The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Festival that put city on football map
As festival chiefs look at a blank calendar, we remember some of the events which have brightened the north-east. Today, James Wyllie looks at a football tournament which involved teams from 16 countries
In 1981, youngsters from 16 “foreign lands” headed to Seaton Park to share one message: “Football can be fun”. That slogan – in the form of a somewhat backhanded compliment – was the basis for the Aberdeen International Football Festival ( AIFF ), which attracted players from across the world for a week-long competition.
Among them were teams from a number of Aberdeen’s twinned cities – including Regensburg in Germany, and, later, Gomel in Belarus and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.
They headed to the north- east from Canada, Norway, Morocco, Ghana and Lagos over the course of its 30 instalments.
Football commentator Dave Macdermid, who was heavily involved in running the event from the mid-90s until it came to a close in 2010, said: “It was always the most enjoyable week of the summer for me and we used to get really good crowds coming along.
“My job was helping with the publicity and announcing – I had a seat where I could see all four pitches in Seaton Park at the same time.
“Altogether there were about 12 of us on the organising committee and every year it was a real
labour of love. It was a really fun thing to be involved with but unfortunately, like so many other things, it fell by the wayside not long after the 2008 financial crisis.”
While AIFF would always crown winners of its various age groups, organisers were keen to promote “fun and sportsmanship” over the competitive elements.
In doing so, they also treated youngsters to the likes of penalty shoot-outs, 10-pin bowling and crazy golf.
And the players were able to get a taste of Aberdeen life as well – in more ways than one.
Players and their families were offered visits to Pittodrie Stadium, tours of the city and trips to Royal Deeside.
There were plenty of opportunities to experience the Granite City’s notorious changeable weather too.
Despite taking place at the height of summer every year, some festivals ended up awash with thick mud and rain.
In 2009, there was a massive effort involving match referee Brian Braidwood and Aberdeen FC groundskeeper Neill Kitchener to clear water from the pitch and enable East End Girls Under-15s to face-off against SC Regensburg.
Mr Macdermid said: “In the early days, the festival was funded by the council because they could see the economic benefits of it.
“It wasn’t just the teams coming to Aberdeen, but their families as well – they would come and put money back into the city.
“It was very friendly and very enjoyable.”
AIFF’s popularity grew over the years, with domestic sides and international teams clamouring for places in the competition.
Youth outfits from the likes of Celtic and Dundee United began taking part, as did squads from as far afield as Australia and Hawaii – who sent the intimidating Wailuka Bruisers in 1991.
“I would say almost every country was represented at one time or another,” Mr Macdermid said.
“It really was a cosmopolitan, global event.
“Lots of long-term friendships were made between teams and players from different countries.
“But in the later years, when we moved to Aberdeen Sports Village, it became a bit of a struggle to get the same teams from abroad that we used to.
“They just didn’t have the budgets any more.”
As well as promoting fun and friendship, AIFF acted as a proving ground for young players ready to demonstrate they could perform at the next level.
It was also often attended by footballing scouts, looking for the game’s next big thing.
Paul Gascoigne, Gary Mackay-Steven and Scotland vice-captain Kim Little were just some of the stars-in-the-making to lace up their boots for the event – unaware at that point they would later become household names.
Interest in the festival continued right through to 2010 – the final year it was hosted before running into funding difficulties – with competition staples Regensburg and Gomel ever- present among the competitors.
In tomorrow’s edition: How an “alternative” festival reached round the world and united Aberdeen