Thirty-five years have gone by since Aberdeen last got their hands on the Scottish Cup, and that day at Hampden was a real rollercoaster of emotions. This weekend, Jimmy Thelin’s Dons will try to replicate the success that Alex Smith and his team achieved back in 1990 when they triumphed over Celtic in an intense penalty shootout.
The hero of the day, Brian Irvine, kept his cool and slotted home the winning penalty to secure the cup for the Reds. However, the aftermath of the game was dominated by debates on the use of penalty shootouts to determine the cup winner, a first in Scottish Cup history. While Aberdeen fans were over the moon with their seventh cup victory, many, including Celtic supporters, were disappointed that the game didn’t go to a replay.
The Press and Journal’s coverage of the event highlighted the mixed reactions to the penalty shootout. While some, like SFA secretary Jim Farry, saw it as a necessary evil to avoid logistical issues, others, including Labour MP George Galloway, criticized the method as a “farcical lottery.” The debate around penalty shootouts in cup finals continued to rage on, with opinions divided on whether it was a fair way to settle such crucial matches.
