Latest news with #ViaplayCup
STV News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Aberdeen promised 35k parade if they win Scottish Cup
Aberdeen Football Club has been promised a city celebration and parade if they defeat Celtic and lift the Scottish Cup later this month. The Dons will face Celtic in the Scottish Cup final on May 24 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. If Aberdeen win, the city centre could be transformed into a sea of red as thousands are expected to come out and cheer on the team. But this isn't the first time the council has voiced its support for a city celebration dedicated to the Dons. Councillors approved plans to give the club a victory parade through the city centre back in November 2023 if they won the Viaplay Cup. But sadly, the team was beaten 1-0 by Rangers at Scotland's national stadium. Committee convener Alex McLellan put forward the suggestion to hail the potential cup win. He said: 'It would be tradition that if Aberdeen Football Club were successful in the Scottish Cup final that we would want to celebrate that in an appropriate way.' The finance boss proposed that £35,000 would be taken from the Common Good Fund for a parade and accompanying celebrations. 'We would want to wish AFC every success with the cup final in Glasgow in the weeks to come,' he added. Labour councillor M. Tauqeer Malik backed the proposal but asked where the planned celebration would be held. He explained: 'Usually Union Street would be ideal but it's a complete mess.' However, the Lower Deeside member wished the team every success and said he was 'optimistic' there would be a celebration in the Granite City. Meanwhile, Dons fan councillor Dell Henrickson didn't wish the team luck out of fear he would jinx them and destroy their chance at cup success. But, he revealed he was lucky enough to obtain one of the 20,000 allocated tickets for the match. Aberdeen FC last received a city parade to celebrate their Scottish League Cup win back in March 2014. The team took to an open top bus to show off the legendary trophy as they made their way down Union Street. It is estimated that more than 50,000 fans came out to show their support for the Dons. An open top bus parade was also held in 1983 after the team won the European Cup against Real Madrid. The team, led by Alex Ferguson at the time, was cheered on by fans as they made their way down Union Street before arriving at Pittodrie. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Press and Journal
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
£35k set aside for parade if Dons win Scottish Cup - despite confusion over route amid Union Street upheaval
Aberdeen FC has been promised a city celebration and parade if they defeat Celtic and lift the Scottish Cup later this month. The Dons will face Celtic in the Scottish Cup final on May 24 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. If Aberdeen win, the city centre could be transformed into a sea of red as thousands are expected to come out and mark the victory. Then Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes and Captain Russell Anderson lift the Scottish League Cup in 2014. Image: Richard Frew Councillors last approved plans to give the club a parade through the city centre back in November 2023 – if they won the Viaplay Cup. But the team was beaten 1-0 by Rangers at Scotland's national stadium. Could the cash set aside actually be put to use this time? What did councillors have to say? Committee convener Alex McLellan put forward the suggestion to hail the potential cup win. He said: 'It would be tradition that if Aberdeen Football Club were successful in the Scottish Cup final that we would want to celebrate that in an appropriate way.' The finance boss proposed that £35,000 would be taken from the Common Good Fund for a parade and accompanying celebrations. Union Street filled with Aberdeen fans in March 2014. Image: Richard Frew Union Street works leave question mark over celebratory route Labour councillor M. Tauqeer Malik backed the proposal but asked where the planned celebration would be held. His query came as the centre is currently being dug up as part of masterplan works. The ongoing works on Union Street. Image: Hub North Scotland He explained: 'Usually Union Street would be ideal but it's a complete mess.' However, the Lower Deeside member wished the team every success and said he was 'optimistic' there would be a celebration in the Granite City. The Aberdeen FC open top bus parade down Union Street with the Scottish League Cup in 2014. Image: Richard Frew Meanwhile, Dons fan councillor Dell Henrickson didn't wish the team luck out of fear he would jinx them and destroy their chance. But, he revealed he was lucky enough to obtain one of the 20,000 allocated tickets for the match. City celebrations marked Aberdeen Football Club cup glory Aberdeen FC last received a city parade to celebrate their Scottish League Cup win back in March 2014. Aberdeen FC European Cup Winners Cup 1983 parade in the open-topped bus down Union Street. Alex McLeish waves the cup to fans near the Castlegate. Image: Aberdeen Journals Limited The team took to an open top bus to show off the legendary trophy as they made their way down Union Street. It is estimated that more than 50,000 fans came out to show their support for the Dons. Alex Ferguson lifts the Scottish Cup next to Alex McLeish and Mark McGhee on the bus outside Pittodrie in 1984. Image: Aberdeen Journals Limited An open top bus parade was also held in 1983 after the team won the European Cup against Real Madrid. The team, led by Alex Ferguson at the time, was cheered on by fans as they made their way down Union Street before arriving at Pittodrie. Read more:
The Herald Scotland
25-04-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Toyosi Olusanya's ridiculous St Mirren redemption arc
The clock had just struck 4pm in Paisley, with Toyosi Olusanya returning from the dressing room to the bench after a competitive debut for St Mirren watched by less than 2,000 punters. The score was locked at 0-0 against a stubborn Arborath side who would go on to claim victory in the final minute of the first Viaplay Cup group stage tie. It wasn't a glittering display for the summer signing, who had been labelled "strong and lightning quick" after being unveiled by Stephen Robinson, having penned a two-year deal to join from Middlesbrough. To put it lightly, it was a display more comparable to that of a competition winner than continental scoring for Olusanya. It was sluggish and untidy; there was no lack of effort, but the striker wasn't playing to his unquestionable strengths. What would follow would be bit-part roles in the cup competition before a broken toe prevented Olusanya from having any impact in the league, limited to just 12 minutes against Hearts before being shipped out on loan in January. It wouldn't be too extreme to suggest that for some supporters, Olusanya's St Mirren spell was already over and doomed to be released after his two-year deal expired. How wrong that prediction would prove to be... Olusanya scored once for Arborath in nine Scottish Championship outings for the club. It was an improvement on his limited impact in Paisley, but was hardly indicative of the events which would unfold the following season. Returning to St Mirren over the summer, Olusanya's career at the club was on the line. A frank discussion with Robinson laid out the state of play with the striker staring down the barrel of a release unless he made his mark at the SMiSA Stadium. Olusanya has never been a difficult professional and has spoken openly of Robinson being almost a father figure to him in reigniting his career. To his credit, Olusanya buckled down, listened to the advice of the coaching staff and completely transformed his footballing life, and in doing so his prospects in the years to come. The striker put in extra effort off the pitch in the gym, committed to pool work and made a conscious effort to ensure his nutrition and hydration were in a prime state to aid performance levels. "I would say definitely, since coming here, it has been transformative for me," said Olusanya. "I've seen how some of the boys are a good example of how I'm supposed to take the gym, how I'm supposed to take recovery. But when I came here, I'd probably say I was a bit like, I'll do it but not as well as I can. "I feel like that year when I was 18 and I was at AFC Wimbledon, I probably thought I was the man, if you know what I mean." Extra efforts did not go unnoticed by Robinson, but by no means was Olusanya the first-choice starter as a result. The Peckham-born frontman would again be more often called upon as a substitute in the League Cup group stage, netting against Cowdenbeath and providing an assist in a win over Arbroath. Olusanya had undone any damage from a difficult first season but still had his doubters as he claimed a secondary role in the side. In one moment, though, that changed. Easter Road, minutes before putting in runs as part of the sub warm-up and Olusanya feared the worst as a red-faced Robinson yelled to him from the sideline. Read more: "Gaffer was screaming, his face went red and he gave me the finger," recalled Olusanya of discovering he would play the opening Scottish Premiership fixture against Hibernian in the 2023/24 season. "He told me, 'You're starting get your stuff on, Mika is injured. "You don't have time to process it and get nerves or be excited, it's just a then and there thing. "I didn't think about anything, I was just calm and that probably helped me." That moment was crucial and possibly even the true turning point for Olusanya. He didn't overthink, he didn't try too hard to his detriment, he just played his game the way Robinson knew he could. With 17 minutes on the clock, Olusanya was on the scoresheet in the 3-2 win and looked a completely different prospect to the striker watched in black and white in the previous season. Quickly, Olusanya developed a reputation as a striker no centre-back wanted to face in the league. He was confident, he was clever in his movement, and he was fiercely committed. The goals weren't quite free-flowing yet, with his next league strike not arriving until February against Dundee. However, the power of work pressing defences and crafting opportunities out of nothing didn't go unnoticed. Perhaps his most iconic moment in the stripes, a category pretty heavily contested, came when Aberdeen rolled into town on March 2, 2024. A first-minute strike from Connor Barron threatened a difficult afternoon but the ridiculous stoppage-time heroics from St Mirren created one of the most unforgettable moments in the SMiSA Stadium. Mark O'Hara grabbed a point as he converted from the penalty spot in the 96th minute, and Olusanya won that spot-kick by the way. Then, pandemonium, chaos, utter jubilation. A swift counter led to a cross into the box for the ball to be headed to Olusanya to turn home with 97 minutes played. No better justice can be done to describe that moment than to quote an all-time great piece of Misery Hunters commentary. "There is still time left on the dancefloor here before last orders, neither side willing to let this one fade away..." Seconds later, "It's Toyosi Time! The whole team are on the pitch to celebrate". Toyosi Time is finally up on the dancefloor, last orders have been and gone. Thanks for this @t__olusanya and all the rest. — Misery Hunters (@MiseryHunters) April 23, 2025 Talk about making yourself a club hero and completing one of the most unimaginable redemption journeys at a football club. Two years prior, I had been storing Olusanya's name in my mind palace as a pub quiz answer for the future, I certainly didn't anticipate having to explain how to pronounce it to a confused Icelandic stadium announcer. "You know, lasagne?" I said, despairing at the situation as a Valur employee scribbled phonetic instructions on a team sheet. "It's kind of like that with an 'O' in front of it." Few players were as deserving as Olusanya as he netted against Valur back in Paisley in a triumphant return to European football. Then, another magical moment courtesy of Toyosi Time. SK Brann had, in all truth, played St Mirren off the park in Paisley but wouldn't take a lead back to Bergen. A James Scott volley across goal was tapped home by the sliding Olusanya in the centre of the box. Cue incredible scenes and another unforgettable moment. It has been a theme of Olusanya's time at St Mirren that he provided much more than the bare minimum of hard work; he created legitimate lifelong memories for supporters, young and old. To that end, I'm still deliberating on how best to break the news to my nephew that he's left the club for a move to Houston Dynamo. Last orders may have come and gone, and it may well be time up on the dancefloor, but you can guarantee a few more drinks will be raised in honour of Toyosi Time in the years to come.
Daily Record
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Ange Postecoglou watches his biggest Rangers admirer break cover over snidest of snipes – 'I've unbelievable sympathy'
Ally McCoist has defended the former Celtic boss as Spurs fans call for the axe to fall In a divided city where friendship is often a non-starter Ange Postecoglou has found an ally in the most unlikely of places. The former Celtic boss lost another game with Tottenham Hotspur as Nottingham Forest nabbed all three points from London on Monday night. Spurs have now lost 18 games in the Premier League, sitting 17th in the table, and have crashed out of both domestic cups. The Europa League is all that is left but many White Hart Lane faithful think enough is enough and Ange should head for the exit door sooner rather than later. Enter Rangers legend Ally McCoist. The Ibrox favourite has broken bread with his opinions over Ange on many occasions. The 62-year-old was pictured embracing Ange at Ibrox in April 2022 ahead of an Old Firm derby. On the other side of it, McCoist later joked about driving the Aussie coach down to take the Leeds job in 2023 to give his beloved Rangers a better shot in the Viaplay Cup final. Playing devils' advocate on talkSPORT pundits duties, McCoist batted for Ange once again during a heated tongue-and-cheek debate with Spurs-mad presenter Abbi Summer and Gabriel Agbonglahor. Summers: "We might win the Europa League. If we have got to finish 16-17th and we win the Europa League we will take it. McCoist: "Right so you say you will take it. Where do you stand on it if it is good enough to keep Ange in a job? Summers: "He's got to go Al - are you mental?!" McCoist: "Wait a minute. When was the last time you won anything? And you want to sack a man - say he wins it - you want him sacked? "So he wins you the Europa League. Do you want to get rid of him? How can that be?! "You've had Mourinho, Pochettino - you've had them all - Conte. He's got to [keep him]," he concluded before sharing a cheeky smile at Summers. She replied: "You don't even mean that, sip your coffee in piece." McCoist added: "I have got unbelievable sympathy for Tottenham fans. I don't want it to sound sycophantic - I actually want them to win it [the Europa League]. "For the fans most of all to be honest."
