1968: Ally Shewan takes the field against Falkirk at Pittodrie to play in his 250th consecutive match for Aberdeen - and he scored a goal to mark the occasion. A fantastic example to any player.

1929: Benny Yorston thrilled the 12,000 Pittodrie crowd with a hat-trick in this 5-0 victory over Partick Thistle. Andy Love scored the other two.

1936: GREAT PROGRESS ON ROAD TO THE BEACH  Aberdeen Town Council's Work Brings Project Within Sight  THREE-FOURTHS OF THE NECESSARY PROPERTY ACQUIRED  Impressive Boulevard to be Ninety-Feet Wide: Tree-Lined Sidewalks

Progress has been made by Aberdeen Town Council in bringing nearer the day when the new boulevard to the Beach will be an accomplished fact. Three-fourths of the property, which must be taken over before the construction can begin, has been acquired. Although some time must elapse before the lay out of the road can be undertaken, another twelve months will see the scheme very much further advanced, and may even see this important stage reached. The boulevard will be ninety feet wide - half as wide again as was originally planned. Its carriageway will be divided down the centre, so that one way traffic will be ensured. 

Sidewalks and TreesWide sidewalks and trees will enhance its appearance and the probability of handsome granite buildings being built alongside will give it a splendour which, deeply impressive on visitors, will be doubly so on those who are familiar with the present narrow and rather dismal approach to the Beach. Although the project has been discussed for many years it was not until the passing of the Aberdeen Provisional Order Confirmation Act of 1930 that the Council obtained powers to proceed with it. Since then progress has been steady, although necessarily to a great degree unspectacular, for considerable negotiations had to be carried through at every stage.

 Rate of Progress The new road will extend from the Castlegate and property composing two entire streets - Wales Street and Albion Street - has to acquired before the general public see the tangible results of the negotiations - the actual construction operations. Gradually, property by property, however, the discussions have gone on and now the biggest portion of the buildings has passed to the ownership of the town. In recent months progress has been at an even greater rate than in the earlier stages. Not only has a large number of properties been taken over, but many of the tenants of the houses have been provided with alternative accommodation - an aspect of the problem that sometimes occupies as much time as the purchase of the buildings themselves. Three-quarters of the line of the new road is thus available and negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of a considerable portion of the remaining one-fourth of the property. 

May Cost £98,600The construction will not be started until all the buildings have been taken over. A suggestion has been made to the Council that it might be begun on the part of the road than will lie across the Links, but it has been decided that this section would be so small and such action would serve no real purpose that when the scheme is started it should be as whole. What the project will cost cannot be estimated definitely at this early date. Last October, however, the foundation stone of the new premises of the North-Eastern Agricultural Co-operative Society, Ltd., Bannermill Road, was laid. The premises will be on the line and level of the new boulevard. On that occasion Mr Henry Alexander, then Lord Provost of the city, mentioned that the estimated cost of the new road was £98,600, exclusive of cost of land and of feuing values. The road has been planned by Mr T. F. Henderson, the City Engineer.

Source: Aberdeen Press and Journal Monday March 30th, 1936

1922: FOOTBALL FORECASTS ILLEGAL. ABERDEEN CONVICTIONS. CASE MAY STATED FOR THE HIGH COURT.

There was a crowded "gallery" in the Aberdeen Police Court yesterday of the sporting public of the city to hear the decision of the Magistrates in what is regarded as a test case as to the legality or otherwise of football coupon forecast competitions. The case was one against the promoter of one of these competitions, which has had a fairly long and successful vogue in the city. Charles Cusiter, residing in Littlejohn Street, was charged with having, in premises in Loch Street, occupied by Alexander Kelman, printer, knowingly caused and procured Kelman to print 30,000 or thereby circulars or coupons of a ready money football betting business known as the "Don Free," and circulated the coupons by means of agents. Proof in the case was heard on Wednesday, and the decision held over till yesterday. Baillies Lunan and Tindall were on the bench, and the former delivered the verdict. He said that they had very carefully considered the evidence in that case. They had consulted with the legal assessor, and had had no difficulty in to coming the decision that accused was guilty as libelled. Under the statute the penalty for a first offence was one not exceeding £25, but, as that was the first case of the kind in that court, their purpose be served by inflicting a modified penalty of 60s, with the alternative of 20 days' imprisonment. Mr J. Watt, barrister, asked for a week to pay the fine, and this was granted. 

AGENT CONVICTED. The Court then took up consideration of a charge against an agent of circulating a number of coupons. The accused, James Scott, newsagent and tobacconist, Justice Mill Lane, pleaded not guilty at a previous diet, and the case had been continued for proof. The charge bore that - On or between March 6 and 11, in his shop, he circulated, and procured and caused his assistant to circulate circulars or coupons of ready-money football betting businesses known as the "Don", the "Big Four", and the "Aberdeen Free" football betting competitions, carried on in Aberdeen, to various persons in Aberdeen, contrary to the Ready-Money Football Act 1920 (section1). Accused was defended by Mr J. S. Watt. Mr Watt said that Scott had decided to withdraw his former plea and plead guilty. Mr Watt (continuing) said he would ask the magistrates to differentiate between this case and the one just decided. In the other case it was obvious that the party accused was a principal, and was the actual author of the coupons complained of. Scott, however, was a newsagent and tobacconist, and was merely charged with circulating these coupons. He thought that, in view of the fact that the Act was a comparatively new one and that people in the position of accused could not very well be held to know the law on that subject, the bench were justified in taking a more lenient view of the case. Baillie Lunan said he appreciated what Mr Watt had said. It was true that the principal in a case was worse than a medium, and he was prepared to take that into consideration. At the same time the penalty would such as to be sufficient warning to others. He would impose a fine of 30s, with the option of 10 days' imprisonment. The fine was paid in court. 

Source : The Aberdeen Daily Journal Saturday April 1st, 1922

1937: ABERDEEN RAT WEEK YEAR'S GREATEST DRIVE AGAINST VERMIN 

Aberdeen public health authorities yesterday embarked on the year's greatest campaign for the extermination of rats. A big supply of rat poison is on sale at the Public Health Department Offices in Albyn Place, and if public support is on the same scale as in former years Rat Week should see a big reduction in the number of rats in and around Aberdeen. The department's rat catchers are this week concentrating on such places as sewers, rubbish tips, burns and dykes, but any ratepayer who desires their assistance can obtain it by bearing half the cost. The Cleansing Department also cooperate in the "war," and use gas to clear infested rubbish tips. While this week sees a concentrated effort, the extermination of rats is carried on throughout the year. Of the 13,605 poison baits laid down in public places, including sewers, rubbish tips and burns, during Rat Week last year, nearly 6000 were taken away.

Source : Aberdeen Press and Journal Tuesday March 30th, 1937

1940: IS THE MOTTO

CHANCES TO HELP Football fans, dancers, and picturegoers have an opportunity this week-end of helping to provide comforts for North-east lads in navy, khaki, and air force blue. To-day a collection will be taken at Pittodrie and the proceeds will go to provide footballs for men on service. To-night there is a popular dance in aid of the 5th (1st Scottish) General Hospital War Supplies Depot at the Old Infirmary Buildings, at 7.30 p.m. Tickets for men cost 2/-, for women 1/6, and they can be had from Messrs Isaac Benzie, Esslemont and Macintosh, Watt and Grant, and John Falconer. To-morrow a film concert will be given at the Palace Cinema. The films to be shown are " Thrill of a Lifetime," starring Betty Grable and Lief Erikson; and "Dangerous to Know," with Akim Tamiroff and Anna May Wong. The show starts at 7.30 p.m.

Source : Aberdeen Press & Journal Saturday 30th March,1940

To Buy Footballs Twelve members of His Majesty's Forces will make a collection on behalf of the War Comforts Fund at the Aberdeen - Dundee match at Pittodrie. The money received will be used to buy footballs for distribution among units of the North-east.

Source : Aberdeen Press & Journal Saturday 30th March, 1940