List of Aberdeen F.C. seasons

For details of the current season, see 2014–15 Aberdeen F.C. season.

This is a list of seasons played by Aberdeen Football Club from 1903 to the present day. It details the club's achievements in major competitions, and the top league goal scorers for each season. Records of minor competitions such as the Aberdeenshire Cup and Northern League are not included.

The club has won the Scottish Football League championship 4 times, most recently in 1985. In addition, Aberdeen has won 7 Scottish Cup titles, the Scottish League Cup six times and the European Cup Winners' Cup once.

History

The club was formed in 1903 after an amalgamation of three Aberdeen-based football clubs, Orion, Aberdeen and Victoria United. An application to join the Scottish Football League in 1903 was defeated in a vote of member clubs, so the club spent its first season in the Northern League. In 1904, Aberdeen was elected to the Second Division. Despite finishing 7th, they were elected to the First Division in time for the 1905-06 season, where they have remained since, having never been relegated.[1]

Aberdeen have finished bottom of the league on two occasions, 1916–17 and 1999-2000. They were spared relegation in 1917 after having to withdraw from the league because of World War I. In 2000, they avoided a play-off against the second and third place teams in the First Division because Falkirk's ground did not comply with SPL regulations.[2]

In 1983, Aberdeen became the second Scottish club to win the European Cup Winners' Cup, defeating Real Madrid in the final. Later that year, they became the first and only Scottish club to win the UEFA Super Cup.

Seasons

Season League Scottish Cup League Cup[3] Europe[4] Top league goalscorer
Division Pld W D L GF GA Pts Pos Name Goals
1904–05 Sco Div 2 227783626217thR3 Tom Ruddiman7
1905–06 Sco Div 1[5] 30881436482412th R2 George McNicol9
1906–07 Sco Div 1 3410101448553011th R1 Willie Lennie9
1907–08 Sco Div 1 3410101448553011th SF Tom Murray14
1908–09 Sco Div 1 34156135143367th R2 Willie Lennie12
1909–10 Sco Div 1 34168104429404th R3 Bobby Simpson10
1910–11 Sco Div 1 3419105532840 2nd SF Angus McIntosh16
1911–12 Sco Div 1 34147134444359th R3 Dave Main12
1912–13 Sco Div 1 34149114740378th R2 Dave Main10
1913–14 Sco Div 1 3810101838553014th R3 Dave Main9
1914–15 Sco Div 1 3811111639523314th R3 Sam Cail9
1915–16 Sco Div 1 3811121551643411th [6] Dave Main15
1916–17 Sco Div 1 38772436682120th Harry Ambler9
1917–19 Aberdeen dropped out of competitive football due to World War I[7]
1919–20 Sco Div 1 4211131846643517th QF Jacky Connon14
1920–21 Sco Div 1 4214141453544211th R3 Peter Fisher14
1921–22 Sco Div 1 421392048543515th SF Johnny Miller23
1922–23 Sco Div 1 421512114634425th QF[8] Andy Rankine14
1923–24 Sco Div 1 3813101537344113th SF Johnny Miller14
1924–25 Sco Div 1 3811101746563215th QF Walter Jackson13
1925–26 Sco Div 1 3813101549543611th SF Alec Reid10
1926–27 Sco Div 1 381314117372408th R2 Bobbie Bruce20
1927–28 Sco Div 1 38195147161437th R1 Benny Yorston17
1928–29 Sco Div 1 38168148168407th QF Benny Yorston23
1929–30 Sco Div 1 382378856153 2nd R3 Benny Yorston38
1930–31 Sco Div 1 38177147963416th QF Benny Yorston16
1931–32 Sco Div 1 38169135749417th R1 Andy Love12
1932–33 Sco Div 1 38186148558426th R2 Paddy Moore27
1933–34 Sco Div 1 38188129057445th QF Willie Mills28
1934–35 Sco Div 1 381710116854446th SF Matt Armstrong31
1935–36 Sco Div 1 3826939650613rd QF Matt Armstrong30
1936–37 Sco Div 1 382387894454 2nd Final[9] Matt Armstrong
Billy Strauss		24
1937–38 Sco Div 1 38159147459396th R3 Matt Armstrong19
1938–39 Sco Div 1 382061291[10]6146 3rd SF George Hamilton17
1939–45 Competitive football cancelled due to World War II
1946–47 Sco Div A[11] 301677584139 3rd Winners[12] Final[13] George Hamilton17
1947–48 Sco Div A 301071345452710th R3 SF Archie Kelly10
1948–49 Sco Div A 307111239482513th R1 Group George Hamilton10
1949–50 Sco Div A 30114154856268th QF Group Harry Yorston10
1950–51 Sco Div A 30155106150355th QF QF Harry Yorston18
1951–52 Sco Div A 301071365582711th QF Group Harry Yorston19
1952–53 Sco Div A 301151464682711th Final Group George Hamilton
Jackie Hather		14
1953–54 Sco Div A 30153126651339th Final Group Paddy Buckley17
1954–55[14] Sco Div A 302415732649 1st[15] SF Group Paddy Buckley17
1955–56 Sco Div A 3418106875046 2nd R5[16] Winners Graham Leggat19
1956–57 Sco Div 1[17] 34182147959386th R6 Group Graham Leggat12
1957–58 Sco Div 1 341421865763013th QF[18] QF Norman Davidson17
1958–59 Sco Div 1 341251763662913th Final Group Billy Little13
1959–60 Sco Div 1 341161754722815th R2 Group Norman Davidson11
1960–61 Sco Div 1 34148127272366th R3 Group Ken Brownlee18
1961–62 Sco Div 1 341091572722912th R3 Group Billy Little17
1962–63 Sco Div 1 34177107047416th QF Group Bobby Cummings18
1963–64 Sco Div 1 34128145353329th R3 Group Ernie Winchester16
1964–65[19] Sco Div 1 341281459753212th R1 Group Don Kerrigan14
1965–66 Sco Div 1 34156136154368th SF Group Ernie Winchester16
1966–67 Sco Div 1 3417897238424th Final SF Jimmy Wilson13
1967–68 Sco Div 1 34165136348375th R2 Group Cup Winners' CupR2[20] Dave Johnston14
1968–69 Sco Div 1 34981750592615th SF Group ICFCR2 Jim Forrest16
1969–70 Sco Div 1 34147135545358th Winners QF Davie Robb16
1970–71 Sco Div 1 342464681854 2nd QF[21] Group Cup Winners' CupR1[22] Joe Harper19
1971–72 Sco Div 1 342185802650 2nd QF Group UEFA CupR2 Joe Harper33
1972–73 Sco Div 1 34161176134434th QF SF UEFA CupR1 Drew Jarvie15
1973–74 Sco Div 1 34131654626424th R3 QF UEFA CupR2 Drew Jarvie13
1974–75 Sco Div 1 3416996643415th QF Group UEFA CupR1 Arthur Graham11
1975–76 Prem[23] 361110154950327th R4 Group Jocky Scott14
1976–77 Prem 36161195642433rd R4 Winners[24] Joe Harper18
1977–78 Prem 362295682953 2nd Final R3 Joe Harper17
1978–79 Prem 36131495936404th SF Final Cup Winners' CupR2 Joe Harper19
1979–80 Prem 3619107683648 1st SF Final UEFA CupR1 Steve Archibald
Drew Jarvie		12
1980–81 Prem 3619116612949 2nd R4 QF European CupR2 Mark McGhee13
1981–82 Prem 362376712953 2nd Winners SF UEFA CupR3 John Hewitt11
1982–83 Prem 3625567624553rd Winners QF Cup Winners' Cup Winners[25] Mark McGhee16
1983–84 Prem 36 25 7 4 78 21 57 1st Winners SF Cup Winners' Cup SF
Super Cup Winners[26] Mark McGhee
Gordon Strachan		13
1984–85 Prem 362754892659 1st SF R2 European CupR1 Frank McDougall22
1985–86 Prem 36161286231444th Winners Winners European CupQF Frank McDougall14
1986–87 Prem 44211676329584th R3 QF Cup Winners' CupR1 Billy Stark12
1987–88 Prem 44211765615594th SF Final UEFA CupR2 Jim Bett10
1988–89 Prem 3618144512550 2nd R4 Final UEFA CupR1 Charlie Nicholas16
1989–90 Prem 3617109563344 2nd Winners Winners UEFA CupR1 Charlie Nicholas11
1990–91 Prem 362295622753 2nd R3 SF Cup Winners' CupR2 Hans Gillhaus14
1991–92 Prem 441714135542486th R3 R3 UEFA CupR1 Eoin Jess12
1992–93 Prem 4427107873664 2nd Final Final Duncan Shearer22
1993–94 Prem 4417216583655 2nd SF QF Cup Winners' CupR2 Duncan Shearer17
1994–95 Prem 361011154346419th R4 SF UEFA CupR2 Billy Dodds16
1995–96 Prem 3616713524555 3rd SF Winners Scott Booth
Joe Miller		9
1996–97 Prem 361014124554446th R3 QF Billy Dodds17
1997–98 Prem 36912153953396th R3 SF Billy Dodds10
1998–99 SPL[27] 36107194371378th R3 R3 Eoin Jess14
1999–2000 SPL 36962144833310th Final Final Arild Stavrum9
2000–01 SPL 381112154552457th R4 R3 UEFA CupPR2 Arild Stavrum17
2001–02 SPL 38167155149554th QF R3 Robbie Winters13
2002–03 SPL 381310154154498th R4 R3 UEFA CupR1 Paul Sheerin8
2003–04 SPL 38972239633411th QF QF Scott Booth8
2004–05 SPL 38187134439614th QF R3 Darren Mackie11
2005–06 SPL 381315104640546th R4 QF Jamie Smith
Steve Lovell		8
2006–07 SPL 3819811553865 3rd R3 R2 Darren Mackie13
2007–08 SPL 38158155058534th SF SF UEFA CupLast 32 Lee Miller12
2008–09 SPL 381411134140534th QF R2 Lee Miller10
2009–10 SPL 381011173652419th R5 R3 Europa LeagueQR3 Steve MacLean5
2010–11 SPL 38115223959389th SF SF Scott Vernon9
2011–12 SPL 38914153644419th SF R3 Scott Vernon11
2012–13 SPL 381115124143488th R5 R4 Niall McGinn20
2013–14 Prem[28] 38208105338683rd SF Winners Niall McGinn14

Key

Key to league record

  • Pld = Played
  • W = Games won
  • D = Games drawn
  • L = Games lost
  • GF = Goals for
  • GA = Goals against
  • Pts = Points
  • Pos = Final position

Key to rounds

  • Group = Group stage
  • PR2 = Preliminary Round 2
  • QR3 = Qualifying Round 3
  • R1 = Round 1
  • R2 = Round 2
  • R3 = Round 3
  • R4 = Round 4
  • R5 = Round 5
  • R6 = Round 6
  • QF = Quarter-finals
  • SF = Semi-finals
  • Final = Runners-up
  • Winners = Winners
Champions Runners-up

Footnotes

  1. ↑ "Aberdeen Football Club Team Profile & History". Scottish Premier League. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  2. ↑ "Falkirk FC History". Talkfootball.co.uk. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  3. ↑ The League Cup competition did not start until the 1946–47 season.
  4. ↑ European club competitions did not begin until the 1955–56 season.
  5. ↑ Despite only finishing 7th, Aberdeen were promoted due to a reordering of the league system.
  6. ↑ The Scottish Cup was not held in 1915 through 1918 because of the first World War.
  7. ↑ Scottish football was still held through the war, but due to a disastrous financial situation, the team (along with Dundee and Raith Rovers) had no choice but to drop out.
  8. ↑ In this cup, Aberdeen scored a record 13 goals in one game against Peterhead.
  9. ↑ This was Aberdeen's first Scottish Cup final. They lost out to league champions Celtic 2-1 away from home.
  10. ↑ This is the most goals Aberdeen have ever scored in one season.
  11. ↑ The League was renamed as Division A.
  12. ↑ Aberdeen won the cup for the first time that season; Hibernian were the runners up losing 2–1 at Hampden.
  13. ↑ In the first ever Scottish League Cup final, Aberdeen were comfortably beaten 4–0 at Ibrox Stadium by Rangers.
  14. ↑ This season saw Aberdeen's highest attendance - 45,061 against Hearts in March 1955.
  15. ↑ This was Aberdeen's first ever league title, ahead of runners-up Celtic by three points. The European competitions began the following season, but Aberdeen were not given Scotland's place in the tournament, which went to Hibernian by special invitation.
  16. ↑ In 1955, the Scottish Cup was expanded to include amateur football teams as well as professional, expanding the competition to nine rounds.
  17. ↑ The league was again renamed, this time back to Division One.
  18. ↑ The Cup system was again reorganised, this time to include only professional teams, and containing six rounds.
  19. ↑ During this season, Aberdeen recorded a record 8–0 loss to Celtic in January.
  20. ↑ In Aberdeen's first ever European game, they beat Icelandic club KR Reykjavík 14–1 on aggregate, only to lose to Belgian Standard Liège 3–2, also on aggregate, in the next round.
  21. ↑ The cup was again expanded, this time to seven rounds.
  22. ↑ Aberdeen's first fixture of the tournament - against Hungarians Honvéd - resulted in the first ever penalty shootout in the cups history, which Honvéd won 5–4 in Budapest.
  23. ↑ The league was renamed to the Premier Division and reduced to ten teams. They played each other four times in a season for the first time.
  24. ↑ The cup format was changed to a straight knock-out competition because of criticism over the length of the original.
  25. ↑ This was Aberdeen's first European trophy, and the most well known. In the final, they beat Real Madrid 2–1 to take the title.
  26. ↑ Aberdeen's first UEFA Super Cup final resulted in a 2–0 home win over Hamburg SV after a goalless draw in Germany.
  27. ↑ The league was renamed the Scottish Premier League
  28. ↑ The league was renamed the Scottish Premiership

References