22 January 1994 - A Drawful Day For Football (Sorry)

On 22 January 1994, the full slate of six Scottish top flight matches resulted in a point for everyone as all six matches ended in draws.

The day featured match-ups at both ends of the table, as league leaders Rangers were held to a scoreless draw at second-place Aberdeen, while bottom club Dundee held off second-bottom Raith Rovers, 2-2. Elsewhere, Celtic and Dundee United played to another scoreless draw, as did Partick Thistle and Motherwell, while Hearts battled Kilmarnock to a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle.

The day's most surprising result came at St. Johnstone, where the tenth-place side survived their encounter with third-place Hibernian, 2-2. It was part of a seven-match unbeaten streak for the hosts, but it proved to be a brief respite--three teams were relegated at the end of the season to clear the path for a ten-team top flight the following season, and St. Johnstone were the last to go, joining Raith Rovers and Dundee.

Rangers went on to win the league, while Dundee United lifted the Scottish Cup and Hibs took the Scottish League Cup.

27 May 2000 - A Century Of Silverware

On 27 May 2000, Rangers defeated Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, making them the first club in the world to secure 100 major trophies.

Founded in 1872, Rangers started the 1999-2000 season with 98 major trophies, including 48 league titles, 28 Scottish Cups, 21 Scottish League Cups, and one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They had the chance to take four more trophies that season, but were eliminated from the Scottish League Cup and the UEFA Cup in December.

The focus on their two remaining competitions paid off--they clinched the league title on 22 April after Celtic's draw with Hibernian left the former 17 points adrift of Rangers with only five matches left to play. Rangers proceeded to finish 21 points clear of their Old Firm rivals in the final table.

That left the Scottish Cup Final, played before a crowd of over 50,000 at Hampden Park. Although Aberdeen had knocked Rangers out of the League Cup in the quarterfinals, 0-1 (aet), the Scottish Cup Final was not as close a contest. Rangers won 0-4 with goals from Giovanni van Bronckhorst (36'), Tony Vidmar (47'), Billy Dodds (50'), and Jörg Albertz (51').

Since then, Rangers added to their silverware collection with five more league titles, four more Scottish Cups, and one more League Cup. 

11 May 1983 - The Giants Of Spain Fall In The Rain

On 11 May 1983, Aberdeen won the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Real Madrid 2-1.

It was Aberdeen's second time in the tournament; their first, in 1971, ended with elimination by Budepest Honved in the first round. Real Madrid also participated that season, advancing to the Final where they lost to Chelsea in a replay.

Playing on a rain-soaked day before a crowd of approximately 18,000 at the Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden, Aberdeen fielded an all-Scottish side, including manager Alex Ferguson, then in his fifth season in charge. Definite underdogs, they took a shock lead when forward Eric Black scored in the 7th minute. But the lead was short-lived, as Real Madrid drew level with a 15th-minute penalty kick from forward Juanito.

Despite the early exchange, the teams were unable to score for the remainder of regulation, forcing the match into overtime. There, the winning goal was headed in by supersub John Hewitt, who had come on in place of Black. (Hewitt had also scored the winning goal in Aberdeen's semifinal against Bayern Munich.)

The win made Aberdeen the third Scottish team--after Celtic and Rangers--to win a European trophy. They quickly added to their silverware collection by winning the European Super Cup later that year.

3 May 2006 - Hearts Break The Old Firm

On 3 May 2006, Heart of Midlothian secured second place with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen. It was the first time anyone had come between Celtic and Rangers at the top of the table since 1995.

Hearts had started the season with a 12-match unbeaten run in the league that included a 1-0 victory over Rangers. But they remained in second place for the entire second half of season, thanks in part to a critical 3-0 win over Celtic on 30 April. When they faced Aberdeen, Hearts were one point ahead of Rangers with a game in hand, but had to play away at Ibrox the next week in their final match of the season.

Although playing in front of their home fans and needing the win, Hearts struggled to create many opportunities. But Aberdeen center back Zander Diamond literally handed them a lifeline when he was flagged for a handball in the box in the 54th minute. Midfielder Paul Hartley converted the ensuing spot-kick for the game's only goal.

The win put Hearts four points clear of Rangers. So, although they lost to Rangers on the last day, they held on to second place, becoming the first team to come between Celtic and Rangers since Motherwell did it in 1995.

6 November 1986 - They Call Him "Sir"

On 6 November 1986, Manchester United appointed Alex Ferguson as their new manager, replacing the recently-sacked Ron Atkinson.

The Glasgow-born Ferguson began his career in football as a striker for his hometown club Queen's Park FC in 1957. Before he switched to management in 1974, he played for a number of Scottish teams, including Dunfermline Athletic (1964-67) and Falkirk (1969-73).

He began his management career with East Stirlingshire (1974) and St. Mirren (1974-78), but made his name with Aberdeen. He was in charge of the Dons from 1978 to 1986, leading them to three league titles (1980, 1984, 1985), four Scottish Cups (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986), and one Scottish League Cup (1986). He also enjoyed European success, winning the UEFA Cup-Winners' Cup (1983) and the UEFA Super Cup (1983).

Ferguson got off to an inconsistent start at United, finishing in 11th position his first season, then second place the next, and back to 11th in his third season. Midway through his fourth season, his job appeared to be in jeopardy following a poor start to the season that saw United limp into the new year in 15th place after taking two points from a string of eight matches between 25 November and 1 January. United stuck with him, however, and he led them to the FA Cup trophy that season.

Ferguson went on to a string of successes at Old Trafford, including 13 League titles, four more FA Cups, four League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles before retiring in 2013.

He also has received a number of individual accolades, including eleven Premier League Manager of the Year awards. In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to football.

29 April 1967 - For Those Of You Not Keeping Count, That's A Quintuple

On 29 April 1967, Celtic defeated Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, one of the five trophies claimed by the Glasgow club that season.

Celtic roared through the early stages of the Cup, beating Arbroath 4-0 in the first round, then crushing Elgin City 7-0 in the second round. Queen's Park proved a more difficult opponent before succumbing 5-3, and Clyde actually held Celtic to a 0-0 draw in the semifinals, but lost 2-0 in the replay.

The final was played at Hampden Park, Glasgow, before a crowd of over 126,000. Scotland was well represented, as the only non-Scottish player for either side was Aberdeen's Danish midfielder Jens Peterson. Even both managers were Scottish, with Eddie Turnbull for the Dons and Jock Stein for Celtic. Celtic won the match 2-0, with both goals coming from forward Willie Wallace (pictured with the Scottish Cup).

Celtic had already won the Glasgow Cup and the Scottish League Cup that season, and would go on to claim the league title as well. The season is best remembered, however, for their 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the European Champions Cup in Lisbon.

12 April 2008 - Hail To The Queen

On 12 April 2008, Queen of the South F.C. beat Aberdeen 4-3 in the Scottish Cup to advance to their first Scottish Cup final.

The club, located in Dumfries, was founded in March 1919 as the result of the merger of two area clubs - the 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers/5th Kings Own Scottish Borders Football Team and Arrol-Johnston F.C. The new club's name was taken from David Dunbar, a local poet/politician who once referred to the town of Dumfries as "the Queen of the South."

Nicknamed "the Doonhamers," the club joined the Scottish Football League in 1923 as part of the Third Division. They enjoyed quick success, gaining promotion to the Second Division for the 1925-26 season, and then to the First Division for the 1933-34 season. The success was not to last, however, as 1959 saw the club relegated back to the Second Division. They returned to the top flight briefly for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons, but have since moved between the second and third levels of the Scottish football pyramid. They currently play in the second tier.

Although the Doonhamers lost the 2008 Scottish Cup Final to Rangers, 3-2, the final remains a high point in the club's history.

24 July 1958 - Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Leighton, He's A Keeper

On 24 July 1958, goalkeeper Jim Leighton was born in Johnstone, Scotland. He had a lengthy career that saw him become the oldest person to play for the national team and reach second on Scotland's all-time appearances list.

He started his career with non-league Dalry Thistle, then joined Aberdeen in July 1978, signed by their new manager, Alex Ferguson. He made 438 appearances, winning three league titles, four Scottish Cups, and the European Cup-Winners' Cup, before leaving with Ferguson in 1988 for Manchester United.

After two seasons at United, he fell out of favor with Ferguson and spent a year on loan at Arsenal, then later played for Reading, Dundee, Sheffield United, and Hibernian before returning to Aberdeen in 1997. He played there until his retirement in 2000, becoming the oldest player to appear in the Scottish Premier League at the age of 41 years, 302 days (St. Mirren's Andy Millen broke that record in 2007).

Leighton received his first call-up to the national team in 1982 and manned the posts for Scotland at the 1986, 1990, and 1998 World Cups (the Scots failed to qualify for the 1994 tournament). His final appearance for Scotland set the age record at 40 years, 2 months, and 6 days (though that was later broken in 2010 by David Weir). His 91 caps are the second-most of any Scottish player, just behind Kenny Dalglish (102).

12 May 1990 - One Touch Was All It Took

On 12 May 1990, Aberdeen outlasted Celtic in a dramatic penalty shootout to claim their fifth Scottish Cup in nine years.

After winning their first two Scottish Cups in 1947 and 1970, Aberdeen dominated the tournament in the 1980s under manager Alex Ferguson, winning it in 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1986 (along with three league titles under Ferguson in 1980, 1984, and 1985). For the 1990 Final, however, the Dons were led by Alex Smith, appointed in 1988.

They faced a familiar opponent, having played Celtic five times already that season. They met four times in the league, resulting in one win each and two draws, and also played against each other in the Scottish League Cup semifinal (which Aberdeen won to reach the final against Rangers, which they also won).

In the Scottish Cup Final, played before a crowd of 60,493 at Hampden Park, the two teams finished extra time in a scoreless draw to force the match into penalties. In the shootout, they couldn't stop scoring, so the tally rose to 8-8 before Aberdeen keeper Theo Snelders dove to his left to block the attempt from Celtic defender Anton Rogan. Defender Brian Irvine then stepped up and drove the decisive shot home to give the cup to Aberdeen, 0-0 (9-8).

22 January 1994 - A Drawful Day For Football (Sorry)

On 22 January 1994, the full slate of six Scottish top flight matches resulted in a point for everyone as all six matches ended in draws.

The day featured match-ups at both ends of the table, as league leaders Rangers were held to a scoreless draw at second-place Aberdeen, while bottom club Dundee held off second-bottom Raith Rovers, 2-2. Elsewhere, Celtic and Dundee United played to another scoreless draw, as did Partick Thistle and Motherwell, while Hearts battled Kilmarnock to a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle.

The day's most surprising result came at St. Johnstone, where the tenth-place side survived their encounter with third-place Hibernian, 2-2. It was part of a seven-match unbeaten streak for the hosts, but it proved to be a brief respite--three teams were relegated at the end of the season to clear the path for a ten-team top flight the following season, and St. Johnstone were the last to go, joining Raith Rovers and Dundee.

Rangers went on to win the league, while Dundee United lifted the Scottish Cup and Hibs took the Scottish League Cup.

(For more draw-filled days, see the Guardian.)

27 May 2000 - A Century Of Silverware

On 27 May 2000, Rangers defeated Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, making them the first club in the world to secure 100 major trophies.

Founded in 1872, Rangers started the 1999-2000 season with 98 major trophies, including 48 league titles, 28 Scottish Cups, 21 Scottish League Cups, and one UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They had the chance to take four more trophies that season, but were eliminated from the Scottish League Cup and the UEFA Cup in December.

The focus on their two remaining competitions paid off--they clinched the league title on 22 April after Celtic's draw with Hibernian left the former 17 points adrift of Rangers with only five matches left to play. Rangers proceeded to finish 21 points clear of their Old Firm rivals in the final table.

That left the Scottish Cup Final, played before a crowd of over 50,000 at Hampden Park. Although Aberdeen had knocked Rangers out of the League Cup in the quarterfinals, 0-1 (aet), the Scottish Cup Final was not as close a contest. Rangers won 0-4 with goals from Giovanni van Bronckhorst (36'), Tony Vidmar (47'), Billy Dodds (50'), and Jörg Albertz (51').

Since then, Rangers have continued to add to their silverware collection with five more league titles, four more Scottish Cups, and one more League Cup.

11 May 1983 - The Giants Of Spain Fall In The Rain

On 11 May 1983, Aberdeen won the European Cup Winners' Cup, beating Real Madrid 2-1.

It was Aberdeen's second time in the tournament; their first, in 1971, ended with elimination by Budepest Honved in the first round. Real Madrid also participated that season, advancing to the Final where they lost to Chelsea in a replay.

Playing on a rain-soaked day before a crowd of approximately 18,000 at the Ullevi in Gothenburg, Sweden, Aberdeen fielded an all-Scottish side, including manager Alex Ferguson, then in his fifth season in charge. Definite underdogs, they took a shock lead when forward Eric Black scored in the 7th minute. But the lead was short-lived, as Real Madrid drew level with a 15th-minute penalty kick from forward Juanito.

Despite the early exchange, the teams were unable to score for the remainder of regulation, forcing the match into overtime. There, the winning goal was headed in by supersub John Hewitt, who had come on in place of Black. (Hewitt had also scored the winning goal in Aberdeen's semifinal against Bayern Munich.)

The win made Aberdeen the third Scottish team--after Celtic and Rangers--to win a European trophy. They quickly added to their silverware collection by winning the European Super Cup later that year.

3 May 2006 - Hearts Break The Old Firm

On 3 May 2006, Heart of Midlothian secured second place with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen. It was the first time anyone had come between Celtic and Rangers at the top of the table since 1995.

Hearts had started the season with a 12-match unbeaten run in the league that included a 1-0 victory over Rangers. But they remained in second place for the entire second half of season, thanks in part to a critical 3-0 win over Celtic on 30 April. When they faced Aberdeen, Hearts were one point ahead of Rangers with a game in hand, but had to play away at Ibrox the next week in their final match of the season.

Although playing in front of their home fans and needing the win, Hearts struggled to create many opportunities. But Aberdeen center back Zander Diamond literally handed them a lifeline when he was flagged for a handball in the box in the 54th minute. Midfielder Paul Hartley converted the ensuing spot-kick for the game's only goal.

The win put Hearts four points clear of Rangers. So, although they lost to Rangers on the last day, they held on to second place, becoming the first team to come between Celtic and Rangers since Motherwell did it in 1995.

6 November 1986 - They Call Him "Sir"

On 6 November 1986, Manchester United appointed Alex Ferguson as their new manager, replacing the recently-sacked Ron Atkinson.

The Glasgow-born Ferguson began his career in football as a striker for his hometown club Queen's Park FC in 1957. Before he switched to management in 1974, he played for a number of Scottish teams, including Dunfermline Athletic (1964-67) and Falkirk (1969-73).

He began his management career with East Stirlingshire (1974) and St. Mirren (1974-78), but made his name with Aberdeen. He was in charge of the Dons from 1978 to 1986, leading them to three league titles (1980, 1984, 1985), four Scottish Cups (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986), and one Scottish League Cup (1986). He also enjoyed European success, winning the UEFA Cup-Winners' Cup (1983) and the UEFA Super Cup (1983).

Ferguson got off to an inconsistent start at United, finishing in 11th position his first season, then second place the next, and back to 11th in his third season. Midway through his fourth season, his job appeared to be in jeopardy following a poor start to the season that saw United limp into the new year in 15th place after taking two points from a string of eight matches between 25 November and 1 January. United stuck with him, however, and he led them to the FA Cup trophy that season.

Ferguson went on to a string of successes at Old Trafford, including 11 League titles, four more FA Cups, three League Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles.

He also has received a number of individual accolades, including nine Premier League Manager of the Year awards. In 1999, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to football.

29 April 1967 - For Those Of You Keeping Count, That's A Quintuple

On 29 April 1967, Celtic defeated Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final, one of the five trophies claimed by the Glasgow club that season.

Celtic roared through the early stages of the Cup, beating Arbroath 4-0 in the first round, then crushing Elgin City 7-0 in the second round. Queen's Park proved a more difficult opponent before succumbing 5-3, and Clyde actually held Celtic to a 0-0 draw in the semifinals, but lost 2-0 in the replay.

The final was played at Hampden Park, Glasgow, before a crowd of over 126,000. Scotland was well represented, as the only non-Scottish player for either side was Aberdeen's Danish midfielder Jens Peterson. Even both managers were Scottish, with Eddie Turnbull for the Dons and Jock Stein for Celtic. Celtic won the match 2-0, with both goals coming from forward Willie Wallace (pictured with the Scottish Cup).

Celtic had already won the Glasgow Cup and the Scottish League Cup that season, and would go on to claim the league title as well. The season is best remembered, however, for their 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the European Champions Cup in Lisbon.

12 April 2008 - Hail To The Queen

On 12 April 2008, Queen of the South F.C. beat Aberdeen 4-3 in the Scottish Cup to advance to their first Scottish Cup final.

The club, located in Dumfries, was founded in March 1919 as the result of the merger of two area clubs - the 5th Kirkcudbrightshire Rifle Volunteers/5th Kings Own Scottish Borders Football Team and Arrol-Johnston F.C. The new club's name was taken from David Dunbar, a local poet/politician who once referred to the town of Dumfries as "the Queen of the South."

Nicknamed "the Doonhamers," the club joined the Scottish Football League in 1923 as part of the Third Division. They enjoyed quick success, gaining promotion to the Second Division for the 1925-26 season, and then to the First Division for the 1933-34 season. The success was not to last, however, as 1959 saw the club relegated back to the Second Division. They returned to the top flight briefly for the 1962-63 and 1963-64 seasons, but have since moved between the second and third levels of the Scottish football pyramid. They currently play in the second tier, which is known as the "First Division" since the introduction of the Scottish Premier League in 1975.

Although the Doonhamers lost the 2008 Scottish Cup Final to Rangers, 3-2, the final remains a high point in the club's history.