donald colman

"No player ever associated with the Pittodrie Club ever enjoyed greater popularity nor carried the confidence of the public more than Colman."

Aberdeen Daily Journal, 26th March 1921

Real name: Donald Cameron Cunningham. He changed his surname to Colman to help hide from his family the fact that he was playing football. A native of Renton, Colman was recommended by former Maryhill teammate Jimmy Muir to Jimmy Philip and, after an initial month's trial, joined the Dons permanently in October 1907 and went on to become an Aberdeen legend. A tough full back, with gentlemanly qualities, he was the most consistent player Aberdeen had had to that time. it was Colman at the age of 33, became the oldest Aberdeen player to be capped for Scotland. During August 1916, Donald joined the Gordon Highlanders, having previously carried out his war work in an engineering establishment in the Vale of Leven.

As the Dons worked to rebuild after the end of the war, he was transferred to St Mirren at the beginning of March 1919 in time to assist them in the Victory Cup time replay at Dumbarton, but after only one game and one month he moved to Renton in April 1919 and allegedly St Mirren then Dumbarton FC after that, but he was back at Pittodrie for season 1919/1920. In September 1920 Donald did finally join Dumbarton as Player/Manager, a post he kept till 1925.

Returned to the club as club trainer in 1931 after a spell coaching in Norway, during which time he guided Brann of Bergen to that club's first trophy, the FA Cup in 1923.

Amongst many contributions at Pittodrie, he helped to harness the talents of Mills and Armstrong. Colman was also the driving force at Pittodrie behind the first ever dugout to be built in Britain, the idea having been inspired by the huts used by football coaches in Norway when they sheltered from the weather during games. That first dugout was built prior to the beginning of season 1934-1935 and was just one of many ideas that Colman tried in his quest to improve the Dons. From feeding the players raw eggs and sherry before games to getting them free passes for the Beach Ballroom to help them develop their footwork, Donald left no stone unturned.