Aberdeen F.C. (1881)

Aberdeen
Full nameAberdeen Football Club
Nickname(s)the Whites[1]
Founded1881
Dissolved1903
GroundPittodrie Park
Aberdeen

Aberdeen Football Club was a Scottish football team formed in 1881. On 14 April 1903 it merged with the two other Aberdeen clubs Victoria United and Orion to form the current Aberdeen Football Club.[2]

The club's first-ever game was a 1–4 defeat at Coupar Angus. Aberdeen played its first Scottish Cup tie against Dundee Harp in 1882. The club won its first trophy in 1888, the Aberdeenshire Cup. In 1891, Aberdeen became a founder member of the newly formed Northern League.

Stadium

On 1 February 1899, the club moved into Pittodrie Stadium which had previously been a dung hill for the city's police horses. They had previously played at Holburn Cricket Ground, the Aberdeen Grammar School grounds and The Chanonry.[3]

Playing colours

For most of their history (1888 to 1903), the club's colours were white shirt, blue short, and blue socks.[4]

Scottish Cup Record

1882–83

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R2 30 September Dundee Harp A 2–2
R2 R 7 October Dundee Harp A 1–7

1883–84

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 8 September Arbroath A 2–2
R1 R 15 September Arbroath A 0–7

1884–85

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 13 September Lindertis A 4–1
R2 4 October Arbroath H 1–7

1885–86

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 12 September Strathmore A 0–7

1886–87

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 11 September Dundee East End A W/O

1887–88

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 3 September Dundee Our Boys H 4–9

1888–89

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 1 September Arbroath H 3–4

1889–90

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 31 August Portland Lybstor H W/O
R2 28 September Orion H 2–1
R3 19 October Forfar Athletic H 5–3
R4 9 November Queen's Park H 1–13

1890–91

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 6 September Orion A 5–1
R2 27 September Caledonian Rangers H 8–0
R3 18 October Inverness Caledonian A 2–6

1891–92

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 5 December Mid Annandale H 2–6

1892–93

Round Date Opponent H/A Score Aberdeen Scorer(s) Attendance
R1 26 November St Mirren H 4–6 12,000

Aberdeen F.C. Sevens

The football club ran a Sports Day from 1887 at its Chanonry Ground. In 1889 it introduced rugby sevens as one of the various sports in its Sports Day. The Sports Day concept proved so popular that it often was spread over a week, resulting in a Finals day on the Saturday with prizes awarded.[5]

Thus Aberdeen was the first place outside of the Scottish Borders to host a Sevens tournament, barring a few isolated sevens matches in England.[6]

The club ran its Sports Day with a rugby sevens tournament included to 1893; with Aberdeen University RFC winning all but one tournament. From 1894 the rugby sevens tournament was dropped from its Sports Day.

Honours

Aberdeenshire Cup
  • 1887–88, 1888–89, 1889–90, 1897–98, 1901–02[7]
Aberdeen Charity Cup

References

  1. ^ "Saturday's Football". Aberdeen Journal: 2. 14 December 1891.
  2. ^ "Aberdeen Football Club founded 1903". Aberdeen FC. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. ^ "AFC Milestones and Records". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Aberdeen - Historical Scottish Football Kits". www.historicalkits.co.uk.
  5. ^ "Aberdeen F.C. Sevens". 14 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Oldest Sevens tournaments in the world". 27 July 2019.
  7. ^ "Aberdeenshire & District Cup". Scottish-Football-Historical-Archive. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Aberdeen Charity Cup". Scottish-Football-Historical-Archive. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2021.