aberdeenshire cup poster

This rare and unusual poster is an example of the means that Aberdeen and other clubs used to promote their matches in the early years of last century. In the days before the interned, television, or radio, there were few options available to clubs to get the word out in an effort to draw a crowd to any given game. The alternatives were advertising in the local newspapers, which was done extensively by the Dons - in the Aberdeen Daily Journal, the Evening Express and Bon-Accord magazine. Word of mouth - the grapevine - was also a handy way of spreading interest in a match. Posters were big business in Edwardian Britain and this one, believed to have been designed by the famous graphic artist Frank Dadd, was printed in Leeds by Petty and Sons Ltd.

The match advertised here was for an Aberdeenshire Cup tie, between Aberdeen reserves and Buckie Thistle, which was played off on Saturday 14th December 1907, it ended in a 3-0 win for the Black and Golds' Reserve team. The goals were scored by John Ritchie, John Robertson and David McKinlay. Of the Aberdeen players taking the field that day, Cody Mutch, Bobby Hannah and Johnny Edgar went on to have worthy careers with the Dons.
In an era before floodlighting, the match kicked-off at the unusual time of 2:20 p.m. to allow it to be played out in daylight. The attendance at the match is unrecorded so we can only hope that the cost of the poster was justified.

There are two examples of this poster known to exist, of which the one in The Aberdeen Collection is the most complete. It is currently on display in the Black and Gold Lounge at Pittodrie and A3 sized prints can be obtained form the Club Shop.