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Perilous Pittodrie!
It was 25th October 1913 when Ayr United made their first journey to the Granite City to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie Stadium recording a 2-2 draw. However, the dizzy heights achieved that day were to one of he few highlights for the Honestman in that part of Scotland.
The 2-1 defeat on 13th September 1919 was not the start Ayr United had hoped for that season. A 0-0 draw was all the Ayr could manage almost a year later on 11th September 1920. Subsequent seasons brought a 1-0, 4-1 and 1-0 defeats.
It was ironic that United's first victory at Pittodrie on 18th March 1925, by 1-0, was during the season that they were relegated to division 2.
When they returned to face Aberdeen on 9th September 1929 the results were no different, Ayr losing 2-1 that day and 4-1 again the following season.
7th February 1931 again saw a defeat, this time by 3-1, and a 5-1 defeat occurred on 19th September 1931. Pittodrie was certainly not Ayr's favourite venue and a 5-0 defeat was suffered on 7th January 1933 and a more humiliating 8-0 thrashing at the beginning of the 1933/34 season on 12th August 1933. The catalogue of defeats was becoming embarrasing as the Dons thrashed United again, by 7-1, on 16th February 1935 and 3-0 the following season. After a bit of respite in the second division, United tried again on 3rd January 1938, but 4-0 to the Reds of Aberdeen was rather familiar. The last league match before the second world war, on 15th October 1938 saw Ayr at least score in a 5-2 defeat.
On 25th May 1940 Ayr sent a first team to Aberdeen to play in the Scottish 2nd XI Cup Final, 1st leg. The 1-1 score was not a surprise when it is noted that Aberdeen also sent in a first team. On 8th February 1947 United had another heavy 8-0 defeat as the first division Dons rampaged the second division club in a Scottish Cup 2nd round match.
It was 9th September 1957 before Ayr again played at Pittodrie, a first division match which brought about a 2-2 score. Again a good result at Aberdeen signalled Ayr's relegation to division 2 where they stayed until the league encounter of 30th April 1960. Even in a season when Ayr had beaten Celtic and Rangers away, they still could not overcome Aberdeen and they lost 2-0.
A further 3-1 defeat the following season meant the Ayr had achieved a win and two draws at Pittodrie in 42 years, and one of those draws was officially a 2nd XI match. Second division football did not meant that Ayr avoided that perilous journey to Aberdeen. Surprisingly Ayr United brought of one of their big cup shocks in the 3rd round Scottish Cup match at Pittodrie on 15th February 1964 with a 2-1 victory.
Aberdeen won 2-0 in the first division match of 15th October 1966. Again second division football intervened and a 1-0 defeat on 25th February 1970 was just as expected, as indeed was the 4-1 beating the following season. Season 1971/72 saw another huge defeat for Ayr, this time by 7-0 on 8th April 1972 and modern day visits to Pittodrie seemed to be repeating pre-war visits when the Dons won 1-0 on 12th February 1973. 2-1 and 3-0 defeats on 24th April 1974 and 12th October 1974 respectively confirmed this view and the advent of the Premier League did nothing to change Ayr's luck with a 3-1 loss on 27th September 1975 followed by a 2-1 defeat on 31st January 1976. The following season Ayr were unlucky to lose 1-0 on 24th November 1976 but it only served to fire them up for the second visit of the season on 26th March 1977.
At last the modern day followers of the Honest Man had a victory to celebrate when Ayr came away with a 2-0 win that day. A 0-0 draw and a 4-1 defeat the following season served to show that season 1976/77 was merely an aberration.
United's relegation from the Premier League in season 1977/78 saw the end of league matches at Pittodrie until the present day.
However, on 21st August 1985 the two met in the Granite City in the 2nd Round of the Skol Cup and it was no surprise that Aberdeen ran out 5-0 winners.
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