Dons boss wears scarf as a tribute to young fan

By Andrew Southwick

As Aberdeen faced off against Kilmarnock last Saturday, all eyes will have been on the dug-out, as ex-Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood returned to his old stomping ground in opposition to the new regime. As he stood in the unfamiliar colours of the Ayrshire club, Mark McGhee occupied his old place to the left of him, wrapped cosily in a red and white Aberdeen scarf.

To the casual observer, it will have come as a slight surprise, for managers are not known for wearing their club's scarves, leaving that to the supporters in the stands. However, there is in fact a poignant story behind McGhee's snazzy new knitwear.

In 1984, a young Aberdeen fan was tragically killed in a road accident in Spain. Fiona Fraser, just 17 at the time, had all her life been a Dons fan, and in particular admired the talents of Mark McGhee - who back then was in his pomp as a striker during Alex Ferguson's trophy laden tenure.

McGhee's scarf has his own name, Fiona's name, and Aberdeen FC sewn into the scarf. When McGhee was given the scarf by the girl's mother, he told her he would be proud to wear it, and much like his playing days McGhee did not disappoint.

Speaking exclusively to The Away End, Fiona's mother Lenore takes up the story.

"My daughter Fiona was killed in Spain in June 1984, aged 17," said Lenore.

"When she was at school during the Fergie era, she was a huge fan of Mark McGhee. She went to all the home games with her friends, and they also went to watch the team training.

"I gave Mark a copy of the photograph, of him and Fiona outside Pittodrie, I think it was 1982.

"He put the photograph in his office beside one of his wee boy Archie - that made me feel so proud.

"When Mark got the job at Motherwell, I wrote to him and told him about Fiona and what had happened. Not that he would have remembered her because she was just a fan, but the main reason I wrote to him was just to wish him all the best in his new venture into Scottish football, never expecting to hear any more about it.

"However, about a week later I got a letter from Motherwell saying that Mark would like to meet me at Pittodrie, as this was his first time back as a manager, so my friend and I went down on the Saturday and met Mark.

"We got a couple of photographs taken with him, he gave us two tickets for the match, and he even put a bit about Fiona in the programme, which was in the Evening Express on the following Monday.

"Just before Christmas I came upon the scarf. We had it specially made for her, but she would not wear it because it was special.

"I wasn't sure what to do with it, but someone suggested that I give it to Mark.

"I phoned Pittodrie after the Christmas break, and was told that Mark would be more than willing to accept the scarf. So two weeks ago I went to meet him again. 

"He said that he would be honoured to accept the scarf, and when I asked him what he was going to do with it, he said he is going to wear it to all the matches this season, then he will wear it again next season as well."

On hearing that McGhee had kept to his word and worn the scarf during Aberdeen's 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock, Lenore was delighted with the news.

"I did not see him at the Kilmarnock game, but that is fantastic to hear that he was wearing it."