# 1986–87 Aberdeen F.C. season

Aberdeen competed in the Scottish Premier Division, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in season 1986–87.

## Overview

Aberdeen lost their manager Alex Ferguson to Manchester United in November 1986. He was replaced by Ian Porterfield. On the field, the club finished in a disappointing fourth place in the Premier Division, and were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions by Celtic. In Europe, they were knocked out of the Cup Winners' Cup by Swiss club FC Sion at the first round stage.
New signings included midfielder Bobby Connor from Dundee and striker Davie Dodds from Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax.

## Results
### Scottish Premier Division

| Match Day | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| 1 | 9 August | Dundee United | A | 1–2 | Stark | 10,910 |
| 2 | 13 August | Hibernian | H | 4–0 | Stark, Gray, J. Miller, Angus | 12,983 |
| 3 | 16 August | Hamilton Academical | H | 2–0 | Stark (2) | 10,316 |
| 4 | 23 August | Celtic | A | 1–1 | J. Miller | 46,073 |
| 5 | 30 August | Dundee | H | 2–0 | J. Miller, Hewitt | 12,486 |
| 6 | 6 September | St Mirren | A | 1–1 | Stark | 4,435 |
| 7 | 13 September | Heart of Midlothian | H | 0–1 | | 15,625 |
| 8 | 20 September | Clydebank | A | 3–1 | Hewitt, Weir | 2,766 |
| 9 | 27 September | Rangers | A | 0–2 | | 40,155 |
| 10 | 4 October | Motherwell | H | 2–2 | W. Miller, Dodds | 8,751 |
| 11 | 8 October | Falkirk | A | 3–3 | Stark, McLeish, Bett | 4,800 |
| 12 | 11 October | Dundee United | H | 2–0 | Hewitt (2) | 14,922 |
| 13 | 18 October | Hibernian | A | 1–1 | Connor | 9,127 |
| 14 | 25 October | Hamilton Academical | A | 1–0 | Bett | 3,001 |
| 15 | 1 November | Dundee | A | 2–0 | Porteous, Dodds | 8,200 |
| 16 | 8 November | St Mirren | H | 0–0 | | 11,366 |
| 17 | 15 November | Heart of Midlothian | A | 1–2 | Hewitt | 17,108 |
| 18 | 19 November | Clydebank | H | 5–0 | Stark (2), Connor (2), Hewitt | 7,301 |
| 19 | 22 November | Rangers | H | 1–0 | Dodds | 21,733 |
| 20 | 26 November | Celtic | H | 1–1 | McLeish | 22,040 |
| 21 | 29 November | Motherwell | A | 1–0 | Weir | 4,479 |
| 22 | 3 December | Falkirk | H | 1–0 | Stark | 9,253 |
| 23 | 6 December | Dundee United | A | 0–0 | | 10,242 |
| 24 | 13 December | Hibernian | H | 1–0 | Stark | 11,003 |
| 25 | 20 December | Celtic | A | 1–1 | J. Miller | 32,624 |
| 26 | 27 December | Hamilton Academical | H | 0–0 | | 10,500 |
| 27 | 1 January | Dundee | H | 2–1 | Wright, Grant | 11,000 |
| 28 | 21 January | Heart of Midlothian | H | 2–1 | Grant, W. Miller | 15,030 |
| 29 | 24 January | Rangers | A | 0–0 | | 44,000 |
| 30 | 27 January | Clydebank | A | 5–0 | Hewitt, Dodds, Wright (2), Connor | 2,007 |
| 31 | 7 February | Motherwell | H | 1–0 | Wright | 10,000 |
| 32 | 21 February | Falkirk | A | 3–0 | Stark (2), McLeish | 5,000 |
| 33 | 25 February | St Mirren | A | 0–1 | | 3,553 |
| 34 | 28 February | Dundee United | H | 0–1 | | 14,000 |
| 35 | 7 March | Hibernian | A | 1–1 | Bett | 6,000 |
| 36 | 14 March | Celtic | H | 1–0 | Irvine | 20,000 |
| 37 | 21 March | Hamilton Academical | A | 2–0 | Bett, Porteous | 3,594 |
| 38 | 28 March | St Mirren | H | 0–1 | | 7,000 |
| 39 | 4 April | Dundee | A | 1–1 | Grant | 4,346 |
| 40 | 11 April | Clydebank | H | 1–1 | Irvine | 6,000 |
| 41 | 18 April | Heart of Midlothian | A | 1–1 | Hewitt | 12,539 |
| 42 | 25 April | Motherwell | A | 2–0 | Hewitt, Miller | 2,886 |
| 43 | 2 May | Rangers | H | 1–1 | Irvine | 23,500 |
| 44 | 9 May | Falkirk | H | 3–1 | Hewitt, Miller, Grant | 6,500 |

#### Final standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 2 | Celtic | 44 | 27 | 9 | 8 | 90 | 41 | +49 | 63 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 3 | Dundee United | 44 | 24 | 12 | 8 | 85 | 34 | +51 | 60 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Aberdeen | 44 | 21 | 16 | 7 | 63 | 29 | +34 | 58 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 5 | Heart of Midlothian | 44 | 21 | 14 | 9 | 64 | 43 | +21 | 56 | |
| 6 | Dundee | 44 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 74 | 57 | +17 | 48 | |

### Scottish League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R2 | 20 August | Alloa Athletic | H | 4–0 | J. Miller, Hewitt (2), Connor | 7,000 |
| R3 | 27 August | Clyde | H | 3–1 | Stark (2), J. Miller | 8,081 |
| QF | 3 September | Celtic | H | 1–1 | Connor | 23,500 |

### Scottish Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R3 | 1 February | Celtic | H | 2–2 | Bett, Hewitt | 23,000 |
| R3 R | 4 February | Celtic | A | 0–0 | | 55,405 |
| R3 2R | 9 February | Celtic | N | 0–1 | | 21,255 |

### European Cup Winners' Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
| R1 L1 | 17 September | FC Sion | H | 2–1 | Bett, Wright | 12,312 |
| R1 L2 | 1 October | FC Sion | A | 0–3 | | 11,800 |

## 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 | Bryan Gunn | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | GK | SCO | Jim Leighton | 48 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Brian Irvine | 23 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Tommy McIntyre | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Stewart McKimmie | 45 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Alex McLeish | 48 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Tommy McQueen | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Willie Miller (c) | 43 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Brian Mitchell | 22 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | David Robertson | 42 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | DF | SCO | Ian Robertson | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Ian Angus | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Jim Bett | 45 | 6 | 38 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| | MF | SCO | Bobby Connor | 39 | 6 | 32 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Brian Grant | 18 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Stevie Gray | 16 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | John McMaster | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Ian Porteous | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Neil Simpson | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Billy Stark | 40 | 14 | 36 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| | MF | SCO | Peter Weir | 40 | 2 | 35 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Davie Dodds | 29 | 4 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Willie Falconer | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | John Hewitt | 42 | 14 | 33 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Frank McDougall | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Joe Miller | 34 | 8 | 28 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| | FW | SCO | Paul Wright | 31 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |