1991–92 Aberdeen F.C. season

Aberdeen F.C. competed in the Scottish Premier Division, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and UEFA Cup in the 1991–92 season.

Aberdeen F.C.
1991–92 season
ChairmanDick Donald
ManagerAlex Smith (to February)
Jocky Scott (to September)
Willie Miller (from February)
Scottish Premier Division6th
Scottish CupThird round
Scottish League CupThird round
UEFA CupFirst round
Top goalscorerLeague: Eoin Jess (12)
All: Eoin Jess (12)
Highest home attendance23,000 vs. Rangers, 22 January 1992
Lowest home attendance6,461 vs. Falkirk, 25 April 1992
Average home league attendance11,799

Overview

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After the disappointment of losing the league championship on the final day of the previous season, Aberdeen began with four Premier Division victories. The early promise of the season was ended when the Dons lost at home to Airdrieonians in the League Cup. A few weeks later, co-manager Jocky Scott resigned in order to become manager of Dunfermline, leaving Alex Smith as sole manager.[1]

Following Scott's departure, Aberdeen's season rapidly fell apart. In the UEFA Cup, Aberdeen lost at home and away to Danish club Boldklubben 1903 in the first round. A run of seventeen league games which yielded just three victories between November and February cost manager Alex Smith his job as he became the first Aberdeen manager ever to be sacked, with the club dangerously close to the relegation zone.[1] His successor, club legend Willie Miller, managed to revitalise the team and had them in contention for a UEFA Cup spot until the last day of the season, but a loss to league champions Rangers resulted in Aberdeen missing out on European football for the first time in 15 years. In the Scottish Cup, Aberdeen lost at home in the third round to Rangers.[1] Eoin Jess finished as the top scorer with 12 goals. Major signings included Finnish striker Mixu Paatelainen from Dundee United and Theo ten Caat, who became the fifth Dutch player to join the club in recent years.

Results

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Scottish Premier Division

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Match Day Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
1 10 August Airdrieonians A 2–1 Irvine, Gillhaus 6,337
2 14 August Falkirk A 1–0 Booth 8,462
3 17 August Dunfermline Athletic H 3–0 Grant, Bett, Jess 13,849
4 24 August Celtic H 1–0 Gillhaus 20,503
5 31 August Dundee United A 0–0 11,961
6 7 September St Johnstone H 1–2 van de Ven 12,071
7 14 September Motherwell A 1–0 Gillhaus 6,452
8 21 September Hibernian H 1–1 Grant 11,850
9 28 September Rangers A 2–0 Grant, Jess 36,330
10 5 October St Mirren H 4–1 Grant, Mason, Irvine, Ten Caat 10,154
11 9 October Heart of Midlothian A 0–1 15,569
12 12 October Airdrieonians H 3–1 Ten Caat, Jess (2) 8,998
13 18 October Dunfermline Athletic A 0–0 5,157
14 26 October St Johnstone A 3–1 van de Ven, Jess Mason 5,682
15 30 October Motherwell H 3–1 Winnie, Mason, Gillhaus 9,092
16 2 November Dundee United H 0–1 13,728
17 9 November Celtic A 1–2 Jess 36,837
18 16 November St Mirren A 1–0 Own goal 3,634
19 20 November Heart of Midlothian H 0–2 15,337
20 23 November Hibernian A 0–1[2] 8,942
21 30 November Falkirk H 1–1 Gillhaus 10,614
22 4 December Rangers H 2–3 Irvine, Ten Caat 20,081
23 7 December Airdrieonians A 0–2 3,071
24 14 December St Johnstone H 4–1 Grant, Booth, Jess, Roddie 9,292
25 28 December Celtic H 2–2 Jess, Ten Caat 20,442
26 1 January Dundee United A 0–4 7,777
27 4 January St Mirren H 0–0 8,774
28 11 January Heart of Midlothian A 4–0 Mason, Booth, Jess (2) 16,291
29 14 January Motherwell A 3–3 Kane, Jess, Roddie 5,221
30 18 January Falkirk A 2–2 Mason, Booth 5,122
31 1 February Dunfermline Athletic H 1–1 Jess 7,549
32 8 February Hibernian H 0–1 9,568
33 25 February Rangers A 0–0 38,519
34 29 February St Mirren A 2–0 Smith, Mason 3,853
35 14 March Celtic A 0–1 29,380
36 18 March Heart of Midlothian H 2–0 Mason, Ten Caat 10,581
37 21 March Dundee United H 0–2 10,350
38 28 March Airdrieonians H 1–0 Irvine 6,805
39 4 April Dunfermline Athletic A 0–0 3,033
40 8 April St Johnstone A 0–0 4,524
41 11 April Motherwell H 2–0 Grant, Kane 6,902
42 18 April Hibernian A 1–1 Paatelainen 6,777
43 25 April Falkirk H 1–1 Booth 6,461
44 2 May Rangers H 0–2 16,580

Final standings

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
4 Dundee United 44 19 13 12 66 50 +16 51
5 Hibernian 44 16 17 11 53 45 +8 49 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
6 Aberdeen 44 17 14 13 55 42 +13 48
7 Airdrieonians 44 13 10 21 50 70 −20 36 Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
8 St Johnstone 44 13 10 21 52 73 −21 36
Source: [citation needed]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Scottish League Cup

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Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R2 21 August Clyde A 4–0 Winnie, Grant, van de Ven, Booth 2,107
R3 28 August Airdrieonians H 0–1 13,000

Scottish Cup

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Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R3 22 January Rangers H 0–1 23,000

UEFA Cup

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Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 L1 18 September  Boldklubben 1903 H 0–1 13,000
R1 L2 2 October  Boldklubben 1903 A 0–2 5,237

Squad

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Appearances and goals

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No. Pos Nat Player Total Premier Division Scottish Cup League Cup Europe
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
MF   SCO Jim Bett 43 1 38 1 1 0 2 0 2 0
FW   SCO Scott Booth 38 6 33 5 1 0 2 1 2 0
FW   SCO Ian Cameron 8 0 6 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
MF   SCO Bobby Connor 13 0 11 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
DF   SCO Graeme Ferguson 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   SCO Andy Gibson 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   NED Hans Gillhaus 33 5 29 5 1 0 2 0 1 0
MF   SCO Brian Grant 38 0 33 0 1 0 2 0 2 0
DF   SCO Mark Humphries 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF   SCO Brian Irvine 38 4 33 4 1 0 2 0 2 0
FW   SCO Eoin Jess 44 12 39 12 1 0 2 0 2 0
MF   SCO Paul Kane 26 0 25 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
MF   ENG Paul Mason 32 0 31 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
DF   SCO Stewart McKimmie 44 0 39 0 1 0 2 0 2 0
DF   SCO Alex McLeish (c) 7 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   FIN Mixu Paatelainen 6 1 6 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW   SCO Andy Roddie 11 2 10 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
DF   SCO Gary Smith 16 1 16 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK   NED Theo Snelders 47 0 42 0 1 0 2 0 2 0
FW   NED Theo ten Caat 32 5 30 5 0 0 0 0 2 0
MF   NED Peter van de Ven 26 3 23 2 0 0 2 1 1 0
FW   NED Willem van der Ark 22 0 18 0 0 0 2 0 2 0
DF   SCO Graham Watson 14 0 11 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
DF   SCO Gregg Watson 8 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK   SCO Michael Watt 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF   SCO David Winnie 31 2 28 1 1 0 2 1 0 0
DF   SCO Stephen Wright 27 0 23 0 1 0 2 0 1 0

References

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  1. ^ a b c 'Fan power was on the rampage': How Alex Smith paid the price for Aberdeen’s troubled 1991-92 season, Neil Drysdale, Press & Journal, 11 October 2021
  2. ^ "Snelders hits a bad note". The Herald. 25 November 1991. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
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