Scottish Cup final day proved to be a sensational one as Aberdeen and the Red Army travelled to Hampden, beat Celtic and lifted the trophy for the first time since 1990.
The Dons became heroes as they ended a 30-game winless run against the Hoops, and thousands of supporters made their way to the national stadium to cheer them on.
The Press and Journal was there for all the action – and today we were all over the city to capture Aberdeen FC’s celebratory parade.
Catch up with our live blog below – and stay tuned to The Press and Journal for more reaction to Aberdeen’s glory day.
Video: Here’s how it all started just a few hours ago.
Memories to last a lifetime for Aberdeen
Between 80,000 and 100,000 people descended on the city centre to celebrate together, according to figures from Aberdeen City Council.
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, who was at Hampden when the Dons lifted the cup said: “The scenes along the parade route were simply amazing.
“Aberdeen hasn’t seen the like in a generation and the sheer joy and jubilation of today will make memories to last a lifetime.
“Even better is the tangible sense that the Dons bringing home the Scottish Cup has reenergised the whole city.
“My hope is that that feeling of being part of ‘Team Aberdeen’ is something that will last long after today and feed into a renewed sense of pride and passion in the Granite City.”
From the beach end…
Stars of the show
We’ve put together a dedicated gallery of the Dons heroes as they celebrated with their Scottish Cup on the open-top bus.
Here are all the best pictures of the men who brought the trophy back to the Granite City.
Video: It’s hard to capture the euphoria of today’s celebrations in 40 seconds but this clip just about does it.
Teen piper bags himself a wonderful day
A young Dons fan was inspired to play for the crowds after watching his team lift the Scottish Cup.
Ruairidh Gault, 13, who attends Ellon Academy said he was at the game yesterday and when he heard about the parade he decided to go busking for the first time.
He said he was astounded by some of the donations he was getting as everyone was in such a good mood.
WATCH: Aberdeen players lift Scottish Cup trophy for fans before going into Townhouse
A great wide angle video captured by our videographer Angus Webster:
Aberdeen take to Townhouse balcony
Check out our photographer Kath Flannery’s images of the Aberdeen players soaking up the atmosphere on Union Street from the Townhouse balcony:
Dante Polvara plays the drum as Red Army sing at Townhouse:
Carnival scenes on Upperkirkgate and Broad Street
We had photographers, Darrell Benns and Jason Hedges, both on and above Upperkirkgate and Broad Street capturing some fantastic images as the Dons’ open-top completed its final few hundred metres amid incredible scenes:
The latest pics and videos as fans go wild for their new Dons cup legends
Stunning footage Live video shows the bus making it’s way up Upperkirkgate on to Broad Street here.
Can you spot yourself among the Broad Street/Upperkirkgate crowds?
The parade passing by…
More pictures of Dons fans waiting for the bus to reach them
‘He passed away last year and he was a big fan’
Marc Clarke was just 13 when he went down to see Aberdeen beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup final in 1990.
Yesterday he made the same trip as a 48-year-old.
Nursing a bit of a sore head today, he says: “The atmosphere was just electric!
“It was absolute bedlam when we won.”
Erica Mitchell was there, too.
She adds: “I was getting emotional afterwards.
“My dad unfortunately passed away last year and he was a big fan.
“When they were taking penalties I was praying for him to help us!”
Looking at the sea of red in the city centre, she said: “He would have been absolutely delighted with this.”
‘I saw my dad breaking down into tears’
Emotional stuff from Jackson, 12, and dad Ben Ritchie, from Blackdog, on Union Street.
Jackson told us: “I was only two the last time we won a trophy.
“It was really cool because I saw my dad breaking down into tears, and then I gave him a hug, and my dad said ‘We have finally done it’.”
Dad Ben said: “For me, I was there for the 2014 League Cup final, and he was only a year-and-a-half-old, and he said I should have taken him, although he was only young.
“These are unbelievable father-son experiences – we have been to pretty much every home and away game this season.
“And now at the end of the season, to actually do that and end 35 years and finally be here. Absolutely brilliant.
“We were down there (at Hampden) for the final, 10 minutes to go, one-nil down, get the equaliser.
“Every emotion you can imagine. Unbelievable.”
Meanwhile Alfie, 19, from Kingswells, said: “Well, I’ve to been Hampden heaps of times and seen them lose. I was there in 2014.
“I mean, yesterday was just incredible..
“No one was really expecting it to happen, so it was just incredible.
“And then to be here today with with Granny and Grandpa as they watch him come down Union Street, it will be brilliant.
“To see this many people come out for today and selling out all their tickets yesterday was just incredible. It’s good to see. ”
Soaking up the sunshine outside Upperkrust on Upperkirkgate were 86-year-old Margaret Livingston, with her grandson Arron Lawrence and his wife Aishling.
It’s a real gathering of the generations – Arron explained he would have been at Hampden yesterday – but for the fact Aishling is several months pregnant.
And yes, the Dons daft dad-to-be has floated the idea of naming the tot DIMITAR MITOV if it’s a boy.
“But this makes up for not going,” he says.
“Even watching at home it was unbelievable, there was almost a tear…”
Arron adds that he himself was a few months shy of being born when the Dons last lifted the Scottish Cup 35 years ago.
Margaret has been a fan since she was in her early teens and looks back on Dons glories over the years. She experienced the Fergie days firsthand.
“It’s a big day today,” she smiled. “I’m just delighted.”
Looking for an Aberdeen Scottish Cup winners 2025 live stream?
Our reporter Ross Hempseed is following the Aberdeen Scottish Cup winners 2025 parade on Facebook live HERE.
AND AWAY WE GO!
Here it is – the Aberdeen Scottish Cup 2025 winners open-top bus:
Some of the fans waiting for their heroes
Charlie Forbes is at the bottom of Union Street. He’s from Aberdeen – but in exile in Elgin.
He said: “I have been a supporter for 50-odd years. I have waited 50-odd years for this.
“I remember the first televised game that was the Celtic v Lisbon Lions game, and I turned round, to my grannie of 80 year old, and said: ‘I am a Celtic fan.’
“My grannie said: ‘Oh Charles, support your hometown team.’
“I have had a life of ups and downs ever since!”
It is not Charlie’s first Champions’ parade, he was at the European Cup Winners’ Cup parade in 1983.
Below are Kara Jeffrey and Steven Munro, with Lucie and Elliana, on Upperkirkgate.
It’s the girls’ first Scottish Cup and they’re excited to wave their flags as the bus passes by .
Union Street filling up nicely
Aberdeen’s main throughfare is filling up nicely with half-an-hour to go until the Aberdeen Scottish Cup final parade is scheduled to leave from Albyn Place.
Our photographer Darrell Benns captured these images:
Aberdeen players and staff boarding one bus at Pittodrie
The Dons squad got on the normal team bus, to travel to Albyn Place, to board the open-top bus:
Few early drinks…
These Aberdeen fans were getting in a few pints at the Pittodrie Bar on King Street before heading to the parade.
Landlady Ellie Burr said: “It was a fantastic atmosphere yesterday with free pints at full time and the odd Drambuie!
“We were ready for today so we’ve got extra staff on and we’ve made sure to order in plenty of supplies, with more Tennents especially”
Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie has arrived
Aberdeen skipper Graeme Shinnie has arrived at Pittodrie in high spirits this morning, despite what was – going by social media – an understandably late night.
The captain, only the fifth on-field general to lead Aberdeen to a Scottish Cup triumph, looks ready to do it all again during Sunday’s parade:
It’s brightening up – and Dons fans are already gathering…
Aberdeen fans, clearly in need in a pick-me-up after a night of cup glory fun, are already gathering in the coffee shops around Broad Street, where today’s celebratory parade will end.
The good news is the skies are brightening up!
The calm before the red storm: Upperkirkgate is looking very grey this morning, but it will soon be turned red with the colours of Aberdeen FC as fans line the streets.
Heroic Dons to parade trophy – the route
There will be a parade today starting at noon.
It will begin at noon from Albyn Place, where thousands of supporters are expected to gather early to catch a glimpse of their heroes boarding the open-top bus.
From there, the route will take the team and coaching staff through key city landmarks, offering fans plenty of chances to see the cup and cheer on the squad.
It will travel down Union Street, turning left at Union Terrace, then right at Schoolhill, before turning on to Broad Street.
Aberdeen will then disembark for a civic reception at the city’s Townhouse.
It is going to be a big day for the city, and people have been told to plan ahead.
We have prepared an all you need to know guide here.
Will the weather in Aberdeen play ball for the champion’s parade?
It is raining right now in Aberdeen, but the Met Office says it will clear during the morning ” to leave a mostly dry but windy day with sunny spells”.
The chance of showers over western parts increases during the afternoon.
Maximum temperature 15 °C.
After yesterday’s incredible scenes from Hampden, the sun will surely shine on Aberdeen today.
What have you missed?
In case you (SOMEHOW) missed it yesterday… Aberdeen won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 35 years on Saturday.
We had comprehensive early to late coverage, from Aberdeen to Hampden, from fans’ travel to their silverware ecstasy, on our live blog.
And we’ll be doing it again on Sunday right here for the celebratory Aberdeen city centre parade!
Before the parade gets going (and party ramps back up!) at noon, here’s some content you diehard Dons fans might want to catch up on:
Our mega live blog from the Aberdeen v Celtic:
Fans pictures from Aberdeen to Hampden:
Cup final reaction, reports and analysis:
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