EXCLUSIVE: Why Hans Gillhaus missed Aberdeen Hall of Fame induction - plus, WIN a pair of tickets to Music Hall Scottish Cup legends event featuring Dutch icon

Press and Journal

14-05-2025

Aberdeen 1990 Scottish Cup hero Hans Gillhaus has revealed why he missed his Reds Hall of Fame induction in January – and there is a plan to belatedly mark the 'honour' in the Granite City in the coming days.
Dutch Dons icon Gillhaus – who scored more than 30 times for Aberdeen between November 1989 and March 1983, and netted in the famous Hampden cup final penalty shoot-out win over Celtic just months after his arrival – will be back in north-east with four of his 1990 silverware-securing team-mates for a Music Hall gig next week.
Gillhaus will be on stage with cup-winning skipper Alex McLeish, as well as ex-strike partner Charlie Nicholas, goalkeeping compatriot Theo Snelders and winning penalty scorer Brian Irvine next Thursday for the '1990: The Legends Return' evening (details on how to win one of 10 pairs of tickets for the Thursday show below).
The shows – Gillhaus' first live stage appearance since leaving Pittodrie 26 years ago -will give him the chance to celebrate the Hall of Fame recognition he received earlier this year with a special ceremony.
Gillhaus was travelling in his former role as a scout for Saudi Premier League club Al-Ahli when the initial event at the Chester Hotel took place.
'At that moment, I was travelling in Saudi,' Gillhaus said.
'(But) I think something is going to happen on the Thursday morning that we have the (Music Hall) event, for the induction.'
Asked whether it was emotional to receive the Hall of Fame nod from his former club, former Netherlands international Gillhaus said: 'Very much so.'
Working as a scout since hanging up his boots in 1999, Gillhaus brought current Manchester City centre-back Nathan Ake and ex-Crystal Palace left-back Patrick van Aanholt to Chelsea from the Netherlands as youngsters.
Former forward Gillhaus is currently between scouting roles, though – allowing him to make this first trip to Aberdeen in 'four or five years'.
He said: 'I was in Saudi Arabia – Al-Ahli. I was there a couple of months.
'And before that, my last club was Atalanta Bergamo.
'So those were the last two.
'I enjoy it (scouting) very much. It's just because I left Saudi Arabia at the end of summer, then most of the clubs are all selling their scouting, so therefore, it's been a bit difficult to get something new. But that'll come.'
Gillhaus has been using his down-time to watch football, including 'occasional Scottish games', while 'the rest is all around Europe and South America and everything – just whatever is on.'
He has only seen 'one or two' matches involving Jimmy Thelin's Aberdeen this term, and admits he is therefore the 'wrong guy' to make 'an intelligent analysis' on their season.
In a stroke of misfortune, Gillhaus is also scheduled to fly back to the Netherlands after Thursday evening's event at the Music Hall – just two days before the current Dons take on Celtic in this season's Scottish Cup final.
While he is unable give too much insight on the 2025 Aberdeen team, one thing Gillhaus remembers in glorious detail is the 1990 cup campaign, culminating in the final shoot-out victory over the Hoops.
Gillhaus was a European Cup winner when he arrived at Aberdeen from PSV Eindhoven late in 1989 – but says the Scottish Cup success with the Reds is 'very close' in the pecking order of his career achievements, given what the old trophy means to fans of clubs in Scotland.
He said: 'The two years before, with PSV, we won the cup as well. So this was the third (domestic cup) final.
'But how the day was itself and the atmosphere in the stadium was completely different to the Dutch Cup final – this was really intense and the atmosphere was fantastic.
'I remember, obviously, the fact that the penalties were taken on the side where the Aberdeen supporters were, so that made it very special.
'But the whole build-up, too…
'What I remember most and enjoyed most was the journey towards the final with the semi-final against Dundee, the quarter-final with Hearts. Those games I will never forget.
'We were really, really on the high of our game and to finish it off in such a famous stadium, that was really, really special – very close, very close, I would say, to winning the Champions League.'
Hampden, too – will often derided by supporters – left a lasting impression on the Dutchman.
'It's not one of the most beautiful or nice stadiums because of, yeah, I think you have a bit of a running track around it,' Gillhaus said.
'So, for the fans, it might be a bit far away from the pitch.
'But for the players, that was… For me, it was a magical place.'
We've got 10 pairs of tickets to Thursday, May 22's '1990: The Legends Return' event to give away.
At Aberdeen's Music Hall next Thursday, Dons 1990 Scottish Cup-winning players Hans Gillhaus, Charlie Nicholas, Alex McLeish, Theo Snelders and Brian Irvine will recall stories of their time at the club, the great period where they won the double in 89/90 and how the likes of Gillhaus made such an impact to the club.
The audience will also be able to put their own questions to their heroes.
You just need to
Entry is via this link – https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/legends-return-ticket-give-away/– and close on Sunday, May 18, at 5pm (full terms and conditions at link above).