# 1981–82 Aberdeen F.C. season

Aberdeen competed in the Scottish Premier Division, Scottish Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in season 1981–82.
They finished second in the Scottish Premier Division and won the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1970. In Europe, they reached the third round of the UEFA Cup, their longest run in European competition, after knocking out the holders, Ipswich Town.
Peter Weir became the most expensive player in Scottish football when he was signed from St Mirren for £300,000.

## Results
### Scottish Premier Division

| Match Day | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| 1. | 29 August | Dundee United | A | 1–4 | McLeish | 10,598 |
| 2. | 5 September | Celtic | H | 1–3 | Strachan | 18,825 |
| 3. | 12 September | Partick Thistle | A | 2–0 | McCall, Cowan | 3,606 |
| 4. | 19 September | Hibernian | H | 1–0 | Simpson | 10,852 |
| 5. | 26 September | Airdrieonians | A | 4–0 | McLeish, Hewitt, Weir (2) | 3,000 |
| 6. | 3 October | Morton | H | 2–0 | Rougvie, Watson | 11,007 |
| 7. | 10 October | Rangers | A | 0–0 | | 28,000 |
| 8. | 17 October | St Mirren | A | 2–1 | Watson (2) | 6,870 |
| 9. | 24 October | Dundee | H | 2–1 | Rougvie, McCall | 11,506 |
| 10. | 31 October | Dundee United | H | 1–1 | Black | 11,035 |
| 11. | 7 November | Celtic | A | 1–2 | Strachan | 29,326 |
| 12. | 14 November | Partick Thistle | H | 2–1 | Watson, Harrow | 11,193 |
| 13. | 21 November | Hibernian | A | 1–1 | Simpson | 7,600 |
| 14. | 28 November | Airdrieonians | H | 0–0 | | 8,030 |
| 15. | 5 December | Morton | A | 1–2 | Hewitt | 3,102 |
| 16. | 30 January | Celtic | H | 1–3 | McMaster | 20,000 |
| 17. | 3 February | Partick Thistle | A | 0–0 | | 2,317 |
| 18. | 6 February | Morton | H | 0–0 | | 7,217 |
| 19. | 20 February | Airdrieonians | A | 3–0 | Hewitt, McGhee (2) | 3,500 |
| 20. | 27 February | Dundee | H | 0–0 | | 8,961 |
| 21. | 10 March | Hibernian | H | 3–1 | Strachan, Cooper, Jarvie | 8,691 |
| 22. | 13 March | Rangers | A | 3–1 | Cooper, Cowan, Watson | 31,305 |
| 23. | 17 March | Dundee | A | 3–0 | Cowan, Simpson, Hewitt | 6,126 |
| 24. | 20 March | Dundee United | H | 2–1 | Hewitt, McLeish | 12,056 |
| 25. | 27 March | Celtic | A | 1–0 | Kennedy | 30,000 |
| 26. | 10 April | Hibernian | A | 3–0 | Strachan, McGhee, Jarvie | 8,000 |
| 27. | 14 April | St Mirren | H | 4–1 | Rougvie (2), Strachan, Simpson | 12,119 |
| 28. | 17 April | Morton | A | 1–2 | McGhee | 3,000 |
| 29. | 21 April | Rangers | H | 3–1 | McGhee, Rougvie, Black | 15,700 |
| 30. | 24 April | Airdrieonians | H | 2–0 | McGhee, Black | 8,000 |
| 31. | 1 May | Dundee | A | 5–0 | McLeish, Harrow, Bell, McCall, Glennie | 6,415 |
| 32. | 3 May | Partick Thistle | H | 3–1 | McCall, Hewitt, Watson | 6,000 |
| 33. | 5 May | Dundee United | A | 2–1 | Hewitt (2) | 6,587 |
| 34. | 7 May | St Mirren | H | 5–1 | Strachan (2), Cooper, McGhee (2) | 9,000 |
| 35. | 12 May | St Mirren | A | 2–0 | Rougvie, McLeish | 3,942 |
| 36. | 15 May | Rangers | H | 4–0 | Hewitt (3), Jackson | 18,000 |

#### Final standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Celtic (C) | 36 | 24 | 7 | 5 | 79 | 33 | +46 | 55 | Qualification for the European Cup first round |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 36 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 71 | 29 | +42 | 53 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 3 | Rangers | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 57 | 45 | +12 | 43 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Dundee United | 36 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 61 | 38 | +23 | 40 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | St Mirren | 36 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 49 | 52 | −3 | 37 | |

### Scottish League Cup
#### Group stage

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| G3 | 8 August | Kilmarnock | H | 3–0 | Kennedy, McGhee (2) | 9,000 |
| G3 | 12 August | Heart of Midlothian | A | 0–1 | | 10,500 |
| G3 | 15 August | Airdrieonians | H | 3–0 | Strachan, Hewitt, Weir | 7,000 |
| G3 | 19 August | Heart of Midlothian | H | 3–0 | Strachan, Hewitt, Bell | 8,600 |
| G3 | 22 August | Kilmarnock | A | 3–0 | Strachan (2), McGhee | 3,100 |
| G3 | 26 August | Airdrieonians | A | 0–0 | | 3,000 |

#### Group 3 final table

| Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Aberdeen | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | +11 | 9 |
| Kilmarnock | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 6 |
| Heart of Midlothian | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 5 |
| Airdrieonians | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 4 |

#### Knockout stage

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| QF L1 | 2 September | Berwick Rangers | H | 5–0 | Cooper, Strachan (2), Bell, McCall | 6,500 |
| QF L2 | 23 September | Berwick Rangers | A | 3–0 | McGhee, McMaster, Harrow | 1,200 |
| SF L1 | 10 October | Dundee United | A | 1–0 | Weir | 13,100 |
| SF L2 | 28 October | Dundee United | H | 0–3 | | 12,837 |

### Scottish Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R3 | 23 January | Motherwell | A | 1–0 | Hewitt | 12,679 |
| R4 | 13 February | Celtic | H | 1–0 | Hewitt | 24,000 |
| QF | 6 March | Kilmarnock | H | 4–2 | Strachan (2), McGhee, Simpson | 12,000 |
| SF | 3 April | St Mirren | N | 1–1 | Strachan | 16,782 |
| SF R | 7 April | St Mirren | N | 3–2 | McGhee, Simpson, Weir | 15,663 |
| F | 22 May | Rangers | N | 4–1 | Strachan, McGhee, McLeish, Cooper | 53,788 |

### UEFA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R1 L1 | 16 September | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | Hewitt | 18,535 |
| R1 L2 | 30 September | Ipswich Town | H | 3–1 | Strachan, Weir (2) | 24,000 |
| R2 L1 | 21 October | FC Argeş Piteşti | H | 3–0 | Strachan, Weir, Hewitt | 22,000 |
| R2 L2 | 4 November | FC Argeş Piteşti | A | 2–2 | Strachan, Hewitt | 8,760 |
| QF L1 | 25 November | SV Hamburg | H | 3–2 | Watson, Black, Hewitt | 24,000 |
| QF L2 | 9 December | SV Hamburg | A | 1–3 | McGhee | 45,000 |

## Squad
### Appearances & Goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier Division | Premier Division | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Europe | Europe |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| | GK | SCO | Jim Leighton | 58 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Andy Harrow | 11 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Stuart Kennedy | 54 | 2 | 34 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Alex McLeish | 50 | 6 | 32 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Willie Miller (c) | 58 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Brian Mitchell | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Doug Rougvie | 43 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Ian Angus | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Dougie Bell | 27 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Neale Cooper | 46 | 5 | 27 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Steve Cowan | 14 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Derek Hamilton | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | John McMaster | 48 | 2 | 31 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Neil Simpson | 42 | 6 | 29 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Gordon Strachan | 50 | 20 | 30 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
| | MF | SCO | Andy Watson | 45 | 7 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| | MF | SCO | Peter Weir | 42 | 8 | 25 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
| | FW | SCO | Eric Black | 17 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| | FW | SCO | John Hewitt | 45 | 19 | 25 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| | FW | SCO | Drew Jarvie | 16 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Walker McCall | 14 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Mark McGhee | 53 | 16 | 31 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 1 |