EXCLUSIVE: Legendary Aberdeen captain Martin Buchan reveals expletive-ridden 1970 Scottish Cup final message

Press and Journal

20-05-2025

Legendary Aberdeen captain Martin Buchan has revealed for the first time the expletive-ridden inspirational message delivered by boss Eddie Turnbull ahead of the 1970 Scottish Cup win.
Aberdonian Buchan was only 21-years-old when he led the Dons to silverware glory with a 3-1 triumph against Celtic.
In a rare interview Buchan, now 76, lifts the lid on the immediate build-up to that historic trophy win.
And he revealed a short, defiant message relaxed the Reds seconds before they took to the pitch at the national stadium.
Managerial great Turnbull's words relaxed the Reds to the point they were laughing in the tunnel – much to the bemusement of Celtic.
Buchan revealed their boss had delivered the message ahead of a win at Parkhead two weeks earlier, after witnessing the Hoops take crates of champagne into their dressing room.
And he was urged by the Dons to repeat his message.
Buchan explained: 'We played Celtic at Parkhead not long before the final and Eddie Turnbull gave his team talk then went to go to his seat in the stand.
'He closed the door behind him and we were waiting for the referee to knock on the door to take us out.
'The manager wasn't out the room more than 10 seconds before he came back in.
'He said: 'I've just seen a couple of crates of champagne going into the Celtic dressing room.'
'He added: 'Are they going to celebrate winning the league tonight at our expense? My f*****g a*** they're not.'
'We walked out of the dressing room laughing away at his comment.
'Fast forward to the final and we're getting ready to leave the Hampden dressing room for the game.
'Eddie told us all the best and then George Murray said 'boss, give us that one you did at Parkhead.
'He said: 'Are they going to be celebrating tonight at our expense? My f*****g a*** they're not.'
'And there was no tension when we walked out onto the pitch, we were laughing.
'It was so funny the way he said it, word for word from Parkhead.
'We had no nerves whatsoever although we weren't overconfident.
'But we knew we were a good side.'
The Reds faced a Celtic team gunning for not only a domestic treble, but an unprecedented quadruple.
Jock Stein's Celtic had already won the league title and League Cup prior to facing Aberdeen at Hampden.
They were also set to play in the European Cup final after playing the Dons, and would lose 2-1 to Dutch club Feyenoord.
In front of a crowd of 108,434 Aberdeen stunned Celtic courtesy of a double from Derek 'Cup Tie' McKay and a converted Joe Harper penalty.
Now based in Warrington, Buchan said: 'Celtic weren't favourites in our minds as we had beaten them (2-1) not long before at Parkhead.
'We respected Celtic but didn't fear them.
'We were the second-best team in Scotland and had replaced Rangers as Celtic's main rivals.
'When that final kicked off, we were relaxed in our minds.
'We knew what we had to do as we had worked hard on the training pitch on what Eddie thought we needed.
'We went out there without a care in the world.
'All the preparation had been done and that light moment in the dressing room set us up for the game.
'There was one incident when Bobby Clark was in his penalty box and had the ball in his arms.
'Bobby Lennox poked the ball out with his hand (and scored when Aberdeen were leading 1-0).
'Fortunately, the referee was close and knew what happened, that Bobby hadn't dropped it.
'Celtic weren't very happy as we got a free kick (and the goal was disallowed).
'We stayed in Gleneagles before the final.
'We went back there to stay the night after the final as well.
'There was a celebration and a lovely guy called Norman Cunningham, who was the chief executive of Otis Elevators, he treated us to champagne.
'I think to myself how do I remember something like that which happened 55 years ago?
'I remember that clear as a bell. My memory of that night is vivid.'
A product of the Pittodrie youth system having joined the club as a 12-year-old, Buchan became the youngest captain to lift the Scottish Cup for Aberdeen.
Initially brought up Glenbervie Road in Torry, Buchan moved at five-years-old to a Scotland Special house in Stewart Terrace, Northfield.
He attended Westerton and Cummings Park Primary Schools before Robert Gordon's College.
The former defender had only been captain for less than three months before lifting silverware with his home city club.
He is the last Granite City born and raised player to lift the Scottish Cup as captain of the Dons.
Buchan hopes Aberdonian skipper Graeme Shinnie can emulate that feat on Saturday.
He explained: 'It was disbelief as I was only appointed captain in February when we played Clydebank in a Scottish Cup tie at Pittodrie.
'Being made captain of Aberdeen was a great honour.
'I hadn't been captain for long when we won the Scottish Cup.
'It was like a fairytale.
'I had just turned 21 when I was made captain but when Eddie Turnbull tells you that you are doing something, you don't question it.
'To end up lifting the trophy less than three months later was very special.
'Hopefully Graeme Shinnie can lift the trophy as captain of his home city club.
'I'll be watching the final on television and keeping everything crossed that day.'
The triumph in 1970 was only the second time Aberdeen had won the Scottish Cup, the other success in 1947.
Buchan had the joy of winning the cup alongside his brother George, who was an unused substitute in the final.
In celebration of the historic event the newly crowned Scottish Cup heroes were welcomed by around 100,000 in an open-top bus parade.
Buchan said: 'We changed into the open-top bus at the other side of Brig o' Dee.
'We crossed that then came up Holburn Street before Union Street.
'It was wall to wall people right up to the Castlegate and the Townhouse.
'I have black and white photographs of that parade which was wonderful.
'It breaks my heart now when I go back to Aberdeen as Union Street is an absolute disgrace.
'Union Street used to be the loveliest main street in the United Kingdom with a spotless pavement.'
One of the most gifted players to ever emerge from the Pittodrie youth ranks Buchan was named Scotland's player of the year in 1971.
He became Aberdeen's record transfer when he moved to Manchester United for £125,000 in 1972.
He would go on to captain the Old Trafford club to FA Cup glory in 1977 with a 2-1 win against Liverpool in the final.
In doing so the Aberdonian became the first player to captain FA Cup and Scottish Cup winning sides.
Scotland great Buchan earned 34 caps and played at the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals.
He said: 'Winning the FA Cup was special because we had lost the final the year before to Southampton (1-0).
'Southampton had a lot of experienced old hands and we were Tommy Docherty's young team.
'We should have done better in the league that season but in think we were distracted by that cup run.
'Everyone expected us to beat Southampton easily but I had my reservations about that.
'I thought we underestimated them at our peril.
'After the Southampton game we went into Manchester town centre and the town hall square was packed.
'We got a civic reception and Tommy Doc stood in front of all the supporters and said 'never mind we'll go back and win it next year'.
'It was words of consolation to the crowd – and it turned out to be true.
'I have been blessed, really I have.'