the fearless aberdonian

Peter Craigmyle was not a modest man and he had plenty to not be modest about.

At the Heritage Trust, through our research into the Dons' history, we have been familiar with Craigmyle and his exploits for a long time and doubles many older fans will remember him for his tobacconist shop on King Street.

Now a book all about the famous referee's exploits has been thoroughly researched and brought to life by author Gordon Mellis.

Explaining how his book came about, Gordon revealed that it was pure happenstance while conducting research for another book altogether.

"I was already aware of Peter Craigmyle as a referee and his sports shop on King Street, but when I came across his autobiography online, I became intrigued as to how the press back in the day had portrayed his refereeing, so I decided to delve into the archives to study his career and life more extensively"

"What soon became evident was that Peter was constantly in the public eye, so much so, that his activities featured almost continuously in the local, national, and international press for over 60 years...literally thousands of references in fact."

"I felt compelled to capture and share the unique and sometimes quirky stories surrounding Peter that have been languishing in archives and obscurity for over half a century."

"So rather than write his story from scratch, I've compiled a curated selection of the most newsworthy articles to retell Peter's amazing story, as viewed by the press of yesteryear."

Retail purchases of the book can be made from the Club Shop at Pittodrie, or online from
www.petercraigmyle.com