1916: A makeshift Aberdeen side still manage to run up five goals against hapless visitors Motherwell with 5,000 looking on.

1910: ENGLISH FOOTBALL SENSATION. MANCHESTER UNITED'S FINANCES. STARTLING DISCLOSURES.

 Some startling revelations regarding the finances of Manchester United F.C. were made on Wednesday at a meeting of the English Football Association. Mr J. C. Clegg, Sheffield, presided. The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Manchester United Club was printed on seven quarto pages. It traced the history of the club, and commenced by stating that the consent was given the club, according to the usual conditions, in place of the late Newton Heath Club, which was being wound up. From the report of the commission, presented to the council in 1904, it will seen that the club was not formed, but was solely financed and controlled by Mr John Henry Davies, who then undertook to receive no benefit from the club in excess of the interest or dividend allowable by the F.A. In 1907 the club was registered as a limited company, with a nominal capital of 15,000 shares of £1 each, but only 160 shares have been issued, held by Mr Davies(100) and six other gentlemen. No annual general meeting of the members was held last year, as required by the Companies Act, nor any return made to the Registrar of Joint-Stock Companies. These omissions rendered the company and every officer liable to heavy penalties.

With regard to the club refunding the money expended by Mr Davies, that gentleman stated that the amount due to him at April 30th, 1909, including interest at the rate of 5 per cent per aanum, was £9361 14s 6d as stated in the balance sheet. The financial doings of Mr Davies in connection with the club are closely gone into in the report, and with regard to the payments of £598 to Millward and Meredith between January and April, 1907, the commission is not satisfied that the amounts were paid on account of the club, nor did Mr Davies give any explanation of the payments to Mr Bentley, appearing in this action. A director is not entitled by rule to receive remuneration. The new ground at Old Trafford has been taken on lease from The Manchester Brewery Company, for nine years - some 24 acres, of which only some seven acres are needed for the football enclosure. The club has an option to purchase the seven-acre plot for £10,150, and another two-acre plot contained in the football enclosure, for 990 years at a yearly rent of £128, but the club has to keep the remaining fourteen acres until the brewery require it; in the meantime to pay an annual rent of £740; also, at the expiration of the lease the club will leave any erection if the brewery pay £100. In August 1909, the club's articles of association were altered without the sanction of the F.A. and under these debentures have been issued to the contractors who are erecting the new stand.

CLUB CONTROLLED BY ONE MAN.

The club is now, as in 1904, practically W. Davies's club, being managed and controlled by him and his nominees. The commission are of opinion that the management had been extravagant. No attempt has been made to reduce the liabilities to Mr Davies so that the club could be put upon the usual basis of management and control in pursuance of the undertakings given by Mr Davies in August, 1904, that the public should not be asked to contribute any capital to meet the present liabilities beyond the value of the present assets. This value should be ascertained by an independent valuer, and approved by the Football Association. If there is any deficiency at the present time, it should be discharged by the present management. The club should now be properly constituted and managed in accordance with the requirements of the Football Association. Lord Kinnathe ird moved the adoption of report, which was carried, and the club ordered to comply with the recommendations without delay, and to pay the expenses incident to the commission.

Source : The Aberdeen Daily Journal Friday April 1st 1910

1947: Hall and Co. FIRST SEASON WON LEAGUE 

As a result of the recent war the Aberdeen Junior League was so badly depleted that the S.J.F.A. appealed for clubs to join in 1941. Hall and Co. were one of those who came forward. At this time the Hall and Co. shipyard employed many men who had been professional footballers prior to the war, and also several officials of the defunct Hawthorn F.C. Twelve workers attended the first meeting, when it was decided to form a football club. Mr William Watt, former secretary of Hawthorn, was appointed president, and Mr Fred Bradbrook, another former Hawthorn secretary, was given a similar post with the new club. A wise move was the appointment of the former Aberdeen defender, Charlie (Oor Ba') McGill, as player-coach.

 Hall's first season as a club was a brilliant one. They won the League championship and League Cup and were runners-up in the County and Duthie cups. In that season Hall's had ten senior or former senior players on their books - Charlie McGill, Fred Cox, Lenny Rae (Aberdeen), Joe Devine (Aberdeen and Queen's Park Rangers), Logie (Elgin City), Ritchie Smith, J. Bogan (Clyde), C. Lawrie (Forfar), J. Meres (Peterhead), J. Burnett (Fraserburgh). Another record Hall's can claim is the signing of five centre forwards in one season - all of them brilliant players They were Ernie Waldron (Aberdeen), lan Hay (Dundee United), John Burnett (Fraserburgh and Deveronvale), Peter Carrol (Banks o' Dee), Tim Carrol (St Clement's).

 Fortunes DeclinedThe club's fortunes declined in 1942-43. Departure of several players to the Forces and the transfer of Johnnie Dutch to Raith Rovers was partly to blame for this. Besides, pressure of work had compelled many of the committee to resign. Ernie Waldron followed Dutch to Raith Rovers, and Fred Bradbrook, who was now practically running the club by himself, went through a very stormy period. But 1943 saw the re-formation of the club. Mr Bradbrook resigned and the present officials took over. Mr Douglas Stephen, former Richmond F.C. official, was appointed president, and Mr Duncan McIntosh, an enthusiastic committee member, became secretary. It was at this point that the club really became attached to the firm of A Hall and Co. Mr W. T. Smith, managing director, was appointed hon. president. George Erskine, one-time Aberdeen and Hall, Russell's star, was recruited, and the team built around the centre half. 

Come-Back Was Slow The come-back was slow, however, and it was not until 1944-45 that further honours came their way. That season they won the McLeman Cup and were runners-up in the County Cup. Burnett and Stephen were transferred to Deveronvale, and later Johnny Dutch, who had been reinstated as a junior, was transferred to Fraserburgh, along with George Erskine. Left-back Bobby McGregor, a Fraserburgh lad, son of a former Morton player who is now manager of Fraserburgh, was travelling reserve for the Scottish Juniors against Ireland in 1945-46. Reputed to be the finest player ever on the club's books is Joe Devine. Dickie Grieve, left half, is named as the most promising youngster.

Source:The Press and Journal Tuesday April 1st, 1947

1932: Daily Service Over Atlantic. DUE TO START IN THREE YEARS.
Bergen (Norway), Thursday.

Daily Service. After Norway, he will visit Iceland, the Shetland Islands, and London. A daily service is being planned each way across the Atlantic. It is due to start in 1935. The aeroplanes will fly from Detroit, across Canada and the Hudson Bay, to a point in Baffin Land, thence over Davis Strait to the west coast of Greenland, and so to Reykjavik, Iceland. The Iceland Government has recently granted the American Corporation a seventy-five-year concession under which the latter is authorised to make a base at Reykjavik and to fly over Iceland.

Routes Radiating.

Claims of Aberdeen.

Great Future.

Source : Aberdeen Press and Journal Friday April 1st, 1932

1947: SNAPPY STYLES AT EASTER FASHION SHOW

 A brief escape into spring and summer from the monotony of grey skies was provided for a large number of customers of Messrs Isaac Benzie, Ltd., Aberdeen, yesterday. With easy grace members of the staff went on an "Easter Parade" through the tearooms to display coming fashions in suits, coats and dresses and to prove that austerity has definitely gone from the world of clothes. The parade showed a refreshing distinctiveness of line as featured in the flared fullness, bishop sleeves, bold, decorative pockets and careful attention to detail. One of the most striking suits - costing £4 15/8 - was of a vivid red colour, with a pleated back and side-opening pockets Another, of grey striped flannel in classic style, had a cut-away front with round belt coming under the button-decorated pockets. 

Straight From U.S. A pointed collar tied at the front with black cord and with a single peak at the back was an unusual point in a beige and black coat costing 4/-. Straight from the United States came a pink silk crepe dress with a background of lovers knots and the merest suggestion of lace trimming at the neck. A golfing jacket drew admiring glances from sports fans in the audience. It was of red suede fitted snappily into the waist with a tie-belt and costing £8 9/-. All classes were catered for, from the toddler to the middle-aged woman, and the awkward "in-between" stages of the young girl. Climax of the parade was the appearance of a bride in white satin, attended by a bridesmaid in turquoise moss crepe and two small flower-girls in organdie dresses. Miss Lorna D Nicol gave a commentary of the parade.

Source : The Press and Journal Tuesday April 1st, 1947