Gothenburg Greats still inspire Aberdeen boss

Aberdeen manager Barry Robson believes the Gothenburg Greats should serve as inspiration for his squad.

The heroes who won the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1983 are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the club’s greatest triumph this week.

Members of the team will gather at Pittodrie on Friday for a ceremony where they and the club will be given the freedom of Aberdeen by the Lord Provost.

The squad will then return to Pittodrie on Saturday as guests of honour for the club’s home match against Hibernian.

A sold-out Pittodrie shows the high esteem the legends are held in and Robson insists his players should feel privileged to be part of the celebrations.

He said: “It will be an inspiration to our players.

“I have sat here many times and there has been an added bit of pressure.

“This for me, is not an added bit of pressure. It is great to have legends of the club coming back and us getting the chance to see them.

“That’s not a pressure for players. When you see these players who were unbelievably talented and went and won in Europe.”

For Robson, the spectre of the Gothenburg Greats looms large over his career.

Key moments in his career have been shaped by several of the players who beat Real Madrid in the final in 1983.

The Dons boss said: “I know Simmy (Neil Simpson) personally, I see him every day and wind him up about it. Gordon Strachan was my manager (at Celtic).

“I saw Willie Miller at the player of the year dinner and I was speaking to him. Alex McLeish gave me my first Scotland cap.

“There are some guys I know have also been really good managers.

“It is not a pressure thing. It is something this football club should be proud of and the players should also be proud of those players, seeing them back.”

Pittodrie will be the place to be as the returning heroes are welcomed back to the stadium where they put the Dons on the global football map.

For Robson, the sense of pride in the area all these years later has been clear to see.

He said: “It is not just the football club but the city as well. Everybody is talking about it. My dad and all his uncles can name you all the players and what they were doing the day of Gothenburg.

“It was a great team and brilliant squad with some great achievements and you can see how proud the city is of the Gothenburg Greats and rightly so.”

While nostalgia is in the air at Pittodrie Robson’s focus is firmly on the visit of the Hibees on Saturday.

Aberdeen are five points clear of Hearts in the Premiership while Hibs closed the gap on the Dons to six points with their 2-1 win against St Mirren last weekend.

Victory for his side would put Aberdeen nine points clear with three games remaining, all but securing European football.

But third place is the target Robson is chasing.

He said: “I know Hibs are a good side and it will be a tough game.

“They had a good performance last weekend. I watched the game and I have watched a few of their games. It was a good performance from Hibs.

“They are fighting to get into Europe, like everybody else. They are well-coached and well-drilled. They’ll come up here, make the game hard for us and try to play.

“We just need to make sure we perform to the best of our abilities and bring our strengths to the game.

“We just have to make sure we are tactically and organised right and we perform to the best we can.

“If we can do that we have shown we can win games.

“If we fall short of that then we won’t.”

Hibs demolished the Dons 6-0 at Easter Road when the sides last met in what proved to be former manager Jim Goodwin’s last game in charge.

Livingston captain Nicky Devlin is reportedly in line to join Aberdeen when his contract with the West Lothian club ends.

According to reports, the Dons are the favourites to sign the defender, who has made 144 appearances for Livi since joining in 2019.

The 29-year-old is out of contract with David Martindale’s side at the end of the season, having turned down a new deal earlier this year.

Talks at Pittodrie are reportedly in advanced stages, with Hearts also interested in the former Walsall and Ayr United right-back, and Devlin could become Barry Robson’s first summer signing.

Dons boss Robson confirmed earlier this week he is keen to get his transfer business done early on in the transfer window.

He said: “We are very active and would like to get business done early. But that is not always possible.

“We are forwardthinking as a club and are trying to bring in the right people who can handle playing for Aberdeen and the way we want to do things.”

Livingston boss David Martindale had already resigned himself to losing Devlin and fellow defender Jack Fitzwater, adding he was prepared to help the pair find their next clubs.

“I know they’re not going to be here next season but I’ve reached the stage in my relationship with them where I’m going to try and promote their careers as much as possible,” he said.

“I’ve sent a text message to a few clubs in Scotland and in England to show that if I had the financial capability, both players would be in the building next year without a shadow of a doubt.”

Aberdeen have dropped out of the race to sign out-of-contract Tranmere Rovers defender Josh Dacres-Cogley.

Burton Albion, Lincoln City and Port Vale have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old full-back.

Tranmere have said they remain in discussions with DacresCogley and hope to keep him at the club.

Dacres-Cogley was a key signing target for former Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin but it is understood the player is not interested in moving to Scotland and the Dons have turned their attentions elsewhere.

Idzes is also out of contract having spent the past three seasons with Go Ahead.

Nicky Devlin celebrates scoring at Pittodrie.

Josh Dacres-Cogley.