Goodwin happy to give club legend something to cheer
New Pittodrie manager relishes chance to catch up with Ferguson in home debut
IT was supposed to be a red letter day for Aberdeen. It certainly was for Jim Goodwin. Pittodrie was packed to the gunwales just as it was all those years ago when Sir Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean locked horns as leaders of the so-called New Firm whenever Dundee United came to town.
Sir Alex’s presence as guest of honour brought out the crowds on the day he unveiled a statue of himself at the ground where he made his name and earned his big move down south.
And as Goodwin, the latest of his Pittodrie successors, revealed, the man who brought a clutch of titles and trophies to the club in a remarkable eight-year term from 1978, was ready to dispense his wisdom to help the new man in charge.
“My wife and kids were all looking forward to having breakfast together,” Goodwin said, “as I haven’t seen them for a week, but I had to break the news to them that I wouldn’t be standing Sir Alex up as he had told me on Friday to come to his hotel for a coffee at 9am.
“It’s been one of the most manic weeks of my career, but I have to thank everyone for the welcome they have given me and Lee Sharp, my assistant, here.
“I told the players just make sure [Ferguson]’s not coming into the dressing room at halftime telling us where we’re going wrong.”
But, as was the case so many times in that bygone era of Fergie and McLean, these teams cancelled out each other in a compelling 90 minutes, although Goodwin could argue he had one hand tied behind his back with three players hit by a Covid outbreak, others injured and only five on the bench.
Marc McNulty’s early penalty conversion gave Dundee United the lead before an own goal by Tannadice skipper Ryan Edwards brought parity for the hosts.
As McNulty, Tony Watt and Ian Harkes pestered a Dons defence that has been frail for much of the season, a tug of the latter’s shirt by David Bates brought him to the ground and presented the visitors with a penalty kick before four minutes had been played.
McNulty’s conversion proved too good for goalkeeper Joe Lewis which, aside from the jubilant United supporters, brought radio silence around the stadium.
Normal service was resumed in the 16th minute, however, at least in terms of the audibility from the home fans.
A low, angular shot from effervescent Aberdeen winger Vicente Besuijen offered United keeper Benjamin
Siegrist the chance to display his expertise with a dramatic diving save at the back post, but while it rated full marks, Matty Kennedy was waiting to collect and his shot was helped into the net by defender Ryan Edwards.
If the second half was less breathless in tempo, the determination from both sides was clear, though skill levels were not as high as might have been expected. Something
to do with the tension surrounding this fixture, perhaps.
Certainly, there were enough messy passes and robust challenges – along with a difficult wind swirling around the pitch – to adversely impact on the fluency of play.
Aberdeen’s aggression was more meaningful, which meant Siegrist was on high alert, saving from Connor McLennan and Lewis Ferguson, while his Aberdeen counterpart Lewis was less busy.
In the end, with honours eventually even, Tam Courts, the United manager, accepted a draw was probably a reasonable result as his team now boast one defeat in their last nine games.
“We’re disappointed with the way the game unfolded,” he said.
“We were aggressive from the outset and managed to get our noses in front. I expected us to push on from there but we didn’t really and when Aberdeen got back into the game it descended into a tough game but it was a good point in the end.
“Had we shown a little more creativity and got the second goal I think we would have gone on to win comfortably but when you don’t do that and with the conditions it becomes difficult.
“It’s one defeat in nine games which tells you the boys are spirited, together and can find solutions together.”