29-05-2025
I was meant to be on a stag do in Portugal cheering on my ex-team Aberdeen vs Celtic but I wasn't allowed to board plane
CAMMY SMITH loved watching Aberdeen stamp their passport to Europe on the weekend.
He just wishes he'd been able to use his to watch it in Portugal on the stag do he'd organised.
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Aberdeen were crowned Scottish Cup champions at Hampden
Credit: PA
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But Cammy Smith wasn't there to witness it in person - or from abroad
Credit: Kenneth Ramsay (Photography) Limited, Trochrague, 78 Newark Street, Greenock PA16 7TF
Peterhead attacker Smith came through the ranks at Pittodrie and won the League Cup in 2014.
He was supposed to be in Albufeira decked out in a Dons retro top from the days when the club last lifted the trophy in his role as best man to ex-teammate Mikey Rose ahead of his wedding next weekend.
But a RyanAir jobsworth barred him from travelling because the start date on his documents was over ten years ago, despite the expiry date still being valid.
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Smith felt so deflated he then rejected the chance of a ticket for Hampden on the morning of the game - so was left to look on from his sitting room as Jimmy Thelin's men made history.
While he was gutted to miss out on both parties, he couldn't stop smiling as he watched one-time Dons pal Graeme Shinnie lift the silverware at full-time.
Smith, 29, said: 'I got offered a free ticket on the morning of the game from one of my mates and I said No because of the way the weekend had turned out. I wish I'd gone now.
'My brother was there and said it was one of the best days he'd experienced. All my mates were out there in Portugal and had a bar booked to watch it in. I'd organised it all.
'The majority of them are Aberdeen fans and they all had Aberdeen tops on. We'd organised a retro Aberdeen top day with the 90s tops and stuff like that.
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'I saw the videos and you can see how much it meant to a lot of them. A lot of them are older than me and they'd been following Aberdeen for years.
'They were quite emotional seeing their team win the cup. But despite not being there or at Hampden it still felt amazing to me and I got goosebumps watching it and the fan celebrations.'
Aberdeen fans react to historic Scottish Cup win
Smith turns 30 later this year so wasn't even born when the Dons last lifted the trophy in 1990.
He said: 'It turns what would have probably been an average season for Aberdeen into a really good one.
'You saw the support they had at the game and the parade on Sunday. Hopefully it gives the team more confidence to do it more regularly.
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'Coming from Aberdeen and playing for Aberdeen ten years ago after coming through the youth system meant you'd always heard about how successful they were back in the good days.
'They used to regularly come down to Hampden and win the cup and league. Rightly or wrongly, that's the expectation at Aberdeen. The fans expect you to win a trophy every year.
'They expect you to be challenging Celtic and Rangers. Times have changed and that's not as easy with budgets nowadays.
'But the weekend showed how big the club actually is. The League Cup we won was amazing and everyone still remembers that team and the manager and the key players. I was fortunate to be a good squad player.
How they rated
Dimitar Mitov - Saves from Callum McGregor and Alistair Johnston in the shootout plus denying Daizen Maeda late in regular time wrote him a place in Aberdeen's history books. Is now a legend. 10
Alfie Dorrington - Didn't know anything about it as Arne Engels' corner kick cracked off his shoulder before sneaking in. Luckless stuff for the defender, who'd started well and had Adam Idah's card marked. 7
Jack Milne - Shock inclusion as Jimmy Thelin moved to three at the back in a bid to outfox Rodgers. Was superb as part of their back three and showed he's got a big future. 8
Mats Knoester - The most experienced of Aberdeen's back three by far so was tasked with talking them through the afternoon and keeping them organised. Led by example throughout as the Dons dug in. 9
Alexander Jensen - Up against Maeda and kept the Japanese striker as quiet as anyone has throughout the first half here. Did deliver some good balls when he got high enough up. 9
Ante Palaversa - Asked to use his physical presence and cover the ground to block off Celtic's midfield from bombing forward - which he did. Slammed a superb spot kick high into the net. 8
Graeme Shinnie - Slotted back into the middle of the park as part of Thelin's tactical tinkering and brought the grit they needed in there. Great penalty in the shootout to win the cup. 9
Nicky Devlin - Brought back into the side as left wing-back in the Dons' new formation and did his job stopping Nicolas Kuhn cutting inside. Did well until running out of gas late on. 7
Leighton Clarkson - Normally Aberdeen's' creative spark but saw far too little of the ball to make an impact with waves of attack coming the other way. Second half free kick easily saved. 6
Topi Keskinen - Tasked with injecting pace into Aberdeen's rare attacks when they sprung forward but was unable to bring enough quality to the table to hurt the Hoops. Hooked for Pape Gueye. 5
Kevin Nisbet - Defended from the front as the Dons sat in for the first part of this game. Had a good chance from Leighton Clarkson's free kick but headed over. Fed on scraps. 6
Subs:
Pape Gueye (Keskinen 56) - Sparked the Dons into life with his pace and energy, turned the game. 7
Dante Polvara (Dorrington 79) - Replaced crocked Dorrington at the back. 7
Shayden Morris (Clarkson 79) - Caused Kasper Schmeichel's late OG leveller within seconds of coming on. 7
Oday Dabbagh (Nisbet 79) - Slammed his penalty in the top corner. 7
Jack MacKenzie (Devlin 89) - Will bow out a cup winner. 6
Kristers Tobers (Milne 93) - Replaced Milne in extra-time. 6
'But everyone always wanted the Scottish Cup. It had been so long so to get it against Celtic, who are probably the best team in the country now, probably makes it all the more special.'
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Dons skipper Shinnie turned up for the parade on Sunday still wearing his kit from the previous day.
Smith grinned: 'I saw the photos of him! He's not actually a big drinker so he probably had a few beers and that hit him for six!
'He's a family guy, isn't ever out too much and keeps himself to himself. He actually lived in the village of Balmedie, which is where I grew up. He was a five or ten minute walk from my parents' house.
'He's from Aberdeen and he's an outstanding guy and such a humble person. I think Derek McInnes signed him as a left-back when he signed the first time and he gave him the No3 shirt.
'We went over to Croatia and he played in the middle of the park against Rijeka. He was unreal that night and played with so much energy and he ended up playing centre mid a lot that season.
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'He's so down to earth and one of the boys. He's been such a good servant to the club and regardless of whether people know Shinnie personally or not, I think everybody just wants him to do well and they're happy for him. He really deserves it.'
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