Aberdeen fans mock Armageddon

Aberdeen fans celebrated the New Year by unfurling a We Love Armageddon banner during their side’s 2-1 win away to Dundee United.

Contrary to the predictions of Neil Doncaster Scottish football hasn’t gone into meltdown without the club he tried so desperately to create a top division place for.

Doncaster’s suggestion that liquidation was similar to administration as an exercise in debt dumping was quickly taken apart by supporters keen to ensure that their own side’s weren’t disadvantaged by paying their way.

Over the first two days of 2014 there were sell out crowds at Tannadice and Easter Road as more and more supporters see their club having a genuine chance of success.

In the early and mid-eighties Dundee United v Aberdeen and Hibs v Hearts fixtures at the festive period would attract big crowds with the demand still there despite the competition from televised matches from England and Spain competing for the attention of fans.

With their team enjoying a revival under Derek McInnes Aberdeen fans can look forward to returning to Europe next season as well as being favourites to lift the League Cup which would end a near 20 year wait for silverware at Pittodrie.

A successful Aberdeen side can certainly add value to the Scottish game with their fans travelling in good numbers with one less visit to Glasgow to budget for.

In Edinburgh Hibs fans have suffered more than most in recent times with the financial gymnastics of their city rivals proving especially hurtful.

Whether Terry Butcher can succeed where Pat Fenlon, Colin Calderwood, Mixu Paatelainen, John Hughes, John Collins and various others have failed remains to be seen but over 20,000 fans ignored live television coverage and the elements to  finally see their side put one over on Hearts.

With the club in administration it seems that Hearts are attracting plenty of misplaced sympathy, the real sympathy should be directed towards those clubs that suffered and were denied trophies and success up against the madness of Vladimir Romanov’s regime at Tynecastle.

As Doncaster and his cronies gradually waken up to the reality of ‘Armageddon’ hopefully they will have learned their lessons and treat future insolvency events in an even handed manner knowing that the integrity of the sport is worth far more than short term commercial deals.