Matthew Harold: Aberdeen fans spitting mad is no joke

McGhee given the ultimate humiliation

By Matthew Harold

So Aberdeen fans pride themselves on being a level above their rivals from Glasgow. But at the end of the Scottish Cup 5th round replay against Raith Rovers, Dons fans have been accused of going way below even Rangers or Celtic fans.

Manager Mark McGhee has said he was spat at by raging fans as he made his way to the tunnel.

Have Celtic fans spat at Tony Mowbray, for some of the humiliating results that led him to a worst managerial record at Celtic Park as compares to previous Celtic flop John Barnes?

Walter Smith has never suffered the humiliation of being spat at by his fans after two of the worst European results in the clubs history, against minnows FBK Kaunas and Unirea Urziceni. Results like these cost a lot more in the coffers at Ibrox as compares to the amount that is lost by the Pittodrie side.

The culprits of this disgusting action, if true, do nothing but put their club in a bad light. Yes I know that getting beat in the Scottish Cup by a lower division side is frustrating, but spitting at your manager is beyond a joke.

Anyone found guilty of such a crime are a disgrace to Aberdeen and although McGhee has come out saying that he didn’t want any action taken against the culprits, the club should take it upon themselves to find the people who may be involved and ban them from the ground for life.

If there is no action taken against these people it sends a clear message to supporters throughout the country, if your team experiences a shock in the cup it is ok for you as a supporter to vent your frustrations on your team by spitting on your manager.

So if that is allowed, then where do we draw the line? Would it be ok for a supporter to run on the park and punch the manager or a player because of a result that went against their side?

But what the Dons fans need to understand is that if the negative attitudes continue from the stands, that negative energy will then translate to the players and ultimately could cost the side from the Granite City a shot at European football as a result of their league position.

Mark McGhee must be extremely happy that Aberdeen’s next game is away from home, when they take on bottom side Falkirk. The fact that it will be the Aberdeen away support, which is usually a lot more supportive of the side than the punters at Pittodrie will also give McGhee heart.

So it is ultimately up to the Aberdeen support to decide, do they want to help their team, not only achieve a top six finish, but ultimately achieve European football which would see Mark McGhee’s first season in charge of the Pittodrie side as a success. Or do they want to continue to abuse the players that wear the red jerseys and lead them towards the no man’s land, which is the bottom six.

The choice is theirs.