TRF Front Page Archive June 2000

These items have appeared on the TRF homepage and we wouldn't want to deprive you of anything that we have posted, so browse away.

29th June - Why are AFC advertising for even more staff? The latest blooper is that they want somebody to co-ordinate a membership scheme! This only a few days after Stewart Milne was extensively quoted in the press telling us that the club is broke. Now we see on the Official Website that they want to recruit somebody to do a job that few if any fans will want to be done.

What is the motivation behind launching a membership scheme at this time? Presumably they think that they can make some money from it, but if it is in any way designed to force people to join, or to undermine individual supporters clubs, then it is doomed to failure. Have they asked a broad cross-section of supporters if they'd want to join a membership scheme? You bet your boots they haven't. They may well have told Euan Chisholm and his small band of unrepresentative cronies about it and got the usual rubber stamp from them behind closed doors, but as usual no serious attempt to consult the troops has been made.

Who was the last person to want membership schemes for football fans by the way? Wasn't it some she-devil of the blue rinse brigade who hated the sport and its fans with a passion?

27th June - At last the story about the Atlantic Silverbacks has turned up in the Aberdeen press. The Silverbacks website had news about a possible tie-in with the Dons months ago. No doubt the only thing holding back a deal has been the bumbling incompetents who purport to run things at Pittodrie. What could possibly be risky about having a reciprocal arrangement for young and fringe players to move between the clubs? It would bring them all opportunities to work on fitness and broaden their experience. The idea is mainly for Dons' players to go and play in Atlanta during the summer, thus raising the standards (I know, I know) there. There probably wouldn't be too many coming the other way, but the Dons would have first dibs on any decent up and comers. Get on with it AFC you can only score - especially since Dave Cormack, one of the Silverbacks co-chairmen, is a rabid Dandie and will do all he can to see we get a good deal.

23rd July - A home start against Bohemiens isn't too bad, although last time we played them we only beat them 1-0 on aggregate with a Jim bett goal. That was back in the glorious Portaloo era when positive attacking play was if we crossed the centre line and Gary Hackett was the manager's idea of a decent player. The important thing is it shouldn't cost the club too much to take part in the tie, especially if the travelling party includes the minimum number of officials - they should stay at home and sweat buckets on fund raising activities.

Footnote to yesterday's League Fixtures: Back in October 1993, the Sunday Mason was outraged when the Dons and Hearts had to face each other in two midweek League fixtures - one at each ground and six months apart (5th October 93 & 22nd April 94). "What have the League got against Aberdeen and Hearts?" was the cry. Let's scour the national papers for the incensed criticism over AFC having to make to Wednesday nith trips toGlasgow to face the costly hunz. 22nd June - what with the SPL fixtures being out and the Dandies beeing seeded for tomorrow's UEFA Cup draw, TRF's editor hardly knows which way to turn first. At last something's happening this closed season and some of it is carefully designed by the SPL brains trust to ensure outrage amongst the Legion Rouge. First glance through and it looks like a relatively bland list of matches, but the two mid-week aways v the hunz is simply outrageous. What (as if we didn't know) could have posessed the planners to hand us our only non-festive midweeks against the same team and both away? No west coast bias? Yer arse!

Let's hope that an opening set of fixtures like we have been handed will allow the team to get off to a much healthier start than they did last season. If we can start well, we should be able to put together a respectable season and begin seriously to think about the top six parade rather than the bottom six debacle. Time alone will tell.

As for Europe, there are two teams in the group of potential opponents who TRF has actually heard of and a trip to Dublin would be preferable to a trek to Vilnius. As to the others, it would probably suit the Dons to go to Gotu than loup over to Liepajc. Whatever we'd prefer we'll probably get something else. Look on the bright side (as our old mate Gordon Bennett would doubtless advise us) the entire crowd at the home tie will be paying for their tickets as Seasons won't be valid. Keep smiling!

20th June - The focus turns temporarily away from the absence of new player signings and onto the UEFA Cup draw. It is a long time since the Dons graced the European stage, although not so long since they appeared on it. All the more ironic, then that if the ruling powers decide on seeding, we'll be up at the top end of the cut. Hearts and their fans must be pig sick that we are streets ahead of them in Europe despite having been also-rans in the league lately. Well, ha bloody ha! The fact that our ranking is still helped by that Gothenburg triumph in 1983 makes it all the funnier, because the west-coast press are always telling us we should forget about it.

We have no room to take early progress for granted and if we end up on a trip to Iceland or Wales or (shudder) Estonia, we had better be very well prepared. There are no easy away trips for the Dons and home matches have still need a lot of improvement. Demanding? You bet, we want the best possible side that Pittodrie can produce and we are miles off it just now. Ebbe has still got a managerial mountain to climb but he'll still get the backing of the Red Army's footsoldiers. As to Friday's forthcoming draw, does anybody else wonder why our cash-strapped club is sending two officials over to Switzerland to witness the draw ? Seems a bit of overkill for what should be a simple bit of administrative work. Still, why save money when you can waste it?

16th June - The news that Ilian Kiriakov is still hoping to return to Scotland and play in the Premier League can probably be taken with a substantial dose of vodka. The wee Bulgar may have managed to look good in Cypriot football a few years ago and he may even have had a couple of decent games for his country, but his performances in Aberdeen's colours were, by and large, abominable. Every Premier League manager will have seen the guy in action and some of them may even feel he's quite industrious, but the quality of his passing and complete absence of finishing ability will probably put most of them off. Mind you, if any manager wants a good, smoky, night out at a casino, or to while away a few hours at the bookies, Ilian's their man.

13th June - Did you know that TRF submits a weekly contribution to Teletext on Channel 4? Each Wednesday we turn up on Page 156 with a few lines about whatever takes our fancy AFC-wise. This week we are getting impatient at the silence on the player recruitment front. We won't put this on the website every week, but to give you the general idea here is what we sent today. It may not appear exactly like this on TV.

"Is there anybody there?" asked the Dons' fan, knocking on the stadium door. "Is there anybody there?" asked the Dons' fan. "Do we sign up new players any more?"

Silence was the stern reply. The closed season is not yet very old, but bearing in mind the Aberdeen experience of the past few summers, many fans are wondering whether Pittodrie will be bringing in reinforcements or not. The philosophy of leaving signings to the last minute is questionable to say the least. Surely players should be signed up and settled into new homes before pre-season training starts.

Players arriving at the last minute are unlikely to bring their best to the team if they are having to deal with the traumas of domestic arrangements. Still, at least the club have opened up a new call centre so they can't be accused of inaction.

Keep in shape with TRF

12th June - Well, at least the rumour rumour machine kicked in over the weekend and we have been associated with a couple of overpriced unknown's from the nether regions of the English league. You never know, it might even be true and they might be worthwhile, then again they might be Tom Jones and Gary Hackett. It's an awfully expensive way of finding out, though. OBE is more inclined to favour the scouring of the Scottish lower leagues (suggested by Bumper Graham in to night's EE btw) a source of many good players in the past and far more economical than other countries might have to offer. 9th June - The start of the closed season has been bloody boring for all Rudolphs so far. No signings, no scandals, no nothing. Unless, of course you count David Rowson's contract extension. Hmm. Give us some hope, give us some signings. There's the Jocky Scott rumour of course and whispers that the Wigster is going to hand a new deal to Ebbe. Nobody here is terribly sure how that'll go down around the Northeast. Skovdahl has gathered up a wee entourage of critics, but it's hard to see what else he could have done over the past season except work a hell of a lot harder on his defence.

Final in a Box - A reluctant stay-at-home writes...

Zero-Ally - in defence of Zero Cup Final Letter - Aditional thoughts (updated 4th July 2000)

Cup Final 2000 - A few notes and an ISG story (updated 7th August)

10 Phrases you won't hear round Pittodrie

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	29th June - Why are AFC advertising for even more staff? The latest blooper is that they want somebody to co-ordinate a membership scheme! This only a few days after Stewart Milne was extensively quoted in the press telling us that the club is broke. Now we see on the Official Website that they want to recruit somebody to do a job that few if any fans will want to be done. What is the motivation behind launching a membership scheme at this time? Presumably they think that they can make some money from it, but if it is in any way designed to force people to join, or to undermine individual supporters clubs, then it is doomed to failure. Have they asked a broad cross-section of supporters if they'd want to join a membership scheme? You bet your boots they haven't. They may well have told Euan Chisholm and his small band of unrepresentative cronies about it and got the usual rubber stamp from them behind closed doors, but as usual no serious attempt to consult the troops has been made. Who was the last person to want membership schemes for football fans by the way? Wasn't it some she-devil of the blue rinse brigade who hated the sport and its fans with a passion?
27th June - At last the story about the Atlantic Silverbacks has turned up in the Aberdeen press. The Silverbacks website had news about a possible tie-in with the Dons months ago. No doubt the only thing holding back a deal has been the bumbling incompetents who purport to run things at Pittodrie. What could possibly be risky about having a reciprocal arrangement for young and fringe players to move between the clubs? It would bring them all opportunities to work on fitness and broaden their experience. The idea is mainly for Dons' players to go and play in Atlanta during the summer, thus raising the standards (I know, I know) there. There probably wouldn't be too many coming the other way, but the Dons would have first dibs on any decent up and comers. Get on with it AFC you can only score - especially since Dave Cormack, one of the Silverbacks co-chairmen, is a rabid Dandie and will do all he can to see we get a good deal.
23rd July - A home start against Bohemiens isn't too bad, although last time we played them we only beat them 1-0 on aggregate with a Jim bett goal. That was back in the glorious Portaloo era when positive attacking play was if we crossed the centre line and Gary Hackett was the manager's idea of a decent player. The important thing is it shouldn't cost the club too much to take part in the tie, especially if the travelling party includes the minimum number of officials - they should stay at home and sweat buckets on fund raising activities. Footnote to yesterday's League Fixtures: Back in October 1993, the Sunday Mason was outraged when the Dons and Hearts had to face each other in two midweek League fixtures - one at each ground and six months apart (5th October 93 & 22nd April 94). "What have the League got against Aberdeen and Hearts?" was the cry. Let's scour the national papers for the incensed criticism over AFC having to make to Wednesday nith trips toGlasgow to face the costly hunz.	22nd June - what with the SPL fixtures being out and the Dandies beeing seeded for tomorrow's UEFA Cup draw, TRF's editor hardly knows which way to turn first. At last something's happening this closed season and some of it is carefully designed by the SPL brains trust to ensure outrage amongst the Legion Rouge. First glance through and it looks like a relatively bland list of matches, but the two mid-week aways v the hunz is simply outrageous. What (as if we didn't know) could have posessed the planners to hand us our only non-festive midweeks against the same team and both away? No west coast bias? Yer arse! Let's hope that an opening set of fixtures like we have been handed will allow the team to get off to a much healthier start than they did last season. If we can start well, we should be able to put together a respectable season and begin seriously to think about the top six parade rather than the bottom six debacle. Time alone will tell. As for Europe, there are two teams in the group of potential opponents who TRF has actually heard of and a trip to Dublin would be preferable to a trek to Vilnius. As to the others, it would probably suit the Dons to go to Gotu than loup over to Liepajc. Whatever we'd prefer we'll probably get something else. Look on the bright side (as our old mate Gordon Bennett would doubtless advise us) the entire crowd at the home tie will be paying for their tickets as Seasons won't be valid. Keep smiling!
20th June - The focus turns temporarily away from the absence of new player signings and onto the UEFA Cup draw. It is a long time since the Dons graced the European stage, although not so long since they appeared on it. All the more ironic, then that if the ruling powers decide on seeding, we'll be up at the top end of the cut. Hearts and their fans must be pig sick that we are streets ahead of them in Europe despite having been also-rans in the league lately. Well, ha bloody ha! The fact that our ranking is still helped by that Gothenburg triumph in 1983 makes it all the funnier, because the west-coast press are always telling us we should forget about it. We have no room to take early progress for granted and if we end up on a trip to Iceland or Wales or (shudder) Estonia, we had better be very well prepared. There are no easy away trips for the Dons and home matches have still need a lot of improvement. Demanding? You bet, we want the best possible side that Pittodrie can produce and we are miles off it just now. Ebbe has still got a managerial mountain to climb but he'll still get the backing of the Red Army's footsoldiers. As to Friday's forthcoming draw, does anybody else wonder why our cash-strapped club is sending two officials over to Switzerland to witness the draw ? Seems a bit of overkill for what should be a simple bit of administrative work. Still, why save money when you can waste it?	16th June - The news that Ilian Kiriakov is still hoping to return to Scotland and play in the Premier League can probably be taken with a substantial dose of vodka. The wee Bulgar may have managed to look good in Cypriot football a few years ago and he may even have had a couple of decent games for his country, but his performances in Aberdeen's colours were, by and large, abominable. Every Premier League manager will have seen the guy in action and some of them may even feel he's quite industrious, but the quality of his passing and complete absence of finishing ability will probably put most of them off. Mind you, if any manager wants a good, smoky, night out at a casino, or to while away a few hours at the bookies, Ilian's their man.
13th June - Did you know that TRF submits a weekly contribution to Teletext on Channel 4? Each Wednesday we turn up on Page 156 with a few lines about whatever takes our fancy AFC-wise. This week we are getting impatient at the silence on the player recruitment front. We won't put this on the website every week, but to give you the general idea here is what we sent today. It may not appear exactly like this on TV. "Is there anybody there?" asked the Dons' fan, knocking on the stadium door. "Is there anybody there?" asked the Dons' fan. "Do we sign up new players any more?" Silence was the stern reply. The closed season is not yet very old, but bearing in mind the Aberdeen experience of the past few summers, many fans are wondering whether Pittodrie will be bringing in reinforcements or not. The philosophy of leaving signings to the last minute is questionable to say the least. Surely players should be signed up and settled into new homes before pre-season training starts. Players arriving at the last minute are unlikely to bring their best to the team if they are having to deal with the traumas of domestic arrangements. Still, at least the club have opened up a new call centre so they can't be accused of inaction.	Keep in shape with TRF
12th June - Well, at least the rumour rumour machine kicked in over the weekend and we have been associated with a couple of overpriced unknown's from the nether regions of the English league. You never know, it might even be true and they might be worthwhile, then again they might be Tom Jones and Gary Hackett. It's an awfully expensive way of finding out, though. OBE is more inclined to favour the scouring of the Scottish lower leagues (suggested by Bumper Graham in to night's EE btw) a source of many good players in the past and far more economical than other countries might have to offer.	9th June - The start of the closed season has been bloody boring for all Rudolphs so far. No signings, no scandals, no nothing. Unless, of course you count David Rowson's contract extension. Hmm. Give us some hope, give us some signings. There's the Jocky Scott rumour of course and whispers that the Wigster is going to hand a new deal to Ebbe. Nobody here is terribly sure how that'll go down around the Northeast. Skovdahl has gathered up a wee entourage of critics, but it's hard to see what else he could have done over the past season except work a hell of a lot harder on his defence.
Final in a Box - A reluctant stay-at-home writes... Zero-Ally - in defence of Zero	Cup Final Letter - Aditional thoughts (updated 4th July 2000) Cup Final 2000 - A few notes and an ISG story (updated 7th August)
10 Phrases you won't hear round Pittodrie