Never in a million years did i expect the run in Europe we have had. I expected us to bottle it against the huns on the last day of the season and we didn't for once.

Dnipro in the qualifying rounds wasn't the appealing/glamour tie we all craved but they were a damn good side. We should have won the match at Pittodrie, which it was just a great night to be a part of at Pittodrie again. Over in Dnipro, Mackie reminded us of Hewitt in 83 and then we defended for our lives! It really was the Jamie Langfield show, his best performance for the Dons. They should have hammered us in Ukraine but well done to the lads they stuck it out and the qualifiers beckoned.

What a group to have got, the group of death! Panathinaikos Away, Lokomotiv at home, Atletico away and Copenhagen at home. Was more difficult to go out than go through as 3 progress. But considering who we were up against, only an extreme optimist could have predicted us going through at the expense of Lokomotiv and Copenhagen!

That match in Athens, dare say no one expected a result before the match. However as the match wore on, it became evident this was a side we could compete with, but we missed our chances (Chris Clark once again ha!) and it looked like a thumping at 3-0, it certainly wasn't. Missed opportunity but it was a big learning curve for the lads. 2 goals conceded from set pieces!

Lokomotiv at home, well it was freezing, I remember that, and it was weird singing "come on you reds" when we were at home playing in white! They were a good side and passed the ball about well, a draw a fair result. Another set piece we conceded as Considine switched off from a corner, right on half time, as big Zander gave us the lead!

Madrid away and my first European adventure away with the Dons. Certianly had it's moments, the Sol Square was just brilliant before the match, as was the tour of the Bernebeu, brilliant. We gave a good performance, i expected to get gubbed, again though two set pieces sealed the deal, a pen from Forlan and Simao free kick. Karim Touzani gave a man of the match performance. Negatives, the incidents before the match, riot police, flares etc as Bolton fans have just seen for themselves!

With a win in our last match at home to Copenhagen, a side that were in the Champions League last season, beating Man Utd and Celtic, we would go through to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup, with one win in 6 matches overall. Quite astonishing but I'm not complaining. A night I will never forget as Jamie Smith's wondergoals sent Pittodrie wild! 4-0 was really something!

To draw Bayern Munich in the last 32, 25 years from our duel in 83, the question was, could history be repeated? The answer, erm no. We all knew it. But we intended to enjoy it. Fair play to the players, a great first leg 2-2, gave us something to play for over there and my second away day with the Dons in Europe. What an experience. I can not speak highly enough of Germany. People very friendly, great clean city, with lots to do and things to see etc. The police didn't attack us this time and in fact German female police were very hot! The stadium really is something else, nothing else like it and to see Aberdeen playing there was just brilliant. The Aberdeen fans never stopped singing through out the match, even at 5-1, we all knew we were in for a hiding from the kick off. The DJ at the Allianz played 500 miles!!! It's a big show, a big event over there, all the players have there own songs, DJ let's the fans sing the second names of the players, at the line ups and when they have scored. It's a big spectacle. Never be back there to see the Dons I think. As you can tell I loved Germany.

As for the game, another 3 set pieces conceded, Langfield kind of flapped at the first two, but ach well, he made some good saves too. Shame that Mackie missed that chance in the first half, who actually expected him to score? Shame about the disallowed goal and the ref was a joke. Toni, who I really rate highly, didn't get a sniff as Zander marked him out of the game.

Cheers for the lads for an amazing run, seen the likes of Nazarenko, Ivanovic, Forlan, Aguero, Simao, Maxi, Abbiati, Gronkjaer, Allback, Lucio, Kahn, Ze Robero, Van Bommel, Toni, Podolski and Klose in action personally this year. Now get the finger out in the league.

Hope there is a DVD memento for the fans with our run in Europe. I'm working on my own European Song 07-08, will post it when it's done.

It really was a fabulous run from the Dons, and it's been to the detriment of their league position I think. Calderwood is a good manager, he's tactically savvy (in continental terms) and is relatively forward thinking. 4-0 against Copenhagen was, I'm sure, beyond his wildest dreams though.

People always bang on about how shocking our league is but the fact we had three clubs in Europe after Christmas when just 5 or so years ago we struggled to get ONE past Christmas is tantamount to a much better quality of football and a greater hunger to succeed in Europe from all the SPL teams.

I think its down to a reliance on Scottish players again to desperately want to fight for the jersey at Aberdeen, Celtic and Rangers.

In Europe Jimmy has had it spot on tactically! I've no doubt the Euro run has affected our league form, but I wouldn't have changed it for anything. Unlike Celtic we're not used to being in Europe every season and don't have the squad to compete on both fronts.

Hopefully having three clubs in Europe after X-mas will improve our co-efficient thing and we can get more teams in!

Caught the Celtic game in Munich btw, looked a cracker, again like The Dons v Bayern, just a gulf in class between the teams, in terms of players and budgets!

How many fans did Aberdeen take to Mardrid?

Bolton took 3,500 was it about the same for yous?

I would imagine they took a little more due to the novelty/last game of their UEFA Cup run factor.

Apparently we took something like 6,000 - 7,000 to Madrid. We only got 4,000 official away tickets though, there were plenty dandies in the home end!

Took about 5,000 for Bayern i think. I know which trip I'll remember better anyhoo! Bayern Munich for the UEFA Cup!

Good post Northern Lights.

From my own personal view I hated it... staying in Aberdeen it really annoyed me.

Can imagine it was an excellent experience though and if you're going to get knocked out than Bayern was probably the team to get... getting to see those players in person at Pittodrie and then the trip to Munich.

stuck in Amsterdam for a night after a delay in flight in munich

But good thoughts northernlights - the stadium is the best i've ever been in, just amazing and i can only say how good the germans was to us. Shame about Langfields performance as he was at fault for at least 3 of the goals.

Never thought Aberdeen would have 8 games in europe and have helped the co-efficient and help put other teams than just the old firm that play in that league. Lets hope other teams will do what we have in future years.

Been to every game so a quick description of them:

Dnipro - decent result in the first league set us up for a nice cheap place and a fantastic night maybe up there with copenhagen. Good side too as they was top of there league. Beer was 23p from the supermarket and was great banter between the fans before the game.

Athens - best locals we meet, everyone friendly and bought us silly drinks which resulted in myself blanking out for 2 nights!!!! Nice city and which myself will go back and visit one day. Game itself was poor as we had 1 upfront and they was a very average side even if they are top of their league.

Loko - We played well in the first half but didn't in the second half but i felt they settled for a point.

Madrid - mmm didn't really enjoy this trip at all which may sound strange but 6,000 dandies is not the same as when there is 500 odd. Everywhere i turned it was fit like min. Also what i didn't like was the trouble before hand and the heavy handed police which is quite funny how bolton have problems as well!!!! It was also the coldest game i've been to away, well up there with south africa tour last season. Wouldn't rush back to Madrid

Copenhagen - wow what the hell happened in the 2nd half, one of the best days of football for me apart from when a certain Willie Miller lifted the CWC or the Bayern game. But to take it into account we are not a good side but we hammered them in the second half with some fantastic football.

Bayern - Fantastic game at Pittodrie which just to compete with these players was fantastic with everyone involved with Aberdeen. Toni is some size of a player and in the first half at Pittodrie he was unplayable!!! 2nd Leg was obviously going to be pretty tough but its the best stadium i've ever been too and the locals was fantastic to us. Just a fantastic experience to be at that stadium and it will be a long time when i will go to a stadium like that to watch the dons i think.

Just one thing left to say

GIRU Chick Young - one of the worst predictions this season i think.



Link

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/6920548.stm

Loved every minute of it, Just home from Munich and never met soon many friendly folks in my lif, our run was great although results weren't and lets face it, anyone who thought we'd beat bayern over there are nuts, the place and team are amazing.

6000+ would be right. Me and my mates missed out on the original allocation of tickets. We only managed to get tickets the day before the match as Atletico had given us another batch of tickets.

What we achieved in Europe this season was beyond my expectations. I thought if we got into the group stages that would be as far as we could go. We rode our luck at times especially in the 2nd leg against Dnipro but I'm very proud of what we managed to achieve. Hopefully there will be more European adventures in the not too distant future.

I'm looking forward to seeing how much this run has generated. Should be somewhere between £1million and £2million. If we could get into Europe more often that kind of money would really help improve the squad and facilities.

They did extremely well - if I were an Aberdeen fan I'd happily have sacrificed a top six finish for that 4-0 win over Copenhagen.

I think any genuine footbal fan will be delighted that Aberdeen progressed as they did. Both the home games against Bayern and Copenhagen sum up European Football Nights and have genuine neutrals jumping up and down.

I have to say though that the format of the UEFA Cupgroup stages favoured Aberdeen as a home and away league would probably not have allowed them to qualify for the knock out stage.

Aberdeen fans out there, my European Song needs a singer! Everything has been recorded, drums, bass and 2 guitars. Lyrics are written. Just need a singer and someone who can sing in the key of E! If you're interested do let me know please.

Spread the word.

I reckon you should approach Tango. He could do it in the style of Bernie Winters

Good luck anyway, cant wait to hear it!

I thought it was quite a good laugh, at the start of the season I expected Aberdeen to totally disgrace themselves, but they genuinely suprised me.

Enjoyed the watching group stages, you have to admit that 3 teams qualifying out of 5 is pretty easy though

Hope Aberdeen make good use of whatever money it brought in, would like to see them do well next season.

And the Copenhagen game was simply a really good match, as was the Bayern home game.

Mango, are you playing guitar on Northern Light's new version of European Song? You should be given your moniker.

Any takers to sing?? Was actually wanting it donw before the final match of the season against the Gers tomorrow, but that obviously ain't happening! Played pre match was the idea. But as long as it gets done. Remember to spread the word and see if there is a good singer to do the song justice!

Aberdeen did really well, I was cheering them on against Bayern and Lokomotiv.

loved watching it, really felt that you could want them to win without the feeling you get with watching the OF in europe.

Some cracking results. Plus, I really envy those that went to bayern

Yip fully agree with that, good luck to Motherwell and Queen of the South next season in the UEFA Cup.

The Dandies had a great European run. There was a tinge of envy, but I was genuinely pleased at how they performed. Hell, I was cheering each of the goals that went in in the Copenhagen game, which was a terrific one to watch.

And to play Bayern topped it off. I was happy that they performed well and got a good result in a great game at Pittodrie.

Hopefully Motherwell and Queens can have a decent go at it next term too.

Totally unexpected and exciting. I went to Pittodrie for the Lokomotiv game. It was the coldest night I have ever experienced in my life, I was in the uncovered part of the away end. The atmosphere more than made up for the snow and sleet in the face!

Sky +'d the 83 Cup Winners Cup game off ESPN classics last night and fair dos, I had forgotten just how good a performance that was ( 11 Scottish players playing with forwards in the opposition half, passing the ball and everthing ). There was certainly a bit of that spirit in this years run and whilst not a Dons fan, it was a fabulous effort, not least the Copenhagen game.

It was great to watch. My brother was over for my mum's funeral when Aberdeen were playing Bayern at Pittodrie.

He came in at 0-0 and dropped off some suitcases etc, went back out to the car and came back at 1-0 Aberdeen. Chuffed as fuck he was (and he's also a Celtic supporter). He went out for a chippy 10 mins or so later at 1-1 (so that his Californian wife could sample the good life of Scotland - smoked sausage supper and some pickled onions ) and came back at 2-1 Aberdeen half-time. Again, chuffed as fuck. When Bayern later equalised, he quips 'That's it, I'm off oot, shout us back in when it's 3-2 and full-time'

Suppose you had to be there, but it generally summed up the feel-good atmosphere of seeing another Scottish team doing well in Europe.

Hopefully Motherwell and/or QoS can do likewise in the forthcoming season.

Aberdeen European Song 07/08 should be online tomorrow evening. Unless my singer backs out at the last minute! Hope you will all like it! Trying to build a small bit of hype!

A bit of hype for what? The song or the club.

Many parts of this run were a bit of a blur.

Never managed the Dnipro away game but took in every other match.
Sounds poor, only winning one match in eight, but there were some pretty good performances in there.
Some that mad me quite proud of the team.
We also scored nine Uefa Cup goals to Rangers five. i think. (correct me if I'm wrong)

The three aways in Athens, Madrid and Munich were not relished by my liver.
Each one a 4 day trip of ludicrous alcohol consumption proportions.
So many memories - and non-memories.
Back on to the Scotland trips this season though. No AFC in europe...but I hope Well and QOS represent the country favourably. I'm sure they will.

Still can't get over the amount of quality teams we pitted our wits against. Would never have believed an outcome like thone if some hoor had suggested as much. Absolute disbelief was the feeling among fans around us as the goals kept rattling in against Copenhagen. Magic stuff.

Onyhoo. A slightly erratic and disjointed summery of the Dons euro adventure. Ken fit like...
hopefully we can get another pop at it soon.