TRF Front Page Archive July 2003

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.

31st July 2003 - It seems that the sleazy side of politics is threatening to taint match days in Aberdeen as some obscure set of extremists plan to foist their antisocial "literature", unwanted, on Dons fans heading for Pittodrie. The best answer to that is for people to turn their backs on the junk that they will be offered. In the past, both sides of the old farm have tried and failed to infiltrate their bile amongst the Dons' support - usually by mixing with us on the terraces. Happily they got nowhere with their attempts to get fans singing sectarian songs and the problem died away in short order. Over the years, racist chants have been howled down until they are seldom heard and only then from the odd individual who'll get nowhere with it except probably slung out. There is no reason why this should be any different - it is the responsibility of all of the citizens of the Northeast to make this new "attack" fail miserably - not just AFC and not just the fans of AFC. This is a threat to any right minded society and cannot succeed if it is shunned from day one.

23rd July 2003 - With the phony season upon us, the Dons are up to their ears in demanding training sessions and now the dreaded pre-season friendlies. People try to read so much into the results of these games, but the manager has to look more deeply at the way players perform and their attitude. Winning gives a boost, but the work out is the main objective. As long as the players show that they have a combative, winning attitude and prove their fitness we should be optimistic about the season ahead. All that they have to do is improve a wee bit on the form that they were showing at the end of the last campaign and they should be looking at least for a European spot.

The big talking point to emerge so far from the friendlies played is the emergence of new signing Michael Bird as a versatile goal grabber. If he carries on like he has begun, it won't be long till the terraces will rock to the “Birdie Song” and other appropriate ditties. In fact, Pittodrie might have to be nicknamed “The Aviary” because there is another up and coming goalscorer in the Under-18s – John Stewart – known as Budgie. That'll make a change from the all too predictable sheep theme that unimaginative visiting fans continue to wheel out year after year, little realising that the joke is really on them.

Will Bird continue to soar at the Bradford Tournament this weekend? Dandies everywhere will be hoping that he swoops on the Swansea goal on Saturday and sets us up for a final against Bradford City on Sunday. If he succeeds, he'll put himself right at the top of the Aberdeen strikers pecking order

19th July 2003 -

Captain Sweaty
c/o Red Final
Aboyne
Aberdeenshire

Steven Paterson Esq.
c/o Aberdeen Football Club
Pittodrie Stadium
Pittodrie Street
Aberdeen

Dear Sir,
As I am rapidly approaching my mid twenties having still not appeared for an SPL club, I am considering quitting football altogether and turning my hand to a career as a fanzine contributor. I have had relative success on the football pitch in the past, featuring regularly in the Dunbar Halls 5-a-side team- Dunbarcelona- in the 1998 inter-halls of residence tournament at the Hillhead tennis courts narrowly losing out in the final to experienced Spanish cracks "Iberic Jillhead". I have kept myself fit in the intervening period by riding around town on the No. 2 bus and climbing the steps to the top tier of the Dick Donald Stand on match days. I feel I still have much to offer footballingwise and would appreciate a fulltime contract at Pittodrie to prove this point.

Yours sincerely,
Captain Sweaty.
PS I'am a utility player that injures easily if this is any help!

18th July - A belated tip of the beanie hat from TRF to the Red Ultras for doing the deal with AFC to get the exclusive use of the number 12 shirt for the Red Army - a genuine 12th man for the Dons. TRF was happy to chip a donation into the flag fund that is being pulled together by Malcolm Panton at Pittodrie. Why not sling in a bit of spare cash to help make sure that the planned giant number 12 shirt for the terraces is a huge success? Any amount is a big help, from a quid on up - just send it in to Malcolm. Let's all help to make Pittodrie the most colourful stadium in the UK.

15th July 2003 - Okay, okay, some poor sap of a TRF staffer has condescended to sit in the stuffy, cramped and exceptionally sweaty atmosphere of TRF Towers to get this show back on the road after a closed season that was far too long. Hey, the players have been back sweating it out at Bridge of Don for the past few days so it seems only fair that we join them in the suffering.

Suffer they did on the first day back, although nowhere near as much as players did back in the seventies when they obviously enjoyed themselves too much. Nowadays, the whole squad is well warned before they go off and so the return isn't anything of a massive shock - looked tough mind you and it's hard to imagine the likes of Gordon Reid or Pissed-Off Merkie surviving beyond the first five minutes. Nope, the players are looking fit and bronzed by the summer sun and none moreso than newly returned Scott Booth who has clearly taken care of himself whilst he's been away. Here's hoping that he'll add vastly to the goals threat when the season gets going.

The big question remains: are we going to get Lee Miller or not? At the end of last week it looked all over, but the papers have now given us fresh hope and there's all these midfielders on trial too (well two...). It sound like Pele is going to have a nae bad squad to get the season off to a flyer - well that has to be the dream. Here's hoping the Red Army are signing up again in droves, because the vibes are good and if the close of last season is anything to go by we'll be winning far more games than we lose.

On another front, we have the mouth-watering prospect of a new stadium not a million miles from where Pittodrie now stands, with a sporting centre of excellence just along the way. The Northeast has needed all this for years and at last the city council seems to be showing some imagination and ambition in trying to get a project off the ground. The only real sour note in this is the opposition by the Labour councilors, when the news of this idea first broke before the elections so their party must have had a hand in it. We can only assume that now they are on the other side of the fence they are sulking because if it comes off they won't get the kudos. What sort of people are they? It doesn't matter who is in power, this kind of ambitious project is exactly what Aberdeen needs to make it more attractive to new businesses and other potential incomers and it is in EVERYBODY's interests to make it happen. Get a life Labour!

Now then, to more pressing matters - do we go to Inverness on Saturday or Montrose?

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31st July 2003 - It seems that the sleazy side of politics is threatening to taint match days in Aberdeen as some obscure set of extremists plan to foist their antisocial "literature", unwanted, on Dons fans heading for Pittodrie. The best answer to that is for people to turn their backs on the junk that they will be offered. In the past, both sides of the old farm have tried and failed to infiltrate their bile amongst the Dons' support - usually by mixing with us on the terraces. Happily they got nowhere with their attempts to get fans singing sectarian songs and the problem died away in short order. Over the years, racist chants have been howled down until they are seldom heard and only then from the odd individual who'll get nowhere with it except probably slung out. There is no reason why this should be any different - it is the responsibility of all of the citizens of the Northeast to make this new "attack" fail miserably - not just AFC and not just the fans of AFC. This is a threat to any right minded society and cannot succeed if it is shunned from day one.
23rd July 2003 - With the phony season upon us, the Dons are up to their ears in demanding training sessions and now the dreaded pre-season friendlies. People try to read so much into the results of these games, but the manager has to look more deeply at the way players perform and their attitude. Winning gives a boost, but the work out is the main objective. As long as the players show that they have a combative, winning attitude and prove their fitness we should be optimistic about the season ahead. All that they have to do is improve a wee bit on the form that they were showing at the end of the last campaign and they should be looking at least for a European spot. The big talking point to emerge so far from the friendlies played is the emergence of new signing Michael Bird as a versatile goal grabber. If he carries on like he has begun, it won't be long till the terraces will rock to the “Birdie Song” and other appropriate ditties. In fact, Pittodrie might have to be nicknamed “The Aviary” because there is another up and coming goalscorer in the Under-18s – John Stewart – known as Budgie. That'll make a change from the all too predictable sheep theme that unimaginative visiting fans continue to wheel out year after year, little realising that the joke is really on them. Will Bird continue to soar at the Bradford Tournament this weekend? Dandies everywhere will be hoping that he swoops on the Swansea goal on Saturday and sets us up for a final against Bradford City on Sunday. If he succeeds, he'll put himself right at the top of the Aberdeen strikers pecking order
19th July 2003 - Captain Sweaty c/o Red Final Aboyne Aberdeenshire Steven Paterson Esq. c/o Aberdeen Football Club Pittodrie Stadium Pittodrie Street Aberdeen Dear Sir, As I am rapidly approaching my mid twenties having still not appeared for an SPL club, I am considering quitting football altogether and turning my hand to a career as a fanzine contributor. I have had relative success on the football pitch in the past, featuring regularly in the Dunbar Halls 5-a-side team- Dunbarcelona- in the 1998 inter-halls of residence tournament at the Hillhead tennis courts narrowly losing out in the final to experienced Spanish cracks "Iberic Jillhead". I have kept myself fit in the intervening period by riding around town on the No. 2 bus and climbing the steps to the top tier of the Dick Donald Stand on match days. I feel I still have much to offer footballingwise and would appreciate a fulltime contract at Pittodrie to prove this point. Yours sincerely, *Captain Sweaty.* PS I'am a utility player that injures easily if this is any help!
18th July - A belated tip of the beanie hat from TRF to the Red Ultras for doing the deal with AFC to get the exclusive use of the number 12 shirt for the Red Army - a genuine 12th man for the Dons. TRF was happy to chip a donation into the flag fund that is being pulled together by Malcolm Panton at Pittodrie. Why not sling in a bit of spare cash to help make sure that the planned giant number 12 shirt for the terraces is a huge success? Any amount is a big help, from a quid on up - just send it in to Malcolm. Let's all help to make Pittodrie the most colourful stadium in the UK.
15th July 2003 - Okay, okay, some poor sap of a TRF staffer has condescended to sit in the stuffy, cramped and exceptionally sweaty atmosphere of TRF Towers to get this show back on the road after a closed season that was far too long. Hey, the players have been back sweating it out at Bridge of Don for the past few days so it seems only fair that we join them in the suffering. Suffer they did on the first day back, although nowhere near as much as players did back in the seventies when they obviously enjoyed themselves too much. Nowadays, the whole squad is well warned before they go off and so the return isn't anything of a massive shock - looked tough mind you and it's hard to imagine the likes of Gordon Reid or Pissed-Off Merkie surviving beyond the first five minutes. Nope, the players are looking fit and bronzed by the summer sun and none moreso than newly returned Scott Booth who has clearly taken care of himself whilst he's been away. Here's hoping that he'll add vastly to the goals threat when the season gets going. The big question remains: are we going to get Lee Miller or not? At the end of last week it looked all over, but the papers have now given us fresh hope and there's all these midfielders on trial too (well two...). It sound like Pele is going to have a nae bad squad to get the season off to a flyer - well that has to be the dream. Here's hoping the Red Army are signing up again in droves, because the vibes are good and if the close of last season is anything to go by we'll be winning far more games than we lose. On another front, we have the mouth-watering prospect of a new stadium not a million miles from where Pittodrie now stands, with a sporting centre of excellence just along the way. The Northeast has needed all this for years and at last the city council seems to be showing some imagination and ambition in trying to get a project off the ground. The only real sour note in this is the opposition by the Labour councilors, when the news of this idea first broke before the elections so their party must have had a hand in it. We can only assume that now they are on the other side of the fence they are sulking because if it comes off they won't get the kudos. What sort of people are they? It doesn't matter who is in power, this kind of ambitious project is exactly what Aberdeen needs to make it more attractive to new businesses and other potential incomers and it is in EVERYBODY's interests to make it happen. Get a life Labour! Now then, to more pressing matters - do we go to Inverness on Saturday or Montrose?