Aberdeen might be Europe bound, after all

By: Ian Rose | March 18th, 2008

It’s been a really remarkably weird season for Aberdeen Football Club. On one hand, they had a great run in Europe, their first good run in Europe in a long time. Getting to the knockout rounds of the UEFA Cup was no small accomplishment for a club of relatively modest financial means, and it was made more meaningful by the fact that their run has contributed to one of Scotland’s best ever years in Europe. The SPL’s current league coefficient for the season is 8.5, the highest since 1984, when Sir Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen went to the semifinals of the European Cup.

On the other hand, the Dons’ league performances have been mediocre, and sometimes much worse than that. After finishing last season in third, their route to that UEFA Cup run, they now sit in eighth place in the SPL, ten points below third place Hibernian with eight league matches remaining, and that’s been after a fairly good run of play in March. Still, realistically, their one route back to Europe this season looked to be the Scottish Cup, and after drawing with Celtic and forcing a replay at Celtic Park, it seemed a long route indeed. But, as Celtic Offside’s Matt sadly reported today, Darren Mackie’s second-half strike was enough to get the Dons past Celtic, 1-0, to book a place in the semis.

A look at the five teams left in the Scottish Cup invites some comparisons to the English FA Cup this season, with names like Queen of the South and Partick Thistle subbing in for Barnsley and Cardiff. Aberdeen and Rangers are the only two top flight teams left, and they are separated until the final. That means that if Aberdeen beat Queen of the South to reach the final, and if Rangers make it past Partick and then St. Johnstone, Aberdeen will get back to the UEFA Cup, regardless of the outcome of the match.

I’ve been a big opponent of this policy, and of UEFA’s insistence at its continuation, for a long time. The SFA has appealed to be able to award its second UEFA Cup spot to the fourth team in the league if a Champions League bound team wins the Cup, rather than to the Cup runner up. However, for now, that’s the rule, and Aberdeen might be the beneficiaries of it. I’m personally hoping they are, not only because I like the Dons and their chances to do well in Europe, but also because I don’t want to see another second-tier team represent Scotland in the UEFA Cup, as Gretna did a few years ago.

If Hibs can hold on to third in the league, I’m actually pretty happy with the potential SPL entry into Europe next season. Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Aberdeen. That’s a strong foursome. Still a long way to go before then, though. Stay tuned.