Aberdeen FC - Birth History

1881 - 1903

Read more
  • Home
  • Birth History

Aberdeen Football Club

121 years


Tue, 14 Apr 1903 - Sun, 14 Apr 2024

Time Line of Events

1881

Aberdeen Football Club a Scottish football team formed on the 08 of Oct 1881.

1882

On the 11 Mar 1882, Aberdeen Football Club played their first game, Coupar Angus 4, Aberdeen 0

1885

Orion Football Club a Scottish football team formed in the autumn of 1885.

1885

On the 30 Oct 1885, Orion Football Club played their first game, Aberdeen 2 v 2 Orion

1889

Victoria United Football Club a Scottish football team formed in the summer of 1889.

1889

On the 16 Aug 1889, Victoria United Football Club played their first competitive game, Victoria United 0 v 10 Glasgow Celtic

1903

On the 20 Mar 1903, a public meeting was held to discuss the amalgamation of three Aberdeen based clubs, Aberdeen, Orion and Victoria United.

1903

On the 14 Apr 1903, Aberdeen Football Club merged with two other Aberdeen based clubs Orion and Victoria United to form the current Aberdeen Football Club Ltd.

Plaque to commemorate the first meeting of Aberdeen FC, Aberdeen, Scotland - Evening Express.

Plaque to commemorate the first meeting of Aberdeen FC, Aberdeen, Scotland

(Pic: Evening Express.)

Advert 1898, Albert Hotel, 9 & 9½ Correction Wynd, Aberdeen, Scotland - Photo courtesy of Fraser Clyne

Advert 1898, Albert Hotel, 9 & 9½ Correction Wynd, Aberdeen, Scotland

Aberdeen F.C.

Foundation of the Aberdeen Association Football Club

On the 06 Oct 1881, a classified advertisement appeared in the pages of the Aberdeen Evening Express inviting interested gentlemen to attend a meeting to be held in the Albert Hotel, 9 & 9½ Correction Wynd, Aberdeen, Scotland, on Sat 8th Oct 1881 at 4 pm to discuss the formation of Aberdeen Football Club.
12 football enthusiasts assembled, 8 School Teachers, 2 Bookbinders, a Medical Student, a Tailor and the rest is history !

Charles 'Chas' Emslie Glennie M.A. was one of the first of three school teachers who instigated the founding of Aberdeen F.C. along with William Stewart and John Alexander McHardy M.A.

 

Actual Newspaper Advertisement Transcribed

ABERDEEN ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL CLUB.
GENTLEMEN interested in the Formation of a Club under the above name please attend MEETING to be held in Albert Hotel, Correction Wynd, on Saturday First, at Four p.m.

(Aberdeen Evening Express - Thu 06 Oct 1881 & Fri 07 Oct 1881)


 

(External Link)

Aberdeen FC Heritage Trail
Aberdeen Football Club, Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen, Scotland - 2015 Copyright © Graeme Watson

Aberdeen Football Club, Pittodrie Stadium, The King Street End Stand (Merkland Road Family Stand), Aberdeen, Scotland

Aberdeen F.C.

Foundation of the current Aberdeen Football Club

Origins of the club. The current Aberdeen FC was born out of the merger of three city clubs; Aberdeen, Victoria United and Orion. A public meeting on 20 March 1903 was attended by more than 1,600 citizens, and on that date the amalgamation issue was discussed and given the go-ahead.

(Webster, Jack (2003). The First 100 years of The Dons: The official history of Aberdeen Football Club 1903 – 2003. Hodder & Stoughton, London.)

Trivia

Time Line of Events

1903

18 Apr 1903, Certificate of Incorporation, Signed by Alexander Milne

1903

18 Apr 1903, Certificate of Incorporation, Signed by William Jaffray

1903

18 Apr 1903, Certificate of Incorporation, Signed by James Philip

1903

18 Apr 1903, Certificate of Incorporation, Signed by James Rae

Aberdeen Football Club 1903-04 Team Photo - original B&W picture - No copyright - attached - Colorisation by Graeme Watson 2021.

Aberdeen Football Club 1903-04

Aberdeen Football Club 1904-05, from Graeme Watson's personal collection, Aberdeen F.C. 1904-05 in colour - Colorisation by Graeme Watson 2021.

Aberdeen Football Club 1904-05

Orion Football Club 1896-97 Team Photo - original B&W picture - No copyright - attached

Orion Football Club 1896-97

Victoria United Football Club 1896 Team Photo - original B&W picture - No copyright - attached

Victoria United Football Club 1896

Time Line of Events

1903

18 Apr 1903, Certificate of Incorporation, Signed by Henry S. Wylie

1903

18 Apr 1903, Certificate of Incorporation, Signed by John Mackay

1903

On the 09 May 1903, Orion Football Club played their last competitive game, Orion 5 v 2 St Johnstone

1903

On the 13 May 1903, Victoria United Football Club played their last game, a friendly, Victoria United 2 v 2 Hibernian

1903

On the 15 May 1903, Aberdeen Football Club played their last competitive game, winning the Fleming Charity Shield, Aberdeen 2 v 0 Orion

1903

27 May 1903, Certificate of Incorporation Registered

1903

On the 15 Aug 1903, the new merged Aberdeen Football Club played their first game, Aberdeen 1 v 1 Stenhousemuir

1903

On the 29 Aug 1903, Aberdeen Football Club won their first competitive game, Northern League, Aberdeen 5 v 1 St Johnstone


 

18 Apr 1903, Cert of Incorporation, Solicitor and Interim Secretary who compiled the document.

Alexander Clark

 

18 Apr 1903, Cert of Incorporation, Law Clerk who witnessed the signed document.

George Howie
Aberdeen Football Club 1937-38 Team Photo - original B&W picture - No copyright - attached

Aberdeen Football Club 1937-38

Aberdeen Football Club 1939-40 Team Photo - original B&W picture - No copyright - attached

Aberdeen Football Club 1939-40

Header Photo

The original Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Woolmanhill Hospital, Aberdeen, Scotland

  • A.F.C Official's, Player's, match and staff details source: AFC Heritage - The Official Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust.
    Header Background: Aberdeen Royal Infirmary 1749-1936, Aberdeen, Scotland, Wellcome Library, London, Creative Commons Attribution Licence CC By 4.0.
    Team Photo's: Aberdeen Football Club 1903 - 1940: Original B&W picture's - No copyright - attached. Colorisation by Graeme Watson 2020, 2021.
    Insert Photo: Aberdeen Football Club, Pittodrie Stadium, The King Street End Stand (Merkland Road Family Stand), Aberdeen, Scotland, 2015 B&W - Copyright © 2015 Graeme Watson
    Team Photo: Orion Football Club 1896-97: Original B&W picture - No copyright - attached.
    Team Photo: Victoria United Football Club 1896: Original B&W picture - No copyright - attached.
    Insert Article: Newspaper Article, Aberdeen Association Football Club, Aberdeen Evening Express - Thu 06 Oct 1881 & Fri 07 Oct 1881. Insert Article: Transcribed by Graeme Watson 2021.
    We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the information on this website is correct. However, we do not guarantee the correctness or completeness of material on this website.
    Insert Photo: Advert 1898, Albert Hotel, 9 & 9½ Correction Wynd, Aberdeen, Scotland, Courtesy of Fraser Clyne.
    Additional information source: (Clyne, Fraser (2012). The Aberdeen Men Can’t Play Football – An early history of football in Aberdeen, 1881-1903. J. Thompson, Glasgow.)
    E-mail: Fraser Clyne

About

Aberdeen F.C. - Family/DNA
An un-official compilation of the family tree of Aberdeen Football Club's official's, player's and staff from 1881 to present from one personal family tree.

Useful Links