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by S.L. Shepherd

In 2013, whilst researching archival material on a historical building in Aberdeen city centre, I came across a chance discovery: a coloured layout plan of Pittodrie Park. I’d seen many images of Pittodrie from bygone years, but I’d never seen this before. It piqued my interest.

I had always wondered who had designed and built our stadium. However, the majority of Aberdeen Football Club’s records were lost to conflagration in 1971 when part of the Main Stand, where our records were stored, was completely destroyed. This loss was a tragedy, making research into the history of our club an extremely difficult task.

After discovering the plan I decided to investigate further to see where it took me. This was the start of an amazing journey and what I discovered in the end was something quite remarkable.

***

Football evokes high levels of loyalty and a range of intense emotions amongst its fans. On every match day we gather with our brothers and sisters in the stadium we call our home.

As a young child in the early 1970s, my Dons-daft father would place us on the concrete barrier posts in the South Stand at Pittodrie and left us there with friends for the duration of the match while he went to report for duty as a policeman in the Main Stand.

I remember those days vividly, gazing towards the Beach End, mesmerised as it curved around majestically towards the raised Wing Stand at the north east corner of the stadium.

The Beach End seemed to me a colossal structure: a romantic industrial shed towering over the sea and cityscape. But, being a South Stander, my real focal point was the stand that lay directly across the pitch.

I vaguely recall the Main Stand fire of 1971 and the photographs in the local newspapers of firefighters and policemen saving the Scottish Cup from the flames. The rescue of the world’s oldest football trophy was a blessing. But our club’s archives were doomed. This is why my discovery was so exciting.

***

The problem with having no club records to refer to meant that, at the start, I was pretty much working blindfolded.

When I discovered the plan, I had so many questions and not much to go on, so I tried second-guessing who might have been the prominent construction companies of the day and work from there, hoping to strike lucky if they had kept any business records.

But, this proved a near impossible task because many of the companies had either amalgamated or were no longer in business. It then struck me that there may be a building warrant or planning consent form on record at Aberdeen City Council.

One clue I did have was a date on the plan: 1921. And during summer 2013, a visit to the archives struck gold. The town council minute book on 18th of April, 1921 recorded:

The following minute of the plans and sewage committee was submitted and approval of viz:-

1 (6) Football stand at Pittodrie football grounds for the Aberdeen Football Club Ltd per. Mr Archibald Leitch, Architect, Glasgow.

It was an exciting find and my research had now taken an intriguing turn. I had a name, and what a name it was.

Any self-respecting stadium enthusiast will have heard of Scotsman, Archibald Leitch. Born on the 27th of April 1865 in Glasgow, he was a consulting engineer and factory architect who became one of the pioneering designers of football stadia during the 20th century.

It’s more than likely that many of us of a certain age have stood on a Leitch-designed terrace leaning against the patented crush barriers watching the game. His signature pedimented roof gables adorned with finial and the club’s name are iconic.

But, sadly, we’ve lost most of his stadium designs due to the ushering in of modernity as football moved into the 21st century, following the Bradford and Hillsborough disasters of the 1980s. A few still exist, such as Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage, serving as reminders of a great era in British football.

Leitch’s output between 1899 and 1935 was prolific, with such clients as Arsenal, Tottenham, Fulham, Rangers, Manchester Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Hearts and many more. His style was highly influential and instantly recognisable.

However, tragedy struck in 1902 when one of his early timber stands collapsed at Ibrox during a Scotland v England match, resulting in 26 fatalities. Although Leitch was absolved of blame, it must have affected him for the rest of his life, and he vowed to do his best to never let it happen again.

He initiated ideas for maximum fan safety and revolutionised the design of stadia and the modern terrace in areas such as sight lines, fixed steps, designated aisles and his own patented crush barriers. Abandoning timber, his favoured materials were concrete and steel. Archibald Leitch was stadium designer extraordinaire and his venerable creations, which quickly became classics, decorated cities and towns across Britain.

As the game of association football expanded through the first half of the 20th century, Leitch’s utilitarian designs were repeated up and down the country. He was primarily a factory designer and his designs were geared towards functionality.

Simon Inglis, the eminent football and sports historian, and author of the seminal book Engineering Archie (2005), points out that Leitch had a type of pattern book. Clubs could choose a stand that could be designed and tailored to specific needs, from cheap and simple affordable models to more sophisticated and expensive designs. Moreover, the steel work could be assembled very quickly in Glasgow factories then delivered to the club for construction during the close season.

It was because of Engineering Archie that I really began to understand the man and his work. It gave me the foundations for my own research. Inglis has compiled a wonderful study of Leitch’s life and work, which can be viewed here:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ydYOiec3OBs&autoplay=1

***

As far back as 1914, Aberdeen Football Club had discussed the need for building a new grandstand at Pittodrie Park to hold 3,000 people. Presumably due to the Great War, the plans were shelved.

Plans for a major re-build of Pittodrie were re-visited in 1920. On the 14th of July 1920, an article appeared in the local newspaper, the Press and Journal, reporting that Aberdeen FC directors were preparing for a re-development but the present time was inopportune due to the global economic situation.

After the war, Scotland went into a period of economic decline. Aberdeen was hit by problems and disputes across several industries and there was social disruption due to the economic crisis. Surprisingly, the club was managing fairly well, with the accounts showing profit in 1920. Having sourced the planning approval for April 1921, it’s clear that the club was now full steam ahead for a reconstruction of Pittodrie.

The solitary Pittodrie plan attributed to Leitch didn’t necessarily mean his company did the work. Clubs often commissioned architects to do a job but later hired someone else. It was also common practice in Leitch’s company to have been involved with designing a terrace but ending up not doing the stands or covers. Some of his designs were being completely ripped off.

This is where historians have to be careful. Partick Thistle’s stadium is an example of Leitch being mistakenly attributed to the design of their grand stand. Records show that they chose a former employee of Leitch, a draughtsman called David Mills Duncan, to do the work as Leitch wasn’t available due to workload. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery: the Firhill stand is a direct copy of Archibald Leitch’s trademark style.

One stadium enthusiast I’ve spoken to has long suspected Pittodrie Stadium was designed by Leitch. It has many stylistic characteristics of a Leitch design, the splayed steelwork supporting the roof, the pedimented roof gable (although Leitch’s gables tended to be taller). The Pittodrie main stand roof gable, seen in the photo below, was removed prior to summer 1968 as part of a £50,000 facelift. This included covered accommodation for 30,000 spectators, seating for 6,000, concrete terraces, concrete /steel crush barriers and the construction of a cantilevered roof over the Main stand.

It would appear that the Leitch crush barriers were removed as part of the reconstruction.

The austere industrial brick grandstand facing onto the street is very reminiscent of many other Leitch stands. City archaeologist Dr Alison Cameron has confirmed that the same bricks were used to build the Richards of Broadford factory, and that the bricks were locally fired by the Seaton Brick and Tile Works who had moved from their premises at the Links out to Blackdog.

But, it is entirely understandable that Pittodrie has been described as ‘in the style of Archibald Leitch’ because there was no written evidence anywhere to prove that he was responsible for the design and completion of any work. That is, until now.

***

After finding the entry in the council minute book, my next two weeks were spent trawling through newspaper archives and microfiche to find anything at all mentioning Archibald Leitch’s name. At this point, I felt it necessary to contact Aberdeen Heritage Trust. Chris Gavin invited me to have a look around the main stand in search of any clues we could find. I was desperate to know where the steelwork was from, where it was assembled, and whether it had arrived in Aberdeen via the railway station or the harbour.

Two contractors with whom Leitch often collaborated were the Clyde Structural Iron Company and Humphrey’s of Knightsbridge. But all efforts to find any records with either company came to nothing.

After nearly giving up, having crawled around the nooks and crannies of the old stand, we found an exposed steel beam imprinted with the name Dorman Long. They were a Teeside steel manufacturer and fabricating company and were involved in the construction of the two-tier south stand at Middlesbrough’s Ayesome Park, in 1936.

Interestingly, Leitch was also involved in the development of Dundee FC’s Dens Park at the same time as Aberdeen FC’s proposals were given planning permission in the summer of 1921. Below is an image from the Dundee Courier 29th August 1921, during a game at Dens. The reconstruction is ongoing whilst allowing the stand to still be operational.

When Aberdeen Football Club’s planning permission had been approved in April 1921, we can assume that work started around May, with the structure completed during the close season and ready by the beginning of the new season.

On the 13th of July 1921, the Press & Journal wrote about the AGM held in the pavilion at Pittodrie. One director said:

‘The grand stand, when it was completed, would be a credit to the architect, the builders and their respective workmen’

On the 27th of July 1921 the Dundee Evening Telegraph reported:

‘There was a good mustering of players at Pittodrie with the joinery work on the stand proceeding satisfactorily.’

We can say with certainty that the main structure had been completed by the 19th of August 1921, as confirmed by a report in the Dundee Courier:

‘The erection of the big grandstand completed with the enclosure being one of the finest in the country. The grandstand is a huge structure to accommodate nearly 5,000 spectators’

Meanwhile, the Dundee Evening Telegraph, of 5th of September 1921, described the new grand stand erected at Pittodrie as an ‘up to the minute type.’

The directors of Aberdeen Football Club held a meeting on the 18th of August 1921, thinking ahead to a grand opening.

Chairman William Phillip, with the support of Lord Provost William Meff, wrote to the Prince of Wales inviting him to open the new grand stand in September whilst the Prince was in the area at Balmoral.

However, on the 22nd of August 1921, the Prince of Wales informed Aberdeen FC that he was unable to attend.

Allan Lascelles was the private secretary to the Prince at the time. His papers are kept in the Royal archives and the Churchill archives, whom I contacted. Unfortunately, they were unable to find the letter from Aberdeen Football Club anywhere in the collection.

It seems likely, then, that there was no official grand opening. But it’s clear that there was immense pride in the architect’s work and the finished product: so much so that they were ambitious enough to request the pleasure of a member of the Royal family to be present to officially open the new stand.

As an aside, the famous entertainer, Sir Harry Lauder, appeared at our home game against Celtic on the 10th of September 1921.

It was well known that Sir Harry was close friends with the Prince and had joined him whilst in residence at Balmoral for the Highland Games. This led me on a wild goose chase. I initially thought that because the Prince was unable to attend, Sir Harry Lauder might have taken his place at the Prince’s request.

Lauder was known to officially open games and sports days around Scotland. But, I could find no evidence that Lauder was at Pittodrie to officially open the stand, although it was an interesting line of enquiry given his links to the Prince.

The paint wasn’t even dry on the new stand when, during the game against Celtic with Lauder in attendance nearby, disaster nearly struck. Two large fires broke out in the new stand during the game. Luckily, however, fire fighters managed to react quickly and save it from going up in flames.

The stadium wasn’t completed until a few years later because the club couldn’t afford to pay for completion of the stand, which was to include new dressing rooms and offices, and in the meantime the players continued to use the old pavilion dressing rooms. But, by 1928 it was complete. A new chapter for Aberdeen Football Club had begun.

***

When researching the history of Pittodrie, a vital clue I found was in an image (below) of the Beach End from 1937.

The barriers directly behind the goal appear to look like typical Leitch patented crush barriers.

Another image from May 1937 of choristers on the beach-end terrace during a coronation pageant, reveal what appear to be Leitch crush barriers.

As mentioned previously, Leitch was often involved in terrace work only and had no involvement in building of grandstands, so at this point, nothing was cut and dried.

Nonetheless this discovery was encouraging because it proved beyond doubt Leitch’s involvement in some capacity at Aberdeen FC.

An invention in the 1890s which proved fundamental to fan management was the crush preventative turnstile by W.T Ellison and Company Ltd. Archibald Leitch had regular dealings with them. A visit to the old turnstiles in the Main Stand confirmed that Aberdeen FC were a client, as we can see in the images below. Moreover, our club’s name can be seen on an Ellison company advert client list. So, here was another possible link to Leitch given his regular usage of the company. Many of us will remember the match day clicking sound of the turnstile or being lifted over them as youngsters.

The Ellison Turnstiles are still in situ in the Main Stand (although they’re automated now) and fans flow through them during the football season as they have done since the 1920s. A wonderful piece of history preserved.

Many fans of a certain vintage may also remember the expensive looking robust wooden seats in the main stand. They had a classic look because they were seen in many grounds around Britain. They were instantly recognisable. In our Scottish cup winning team photograph from 1970 (below), you can see the original seats in the background.

They were designed by Glasgow Company James D Bennet Ltd, who provided a plethora of clubs with wooden seats and we know that Leitch used this company many times. Here, then, was another tantalising clue that suggested Archie’s fingerprints were all over Aberdeen FC.

A picture was therefore beginning to emerge with several Leitch trademarks but I still hadn’t managed to find any written evidence with Leitch’s name to it that could prove conclusively that he designed and completed the Main Stand work at Aberdeen Football Club.

It then dawned on me that if there was one plan then perhaps there were more.

In early September 2013, I found myself in an old dusty archive in Old Aberdeen, not expecting to find very much. So, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes as they focused on several rolled up scrolls wrapped with ribbon in front of me. When I opened them it was quite simply a “eureka” moment.

Here in my hands were the original architectural plans of Pittodrie Stadium, dated 1921/1922. They had survived.

Seventeen fairly large and beautifully detailed plans that hadn’t seen the light of day since 1921! And I was perhaps the first person to see them since they were first deposited there! Crucially, every single plan had the name of Archibald Leitch and his company along the bottom. It was an exciting moment and an important, and very lucky, find.

***

This is where my chapter ends. I’m not a professional architectural historian or stadia expert, but I have been sitting on an extensive body of research for five years. Due to other commitments I’ve sadly not had the time for writing any detailed scholarly work about the findings.

This short blog cannot do the entire story justice, but if there are any other budding researchers who wish to expand on the findings then I hope that this article helps in some small way. Simon Inglis himself may even wish to scrutinise the Leitch plans and offer his expert opinion one day in the future, if he can find any time at all in his busy schedule! It would be fantastic if he could.

After I discovered the plans I contacted Mr Gavin at Aberdeen Heritage Trust to let them know about the find.

Finally, I’d like to leave you all with a few images of the beautiful plans of our home. The image of the roof gable is an example of how it was originally intended to look complete with club name and mounted with a finial. Gables usually had the club name across it embellished with timber strips.

For some reason our club decided to use Aberdeen City Council coat of arms official blazon instead of our club name. I have not been able find the reason why this was the case. Perhaps it was something to do with civic pride? It’s anyone’s guess, but it’s wonderful seeing the original design for the gable with Aberdeen FC on the front in the plans I was lucky enough to stumble across.

All Aberdeen fans love Pittodrie. It is a living monument to our sporting heritage and of our social history.

When we eventually move to Kingsford, it is going to break my heart to see her go, but we can now say with confidence that the great Pittodrie Stadium is a design by the iconic stadium designer, Mr Archibald Leitch.

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