Colin Farquhar: Dons win sent me on Holburn Street pub crawl - and celebrations showed Aberdeen at its best

Press and Journal

28-05-2025

There was just something about the way that Kasper Schmeichel was holding himself in the minutes leading up to Saturday's penalty shoot-out that made me think Aberdeen were going to pinch the cup.
Sitting in a packed Holburn Bar with a few pals, I text another mate to say, 'I reckon Aberdeen might win'. Lo and behold, they did. A few penalties later and a different history is written.
The place absolutely erupted. A celebrating lad somewhere behind me grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me so much I near enough dropped my pint.
Aberdeen had won their first Scottish Cup for 35 years, repeating the trick of defeating Celtic on penalties as happened in 1990.
The party spirit continued on into the night. My pals and I worked our way along the bars of Holburn Street – the Adam Lounge, an absolutely rocking Foundry and then finally The Glen Tanar – while Dons' fans drank in their triumph.
Rarely have I noted such vibrancy of mood on a night out in Aberdeen. It was smashing stuff.
Long may it continue. The aftermath of the game, Sunday's trophy parade and the general atmosphere since have been a wonderful advert for the city.
ACC reckoned that almost eighty thousand supporters packed into the city centre to celebrate on Sunday, in a sea of red. A few of the news sites estimated above one hundred thousand fans.
I can certainly confirm that as I walked up to the Holburn Street Sainsbury's on Sunday morning for a paper, it appeared that every middle-aged bloke in the city and their dog owned an Aberdeen football top.
Families streaming into town to share the moment with the players and each other, to take in what might be a once-in-a-generation moment, at the current rate of victory.
Folk also piled in from Aberdeenshire to celebrate. Cars were everywhere in Ferryhill, as supporters crammed into the city.
It has been such a super show of unity, positivity and enthusiasm for the team, and by extension for the city, from its citizens. It only makes you wish it happened more often.
Of late in the north-east we've often had to hear many talk down the city – how it has emerged from the pandemic; the wear and tear inflicted since the oil downturn, or the poor performance of the housing market, compared to other places in Scotland.
But over the past few days what we've seen is a wonderful presentation of the city's beauty and prestige, through its team and their fans, who many, yours truly included, had written off prior to the game.
To watch the videos of the celebrations on the parade is to see the best of Aberdeen. All of a sudden Union Street, bedecked in red, looked every inch the Granite Mile; its beautiful architecture front and centre.
Union Terrace, with its magnificent facades and Rosemount Viaduct, with His Majesty's and the Central Library providing the background, hemming everyone in around the players, the bus and the trophy before they moved down Schoolhill onto Broad Street.
We have the privilege of living in a beautiful place, with great bones. It's a pity there's not often the occasion to showcase or shout about it like we've been given since Saturday.
All of a sudden, you see with your own eyes why our city can support something like The Aberdeen Adventurer, our city sightseeing tour. Aberdeen is grand when viewed through the right lens.
You also see how great the city centre is as a civic space when seen with pride. Eighty thousand people, joyously mingling. I was under the impression the bus gates were preventing this sort of thing… Casting my mind back to the pub on Saturday – no easy feat, let me tell you – the one thing that struck me was just how invested everyone was in not just the game, but the mood, or the vibe. Even folk who don't like football were clearly lifted by the occasion; happy, at ease and triumphant.
It all reflects the goodwill that poured out of the city centre businesses and institutions in the run up to the game – turning the Union Street granite, red. To see the Dons' fans flock there on Sunday was a truly special treat.
It might well be that no one expected Aberdeen to win on Saturday. Celtic are the superior team, as they usually, ably, demonstrate. But with one plucky win, Aberdeen have thrown a huge party for all of Scotland to see, superbly plastered over print and screen. A chance to see our city shine, as it rightfully can. Perhaps a chance for us to realise it's not so bad after all.
Colin Farquhar works as a creative spaces manager and film programmer in the north-east culture sector