Aberdeen 4 Rangers 1

A tightly contested tie over the 90 minutes saw a dramatic extra-time period, the Dons climbed the steps to receive the trophy.

Barren Spell

Despite their success and quality in the League and beyond, Aberdeen were suffering a drought throughout the 70s in the Scottish Cup, but their run to the 1982 final kicked off in stunning style, with John Hewitt securing a third round victory over then 1st Divison Motherwell with a strike after only 9 seconds.

Wins over Celtic, Kilmarnock and a battling replay victor over St. Mirren in the semi-finals gave the Dons their place at Hampden, setting up a ding-dong battle against familiar foes Rangers at Hampden.

Hampden Heroes

The match-up against Rangers was an interesting one, with two sides at different ends of the scale. Rangers were an experienced team, Aberdeen one of youth, with players like Neale Cooper, Neil Simpson and John Hewitt, young, talented and hungry looking forward to the future.

The game kicked off in front of 53,788 roaring fans at Hampden, and early on, Aberdeen found themselves up against it, as Rangers forward John MacDonald connected with a cross from the right-hand side, a diving header past Jim Leighton in the Dons goal to give them a mountain to climb.

Alex McLeish brought Aberdeen level just after the half-hour mark, picking the ball up at the edge of the box following a corner, and deftly curling the ball into the top corner past Jim Stewart.

For the next hour, the two sides battled hammer and tongs. As the sides were unable to be separated, the game headed into extra-time.

Dominant Dons

As the extra-time period kicked off, it was clear that the younger Aberdeen side had the advantage on a warm May afternoon. Within three minutes, striker Mark McGhee found himself in space to guide a Gordon Strachan cross just inside the near post, giving the Dons a lead they would not relinquish.

Gordon Strachan capped a fine performance by adding a third after tenacious work from McGhee on the left, and a Neale Cooper goal rounded off an extra-time rout.

Not only had Aberdeen lifted the cup, but had done so defeating both Glasgow giants on the way to the trophy. It was clear that Aberdeen had laid the foundations for a fine team on that day at Hampden, something that was realised the following year, and the glory of Gothenburg.