THERE is a place within Pittodrie that came to be known simply as "Teddy's Room".

A marriage to Aberdeen was archived in the Aladdin's cave assembled within those four walls by Teddy Scott. It evolved into a den of memorabilia. Every nook and cranny was filled with some club or international memento: framed shirts, caps, medals, posters, salvers, cups, scarves, trophies, scrapbooks, cuttings, pennants, pictures, books, programmes, man-of-the-match champagne bottles.

Some of the stuff was special, but none of it as extraordinary as the old fella' who lovingly hoarded it all. Tucked away unobtrusively at the back was a plaque presented to the man himself by Uefa in Monte Carlo, honouring him as one of a "Magnificent 7" long-time servants of clubs around Europe. Humble, self-effacing Teddy would have muttered about the fuss, but no-one was more deserving of recognition and respect. Teddy passed away yesterday, aged 83. The loss was felt all across the north-east. Aberdeen fans felt like they had known Teddy Scott all their lives.

For the first half century of their existence Aberdeen won next to nothing. Then he joined as a player in 1954 and, in the same season, they became Scottish champions for the first time. It was not entirely his doing: he only ever played one first-team match. But he busied himself behind the scenes and even when given a free transfer he was soon recalled to assist the coaching staff. In 1965, when Eddie Turnbull began the modernisation of the club, he asked Teddy to walk to the nearest sports shop to buy a couple of dozen footballs. The club only owned three.

Trainer, kit man, physiotherapist, reserve team coach – he quickly juggled roles and continued in some of them for decades. He always lived in Ellon and for years made the 30-mile round trip by bus. If he missed the last one he would return to Pittodrie and sleep on the snooker table. When he retired in 2003 he had given Aberdeen 49 years' active service.

Managers came and went – he felt it hardest when Turnbull, Billy McNeill and Alex Ferguson left – but Teddy remained an unchanging constant woven into the club's DNA. Willie Miller is Aberdeen's greatest ever player because Teddy thought so.

Every new manager found him indispensable until the very idea of Pittodrie operating without him became unthinkable. When Ferguson once jokingly threatened to fire him for packing the wrong socks Gordon Strachan replied: "And where will you get the six people to replace him?"

The pair were to become exceptionally. Ferguson took his full-strength United team to Pittodrie for his testimonial in 1999. A capacity crowd turned out and the pews will be packed, too, when anyone who has mattered to Aberdeen returns to pay their respects at his funeral.

Only in "Teddy's Room" will it feel as though there is always one empty seat from now on.