| Club: | Aberdeen |
| Season: | 1981–82 |
| Manager: | Alex Ferguson |
| Mgrtitle: | Manager |
| Chairman: | Dick Donald |
| Chrtitle: | Chairman |
| League: | Scottish Premier Division |
| League Result: | 2nd place |
| Cup1: | Scottish Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | Winners |
| Cup2: | Scottish League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | Semi-final |
| Cup3: | UEFA Cup |
| Cup3 Result: | 3rd round |
| League Topscorer: | John Hewitt (11) |
| Season Topscorer: | Gordon Strachan (20) |
| Highest Attendance: | 24,000 (3 times) vs. Ipswich Town, 30 September 1981 vs. SV Hamburg, 25 November 1981 vs. Celtic, 13 February 1982 |
| Lowest Attendance: | 6,000 (vs Partick Thistle, 3 May 1982) |
| Average Attendance: | 12,883 |
| Prevseason: | 1980–81 |
| Nextseason: | 1982–83 |
Aberdeen competed in the Scottish Premier Division, Scottish Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup in season 1981–82.
They finished second in the Scottish Premier Division and won the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1970. In Europe, they reached the third round of the UEFA Cup, their longest run in European competition, after knocking out the holders, Ipswich Town.
Peter Weir became the most expensive player in Scottish football when he was signed from St Mirren for £300,000.
See main article: 1981–82 Scottish Premier Division.
| Match Day | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 August | Dundee United | A | 1–4 | McLeish | 10,598 | |
| 2. | 5 September | Celtic | H | 1–3 | Strachan | 18,825 | |
| 3. | 12 September | Partick Thistle | A | 2–0 | McCall, Cowan | 3,606 | |
| 4. | 19 September | Hibernian | H | 1–0 | Simpson | 10,852 | |
| 5. | 26 September | Airdrieonians | A | 4–0 | McLeish, Hewitt, Weir (2) | 3,000 | |
| 6. | 3 October | Morton | H | 2–0 | Rougvie, Watson | 11,007 | |
| 7. | 10 October | Rangers | A | 0–0 | 28,000 | ||
| 8. | 17 October | St Mirren | A | 2–1 | Watson (2) | 6,870 | |
| 9. | 24 October | Dundee | H | 2–1 | Rougvie, McCall | 11,506 | |
| 10. | 31 October | Dundee United | H | 1–1 | Black | 11,035 | |
| 11. | 7 November | Celtic | A | 1–2 | Strachan | 29,326 | |
| 12. | 14 November | Partick Thistle | H | 2–1 | Watson, Harrow | 11,193 | |
| 13. | 21 November | Hibernian | A | 1–1 | Simpson | 7,600 | |
| 14. | 28 November | Airdrieonians | H | 0–0 | 8,030 | ||
| 15. | 5 December | Morton | A | 1–2 | Hewitt | 3,102 | |
| 16. | 30 January | Celtic | H | 1–3 | McMaster | 20,000 | |
| 17. | 3 February | Partick Thistle | A | 0–0 | 2,317 | ||
| 18. | 6 February | Morton | H | 0–0 | 7,217 | ||
| 19. | 20 February | Airdrieonians | A | 3–0 | Hewitt, McGhee (2) | 3,500 | |
| 20. | 27 February | Dundee | H | 0–0 | 8,961 | ||
| 21. | 10 March | Hibernian | H | 3–1 | Strachan, Cooper, Jarvie | 8,691 | |
| 22. | 13 March | Rangers | A | 3–1 | Cooper, Cowan, Watson | 31,305 | |
| 23. | 17 March | Dundee | A | 3–0 | Cowan, Simpson, Hewitt | 6,126 | |
| 24. | 20 March | Dundee United | H | 2–1 | Hewitt, McLeish | 12,056 | |
| 25. | 27 March | Celtic | A | 1–0 | Kennedy | 30,000 | |
| 26. | 10 April | Hibernian | A | 3–0 | Strachan, McGhee, Jarvie | 8,000 | |
| 27. | 14 April | St Mirren | H | 4–1 | Rougvie (2), Strachan, Simpson | 12,119 | |
| 28. | 17 April | Morton | A | 1–2 | McGhee | 3,000 | |
| 29. | 21 April | Rangers | H | 3–1 | McGhee, Rougvie, Black | 15,700 | |
| 30. | 24 April | Airdrieonians | H | 2–0 | McGhee, Black | 8,000 | |
| 31. | 1 May | Dundee | A | 5–0 | McLeish, Harrow, Bell, McCall, Glennie | 6,415 | |
| 32. | 3 May | Partick Thistle | H | 3–1 | McCall, Hewitt, Watson | 6,000 | |
| 33. | 5 May | Dundee United | A | 2–1 | Hewitt (2) | 6,587 | |
| 34. | 7 May | St Mirren | H | 5–1 | Strachan (2), Cooper, McGhee (2) | 9,000 | |
| 35. | 12 May | St Mirren | A | 2–0 | Rougvie, McLeish | 3,942 | |
| 36. | 15 May | Rangers | H | 4–0 | Hewitt (3), Jackson | 18,000 |
See main article: 1981–82 Scottish League Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G3 | 8 August | Kilmarnock | H | 3–0 | Kennedy, McGhee (2) | 9,000 |
| G3 | 12 August | Heart of Midlothian | A | 0–1 | 10,500 | |
| G3 | 15 August | Airdrieonians | H | 3–0 | Strachan, Hewitt, Weir | 7,000 |
| G3 | 19 August | Heart of Midlothian | H | 3–0 | Strachan, Hewitt, Bell | 8,600 |
| G3 | 22 August | Kilmarnock | A | 3–0 | Strachan (2), McGhee | 3,100 |
| G3 | 26 August | Airdrieonians | A | 0–0 | 3,000 | |
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QF L1 | 2 September | Berwick Rangers | H | 5–0 | Cooper, Strachan (2), Bell, McCall | 6,500 |
| QF L2 | 23 September | Berwick Rangers | A | 3–0 | McGhee, McMaster, Harrow | 1,200 |
| SF L1 | 10 October | Dundee United | A | 1–0 | Weir | 13,100 |
| SF L2 | 28 October | Dundee United | H | 0–3 | 12,837 | |
See main article: 1981–82 Scottish Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R3 | 23 January | Motherwell | A | 1–0 | Hewitt | 12,679 |
| R4 | 13 February | Celtic | H | 1–0 | Hewitt | 24,000 |
| QF | 6 March | Kilmarnock | H | 4–2 | Strachan (2), McGhee, Simpson | 12,000 |
| SF | 3 April | St Mirren | N | 1–1 | Strachan | 16,782 |
| SF R | 7 April | St Mirren | N | 3–2 | McGhee, Simpson, Weir | 15,663 |
| F | 22 May | Rangers | N | 4–1 | Strachan, McGhee, McLeish, Cooper | 53,788 |
See main article: 1981–82 UEFA Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Aberdeen Scorer(s) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 L1 | 16 September | Ipswich Town | A | 1–1 | Hewitt | 18,535 |
| R1 L2 | 30 September | Ipswich Town | H | 3–1 | Strachan, Weir (2) | 24,000 |
| R2 L1 | 21 October | FC Argeş Piteşti | H | 3–0 | Strachan, Weir, Hewitt | 22,000 |
| R2 L2 | 4 November | FC Argeş Piteşti | A | 2–2 | Strachan, Hewitt | 8,760 |
| QF L1 | 25 November | SV Hamburg | H | 3–2 | Watson, Black, Hewitt | 24,000 |
| QF L2 | 9 December | SV Hamburg | A | 1–3 | McGhee | 45,000 |
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