Away Days Aberdeen

A late Reo Hatte goal had the soaked Celtic fans in the away end at the corner of Pittodrie stadium jumping for joy on a Baltic cold night. We were singing in the wind and the rain. Brendan Rodgers and Celtic players delivered once again for the travelling support to continue and an unbeaten run on the domestic front in Scotland.

The result may have been kind to us but the weather was not. The walk from the city centre to the stadium takes about a half an hour when you add in a few pit stops along the way for a pint it took me about an hour and a half to reach the turnstiles and pick up my ticket from JP who had collected it for me from Celtic Park.

I was soaked getting into the ground and things did not get any better weather wise inside with only part of the away end covered. The soaking continued inside until full time and did not let off on the way back to the hotel.

Thankfully Aberdeen could not hold the Celtic storm for 90 minutes and after a spirited effort their supporters hearts were broken by Reo Hatte with the late winner. Celtic collected all 3 points and ended Aberdeen’s impressive home record.

Before kick off the Aberdeen fans put on an impressive fan funded Tifo display of red and white with Pyro type rockets fired into the night Sky. There were plenty of tasty tackles from the home side and gave their fans something to cheer about and argue over yellow cards issued. I thought the referee let them away with a lot from my viewing point.

Celtic’s young Catalonian left back Alex Valle picked up a yellow card which maybe was the reason that he was replaced at halftime by Greg Taylor. Taylor played the ball in for the goal which Hatte showed composure under pressure to send the Celtic fans in a vocal chorus of chants and songs.

The final whistle saw both sets of fans having some verbal with each other. The young Aberdeen crew were pulling shapes as if they were planning to charge the Celtic support. The only thing they would be charging was their mobile phones after using up the battery filming themselves acting hard.

The Aberdeen young troop are living on dreams and custard creams and lying awake at night dreaming of being casuals back in the 1980’s when their hooligan crew were no mugs and were feared by many hooligan firms home and away.

At one stage they were considered Scotland’s top dogs a crown they relinquished to the Hibs Casuals after an infamous day in Edinburgh. I think I’ve had harder boiled eggs and this young crew won’t have put any fear into the Celtic fans they were taunting. The Celtic fans responded by singing “Come over to my place, Hey You, We’re having a party” which seemed to upset them even more.

A good night even if we got soaking wet, 3 points and plenty of happy buses full of Celtic fans heading down the road finishing off a carry out and looking forward to Hibs at Celtic Park on Saturday. I feel sorry for the Celtic fans who turned up with no tickets, they got soaked and had to watch in the pub and I have to tip my hat to the bhoys still wearing shorts to games in December.

Aberdeen Away Days full article will appear in the More than 90 Minute Issue 136 out in January. December Issue 135 is at the Printers and comes out next week.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast