Aberdeen 5 - 2 Celtic

IF THE DONS CAN TAKE A POINT OFF AIRDRIE AT BROOMFIELD ON WEDNESDAY THEY HAVE A GLORIOUS CHANCE OF BEING ONE OF THE LUCKY EIGHT IN THE LEAGUE CUP COMPETITION.

And, providing the forwards continue to play with as much vim, vigour and vitality as they did against Celtic, Aberdeen could turn out to be the shock troops of the league as well as the Scottish Cup.
Whats gone wrong with Celts? It was one of the poorest Parkhead combines seen at Pittodrie for many a long day. The forwards were unbelievably inept. They were almost completely lacking in method.
With only one point out of a possible eight, the Celtic cause is lost in the League Cup. The officials’ biggest worry now is to find a solution to their problems before the start of the championship race.
Surely the team which played such brilliant match-winning football in the Coronation Cup can't be as bad as this season’s results suggest.
The Aberdeen story makes much happier reading. The forwards played their best and most profitable brand of football of the season on Saturday
There was a liveliness and keenness about the front line which had been exasperatingly lacking in the three previous matches. Restless, roving Buckley had the Glasgow team's defence worried, and his late goal from the Allister free kick was a real gem.
Yorston gets a mention for his two first half goals. Both were well taken, and this success may help restore the inside right’s confidence.
Big Jack Dunbar maybe looks a little clumsy, bui the reserve centre-forward also does some clever things and he had a more than useful game on the right wing. Dunbar certainly added some "devil" to the right flank.
Hamilton worked hard in defence and attack, while Hather brightened up after a mediocre first half.
Smith made a capable deputy to Young at centre-half, and the question now arises as to whether he is a better proposition in the middle than at left back.
Allister was a better wing half-back than Harris against Celtic. The right half seemed to have lost his zip in Saturday's game.
One of the most pleasing features of the match from the Aberdeen point of view was the excellent debut of David Caldwell, the young reserve full hack. He played with the confidence and coolness of a veteran.
If the Celtic game provided a fair sample of his ability the Dons have unearthed their future left back in the former Duntocher Hibs player.
Reg. Morrison, another Pittodrie youngster, did quite well in goal. The Aberdeen team really went to town against Celts in the second half and I hope the same formation will be entrusted with the job of dealing with Airdrie on Wednesday.

Source: Evening Express, 24th August 1953







N.B. Celtic were 35 minutes late in arriving at Aberdeen thanks to a derailed coach at Buchanan Street Station. The consequence was that their players had to change into their playing kit on the train and then grab taxis to get to Pittodrie from the Joint Station in time for the kick-off. Presumably the normal routine would have been to walk from the station to the ground, not something that players would dream of doing in modern times. The press reckoned that they were also 90 minutes late in getting into the game - as the scoreline suggests.