Aberdeen

Kit History

1883-1884 a m n

1886-1888 n

1888-1903 a k m n

1887-1889 l

1889-1903 l m

1889-1896 n

1896-1897 n

1898-1903 k m n

1903-1904 n

1904-1907 a m

1908 m

1909-1910 m

1910-1911 m

1912-1914 a m n

1915-1917 n

1921-1932 a m n

1932-1933 m n

1933-1935 n

1935-1936 n

1936-1939 g m n

1939-1940 n

1945-1957 a m n

1957-1960 m n

1961-1962 m

1962-1963 m

1963-1964 h

1964-1965 b h

1965-1966 a b h

1966-1967 a b h

1967-1969 b f h m

1969-1970 a

1970-1972 a b h

1972-1975 a b

1975-1976 p

Admiral

1976-1977 a b n k

Admiral

1977-1979 k

Adidas

1979-1982 b f k

Adidas

1982-1983 a f k

Adidas

1983-1984 k k

Adidas

1984-1985 a f k k

Adidas

1985-1986 a f k k

Adidas

1986-1987 b k

Umbro

1987-1990 a f k

Umbro

1990-1992 b k

Umbro

1992-1993 b f k

Umbro

1993-1994 k k

Umbro

1994-1996 b f k

Umbro

1996-1997 b j k

Puma

1997-1998 b j k

Puma

1998-2000 b k

Puyma

2000-2001 b k

Le Coq Sportif

2001-2002 e k

Le Coq Sportif

2002-2004 e k

Nike

2004-2005 e k

2005-2006 c k

Nike

2006-2007 a k

Nike

2007-2008 a o

Nike

2008-2009 a o

Background

The original Aberdeen FC was formed in October 1881, the initiative of three teachers from Woodside School. Following a public meeting the secretary was instructed to buy a ball, an inflator and eleven maroon jerseys. Their first match was played the following March against Coupar Angus, Aberdeen losing both the opening and return games. In 1888, the club won the inaugural Aberdeenshire Cup and in 1891, they joined the Northern League. In 1899, the club moved to Pittodrie, previously used as a site for the disposal of dung from police horses.

In February 1900, Pittodrie hosted an international between Scotland and Wales and a year later, Everton became the first English side to visit the city for a friendly match, which they won 3-1. After rejecting overtures from Hibernian, who wanted to take over and move to Pittodrie, serious efforts were made to bring together the three top sides in the city. An attempt to join the Scottish Football League was rebuffed adding momentum to the idea of a merger. On 14 April, 1903, Aberdeen FC, Orion FC (who originally played in brown jerseys described as "Brunswick") and Victoria United (whose colours were blue) were wound up and the modern Aberdeen FC was constituted. The new club's colours were registered with the SFA as white, the same colours as the original Aberdeen FC.

Two further attempts to win election to the Scottish First Division were unsuccessful but in May 1904, the club replaced Ayr Parkhouse in Scottish Division Two. Playing in a new black and gold kit, the club was soon dubbed "The Wasps." After winning the Qualifying Cup in 1904, Aberdeen were finally elected to the top level following the decision to expand the First Division from 14 to 16 clubs in May 1905. (Second Division champions, Clyde were not elected - Aberdeen's elevation was largely due to the support of Celtic who perhaps feared the rivalry of another Glasgow side.)

The Scottish First Division continued throughout the Great War (although Division Two was abandoned) but with wages cut, travel restricted and players being called to arms, Aberdeen struggled to make ends meet. In 1917 the club resigned along with Raith Rovers and Dundee but they were welcomed back as soon as hostilities ended.

In 1937 Aberdeen reached the Scottish FA Cup Final for the first time. More than 146,000 fans packed Hampden to see Celtic win by 2-1. In March 1939, the club dropped their black and gold colours in favour of red and white, their colours to this day.

After the Second World War, Aberdeen enjoyed a spell of success. They won their first major trophy in 1947, beating Hibernian 2-1 to take the Scottish FA Cup. Beaten finalists in 1953 and 1954, they won the Scottish League Championship in 1955 followed by the Scottish League Cup and in 1959 they were again beaten in the Scottish FA Cup final. During the early 1960s the club endured something of a decline. After adopting an all-red kit in 1966, they reached another Scottish FA Cup final in 1967 and qualified for Europe the following season. In 1970 The Dons won the Scottish FA Cup for the second time.

Aberdeen made a shaky start after the introduction of the Scottish Premier Division in 1975, narrowly avoiding the humiliation of relegation by beating Hibernian on the last day of the season to survive on goal average. With new manager Ally McLeod in charge, however, they won the Scottish League Cup for the first time in 21 years in 1976. In June 1978, McLeod having been tempted away to manage Scotland's humiliation in the World Cup Finals and his successor Billy McNeill gone to manage Celtic after less than 12 months in charge, Aberdeen appointed Alex Ferguson as manager. In 1980 he guided the club to their second League championship. Two years later Aberdeen crushed Rangers 4-1 to win the Scottish FA Cup and in 1983 they won the European Cup Winners' Cup in Gothenburg, beating Real Madrid in the final. Ten days later they again defeated Rangers to take the Scottish FA Cup. After winning the European Super Cup they were named European Team of the Year. More success followed: in May 1984 they won the Premiership title and retained the Cup for the third successive season. Another League Cup win (1985) was followed by the Scottish FA Cup for the sixth time in 1986 before Ferguson left for Manchester United in October 1986.

In 1990 The Dons won the Scottish FA Cup on penalties and the following season were pipped by Rangers for the Premiership title. The rest of the decade was comparatively lean and the club came close to relegation several times, although they did win another League Cup in 1995. No further honours have come to Pittodrie since then and while they can still count themselves among the main rivals to the Old Firm, the golden days of Aberdeen FC seem a long way behind them.

Historical Football Kits

Kit History

Background

Sources