Gillhaus: It’s hard to think of Dons signing European Cup winner like me today but that doesn’t mean they can’t beat Hoops
It’s hard to imagine Aberdeen contacting PSV then signing their European Cup-winning striker for £650,000.
But it happened less than three decades ago when the Dons snared Dutch hitman Hans Gillhaus for that chunky fee.
He’d lifted the European Cup just 18 months earlier against Benfica under legendary coach Guus Hiddink.
Incredibly, though, Gillhaus moved to the Granite City in 1989 with the aim of getting his hands on more silverware.
The only trophy he managed to lift was the 1990 Scottish Cup when Aberdeen defeated Celtic in a nerve- shredding penalty shootout after Theo Snelders saved Anton Rogan’s kick.
Twenty-seven years on the Dons will attempt to do the same again at Hampden with a team that cost less than a third of Gillhaus’ transfer fee to assemble.
But the 53-year-old reckons his old club can still emulate that Alex Smith side’s performance on the pitch despite failing to match their spending power off it.
Gillhaus – now a European scout for Sunderland – told MailSport: “When I signed for Aberdeen from PSV I expected to win trophies – that’s why I moved.
“I knew the club were doing well but maybe just lacked something extra. They had won the Skol Cup just before I arrived so we were in the hunt for trophies and that was attractive to me.
“It’s strange to think now of Aberdeen signing a player from PSV, a club who had recently won a European Cup.
“It was 30 years ago but it’s a completely different world now. It’s impossible to compare that time with now.
“Only Celtic in Scotland could now probably afford to do a transfer like that from a club like PSV.”
Celtic have won all five of the sides’ head to heads this season leading up to Hampden, the most recent a 3-1 win at Pittodrie nine days ago.
However, Gillhaus was back in the Granite City last season to see the Dons beat the Hoops 2-1 in the Premiership and is convinced Derek McInnes’ men can repeat the feat on Saturday.
He said: “That was only a year ago so it can be done. They’re capable of beating Celtic because it’s a final and it’s unpredictable.
“I’m hoping for a close game. Maybe I’m the lucky omen and I should come to Hampden. To hand over the trophy to Aberdeen’s captain would be something.
“Aberdeen fans still contact me and I have a great relationship with them. It’s a special place and I still look for their scores. It’s great to have a bit of contact with the guys there now and I know how big this is for them.
“An Aberdeen v Celtic Scottish Cup Final is a huge occasion. I’ll be watching on TV.”
If McInnes’ side are to lift the trophy in six days’ time the first hurdle they may have to overcome is a mental one.
Actually believing they can conquer Brendan Rodgers’ side – who made it 45 domestic games unbeaten with Thursday’s 5- 0 win at Partick Thistle – could be their toughest task of all.
But Gillhaus insists defeat to the Glasgow giants didn’t once enter their heads – either ahead of that 0- 0 draw at the National Stadium or on any other occasion. He said: “When I was at Aberdeen the mindset of the club and all the players was, ‘ We’re a complete equal with the Old Firm’.
“We didn’t feel inferior to them at all – we didn’t feel any different. When we got to the Final in 1990 we went to Hampden to win it.
“In our minds there was no other result possible. That’s a mentality and unfortunately for Aberdeen since then the gap has got bigger and bigger. “But at that time, even when we played Rangers home or away, our mindset was to win. “I probably remember our journey to the Final more than the game against Celtic itself. “The quarter- f inal against Hearts – when we beat them 4-1 – and the 4- 0 semi-final win over Dundee United were fantastic. I managed to score in both. “So we were in really good form going into the Celtic game. Finals are always difficult – it’s a one-off and anything can happen.
“And there wasn’t a clear favourite – it was 50/50 and that was shown by a 0- 0 draw at Hampden.
“I had won that European Cup with PSV before signing but winning the Scottish Cup was special. “Being a foreigner playing abroad and winning the Cup, it was special. It was a big trophy to win. “The atmosphere at Hampden was fantastic and it was a special day for the club.”