“It’s not just about Aberdeen FC and improving our facilities.
“This is about trying to improve the beachfront and make it more of a tourist attraction with the other amenities.”
Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin reckons the club’s proposed new stadium could transform the city.
“We are not in the business of putting council money into football stadiums.”
Aberdeen City Council’s Lib Dem co-leader Ian Yuill was short and to the point as he insisted public funds will not be available for a new stadium at the beach.
“The council’s previous administration had the vision to deliver something special for Aberdeen.
“They understood the significance of an integrated, community facility within the beach regeneration, which is why they approached us. It’s disappointing that some seem to be missing the point.”
Dons chairman Cormack expressed his concerns that the much-touted wider benefits of the £80 million stadium are being ignored.
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