I started this and wrote the above over two weeks ago, but because of me full time werk I haven’t been able to get this one out there. Or any others actually. Give it a couple of weeks and hopefully have more time. In the meantime please bear with me.

(Pretend that is a couple of days before the start of the Scotia Prem League season and read on.)

Aberdeen last season had a mini-high with that UEFA Cup distraction, but despite their heroic they finished outside the top three and with nothing to show for their efforts.

During the summer though they shown their intent to bounce back by signing… a striker from Darlington.

Alright it is Tommy Wright who scored 15 goals last season, but worryingly for Jimmy Calderwood and the Aberdeen fans that is pretty much it for them regarding transfers.

The Dons board haven’t given Calderwood much of a budget so he’s made deals for some players and Wright – at £100,000 was their biggest signing.

This season will be a big ask and a challenge for them, which hasn’t got off to a good start with a 2-nil loss at home on the opening day. They scraped a win last Saturday at Motherwell and at the moment all signs say there must be improvement.

So with them probably facing their toughest season to date the band Aberdeen* ask…

* Who are actually from Aberdeen – Aberdeen in Florida. Yes there’s an Aberdeen in Florida.
More info about them can be found here, here and here.

» POSTSCRIPT: Before the Euro 2008 tournament I was halfway through a Scotia themed series. I fully intend to return to that, because I still have loads to post, very soon.

And that’s another thing I keep doing. Again it’s just a gentle ribbing, the footie banter. I use it every time I refer to Scotland or Aberdeen.

But… is the Groundskeeper Willie an Aberdeen fan ? Where does he actually come from ?

We know he comes from Scotia land. That is obvious. But in the show sometimes he’s from Glasgea, sometimes from Edinburrrrrr (North Kilttown). In fact there was one time where Monty Burns took Homer, Professor Frink and Willie up to Loch Ness to find the monster. When they get there Willie meets up with his family who according to him, own a pub in the village where he was conceived, born, and educated.

In the episode Frinky drains Loch Ness and there is a what they think is Nessie at the bottom of the lake but is in fact a high school float with a less that complimentary message about The Dons which Homer reads and says: “No way ! Aberdeen rules !”
So it’s Homer Simpson who’s the Aberdeen fan and Willie is in fact from Drumnadrochit then ?

The Scottish Executive are actually dismayed after finding out after a study, that Groundskeeper Wille is the world’s most famous Scotsman. Even more well known than Sean Connery, Ewan McGregor and the big Yin. They are worried that people in the USA are getting the wrong impression of Scotland because of him.   They shouldn’t be. Remember that Homer was voted in a BBC poll to be the greatest American. Both countries have a sense of humo(u)r, they can differentiate.

Anyway enough of all that. To the music and a couple of songs dedicated to the AB23 postcode residents…

First one is from the musician and Aberdeen fan Graham Stephen. A few years back he wrote & recorded a very accurate description of spending another frustrating season which ends in another midtable position. A very poignant song which anybody can identify with:

» Graham Stephen – It’s Half Past Four And We’re Two Nil Down

One of the greatest titles for a song by the way. Wasn’t it also used as a title for a fanzine once..? Somebody help me out with that.

Aberdeen have actually contradicted the song by finishing high enough last season to qualify for the UEFA Cup. But last Thursday (Nov 29th) they had a bit of a ‘mare away to Athletico Madrid and now need results from other games in their group to go their way in order to keep their hopes alive.

Na it’s not going to happen.

But here’s something to support them and remind them of past glories: It was released in 1983 when a certain Knight of the British Empire, now living down the swamp, was their Manager and the team got to – and won – the European Cup Winners’ Cup Final.
- Some of the players singing on this include Willie Miller, Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, Eric Black and Mark McGhee. All who have become bosses in their own right.

As DaveC wrote himself about the track:

Where’s the feature on Aberdeen’s 1983 European Song? It was written for their subsequent 1983 ECWC final victory. To celebrate them qualifying for the group stages of the UEFA cup, (I’d) like to share some of the lyrics with you:

“We’ve taken our team into Europe.
Yes we have, oh oh oh yes we ha-ave.
All the way, every night and day
Singing our European Song.”

So here as requested…»

» Aberdeen 1983 Squad – European Song

Couldn’t find the entire lyrics, so if you could oblige…?

EXTRA TIME:

» Have a play with Willie’s Soundboard

» Listen to some of Willie’s audio clips