Former Aberdeen midfielder Nicky Low will always be grateful to have helped end the Dons’ 19-year wait for silverware.
Low was one of the penalty heroes for the Dons when they defeated Caley Thistle in the 2014 League Cup final at Celtic Park.
Aberdeen were cheered on by 43,000 Dons fans who painted Parkhead red with a tense final eventually settled on spot-kicks.
Low, who came on a second half substitute, converted Aberdeen’s second penalty in the shootout, with Adam Rooney’s spot-kick winner prompting scenes of jubilation from the Red Army.
For Low, the final remains the standout highlight of his time at Pittodrie, having been with the club since the age of eight.
He said: “It was a big day for the club.
“It is a game I look back on and I was very happy to be a part of it, especially as it had been almost 20 years since the club had won a trophy.
“That was obviously far too long for a club like Aberdeen.
“One memory that always sticks out is turning up at Celtic Park and all the fans were already there and battering the bus.
“That was well before kick-off and it gave me goosebumps.
“I remember sitting on the bus thinking ‘These are the games you want to be part of.’
“Competing for trophies was why you are at a club like Aberdeen.”
McInnes told Low to be ready to make an impact in cup final
On the morning of the game, Low was summoned to a meeting with Dons boss Derek McInnes for a special pep talk.
He said: “We had a few key players out – including Peter Pawlett – and Jonny Hayes went off injured early in the match.
“It was a big blow for us as a team but you have a good squad for a reason.
“In the morning of the game, I remember coming out of the shower and I got a call and it was Tony Docherty saying the gaffer wanted to speak to me.
“I had to go to a wee meeting where he told me to be ready because I would be playing a big part.
“He wanted me to be ready from the first minute I stepped onto the pitch.
“He said if someone got injured I could be the first or second sub. I felt ready.
“It wasn’t a great game to watch. I spoke to some boys from Inverness and they thought John Hughes may have been happy to take it to penalties.
“You could see that from the way they set up and if that was the case then they got what they wanted as it was decided on penalties.”
Low said he knew straightaway that he would be entrusted with taking one of the Aberdeen spot-kicks in the shootout.
He said: “We had done a lot of homework on penalties.
“I knew as soon as I went on the pitch that I would be taking a penalty if it went to a shootout.
“I have always taken penalties since coming through as an eight-year-old at Aberdeen and I have always felt confident taking penalties.
“As the game went on Del and Tony picked their penalty takers and they had three or four names written down, including Barry Robson, Adam Rooney and myself.
“He asked a couple of other people but I think a few players for fourth and fifth pen said no.
“It is a big occasion and some people don’t like taking penalties.
“If you don’t like taking penalties then it’s not an easy thing to do in front of 50,000 people.
“I was confident in my ability so I wanted to take one.
“Thankfully I managed to stick it away.”
‘We were chucking everything into the trolley’
Low said the celebrations on the bus back to Aberdeen were memorable – and aided by a costly contribution from current Aberdeen manager Barry Robson.
He said: “The bus back to Aberdeen was amazing.
“Barry Robson was fined on the morning of the game for being late for the team meeting.
“After we won the game the manager told us to get a carry out and I’m sure it was all put on Barry Robson’s card.
“All of the young boys, such as myself, got a trolley and we were just throwing bottles of vodka, Jagermeister, absolutely anything we could find, into it.
“On the way back up the road we all had to sing a wee song although I can’t remember any of the songs.
“The journey flew by.
“We went back to a hotel and saw family, friends and the rest of the staff at the club.”
Low always felt Robson was destined for management – and fancies his old teammate to lead the Dons to glory at Hampden this weekend.
He said: “I think you could tell Barry would go into management.
“You can tell that with certain players.
“I also thought Willo Flood would go into management.
“He is still involved in the game as an agent.
“They were two players who helped you and were passionate about football.
“Barry was a winner as a player and he has taken that into management.
“Rangers will be massive favourites for the final, especially being in Glasgow and having more fans at the game.
“It is a shambles as the tickets should have been given out on a 50/50 basis.
“Aberdeen have won at Ibrox this season and they were close to doing the same at Pittodrie recently before the late penalty.
“Aberdeen will think they have a great chance and hopefully they can make it another memorable day and take the trophy back to Aberdeen.”
Low, 31, moved from Arbroath to West of Scotland Premier Division side Clydebank in February and is enjoying life at the Bankies.
He said: “I was at Arbroath but travelling became a factor for me.
“I’m at that stage where I’m getting older and I don’t want to travel as much.
“I’m coaching every day and we had our second child recently.
“I want to be closer to home.
“I weighed up all the options – in League One and League Two as well as the Championship.
“Even staying in the Championship at a club near where I live would still mean a lot of travelling.
“They can be long days away from home.
“Clydebank is 25 minutes away and it is still a good standard.
“The club is ambitious to try to get back into the football leagues.
“I still have a few years left in me. I’m only 31.
“I wouldn’t have gone to Clydebank if they weren’t ambitious.
“I didn’t want to go somewhere to wind down my career.
“I wanted to be at a team that was winning most weeks and looking to challenge.
“They laid out their plans and it felt like the right club for me.
“When I signed for Clydebank there was a lot of people asking why I had gone from the Championship to the West of Scotland junior league.
“But I have played in the Championship, League One and League Two and there isn’t a lot between the top junior teams and League One and Two clubs.
“Hopefully we can be successful this season.
“We have started well so hopefully we can keep it going.”
‘A big part of my life’
But Low says Aberdeen will always have a special place in his heart and he would love to see the Dons lift another trophy at Hampden this weekend.
He added: “I love Aberdeen.
“It was a big part of my life.
“I signed with them at the Glasgow academy when I was eight before I moved into full-time when I was 15 or 16.
“I was there for a long time before I decided to leave (and join Dundee in 2015) to try to play regular first team football.
“I watch every Aberdeen game I can.
“I still go back to visit Aberdeen and go up to Castlewood Lodges near Banchory who were my sponsor when I was at the club.
“It is a nice feeling to go back.
“After being at the club for so long, it was nice to be part of a trophy-winning team.
“To do something like that at a big club like Aberdeen is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
