Northern Goal

Latest on Aberdeen’s potential transfer incomings (and outgoings) – plus, what can we expect from Dante Polvara?

This week, Northern Goal returns with the latest transfer news from Pittodrie – with Ryan Hedges, Calvin Ramsay, Lewis Ferguson, Jamie McGrath, Ryan Broom and Dean Campbell all discussed, as well as other signing suggestions thrown in for good measure. Sean Wallace gives up the lowdown on new boy Dante Polvara after speaking to Georgetown coach Brian Wiese. Plus, an interview slip-up reveals Kayne Ramsay is heading on loan to Ross County. Also, what can Caley Thistle do to shore up against a renewed Kilmarnock Championship challenge, and is Cove’s clash with Montrose the pivotal moment in League One race?

Teddy Jenks stakes Aberdeen claim, as they prepare for big January offers for Calvin Ramsay - and face the Michael Devlin conundrum

This week, Teddy Jenks showed against St Johnstone there may be role for him at Aberdeen, while Dave Cormack's AGM interview reveals he expects Calvin Ramsay to be extremely hot property in January. Does it make sense for the Dons to offload Ryan Hedges in the winter window? And what of injury-ravaged out-of-contract centre-back Michael Devlin? Plus, Sophie Goodwin reviews the first half of Aberdeen Women's SWPL1 season, Ross County show it's the nature of defeat that kills you, while Inverness' Reece McAlear and Cove's Morgyn Neill compete for Northern Goal's absolute screamer of the weekend prize.

Aberdeen’s attacking four click at just the right time

This week, the front four sparkle as Aberdeen score four against St Mirren, with St Johnstone up next. Has JET proved his value to the Dons? Plus, why Christian Ramirez looks certain to hit at least 20 goals, and the Red Army get an early Christmas present from Andy Considine. In part two, we ask if Ross County are cursed to not get a decent run of games this term, and whether a huge win over Kilmarnock in the Championship, but two cup exits, constitutes a good or bad week for Inverness? There are  also musings on a seemingly unstoppable Cove, and a Peterhead side now probing at the play-offs.

Crucial week for Caley Thistle, stuttering Aberdeen and competitive Cove Rangers fighting on multiple fronts

In this week’s episode, the panel discuss Caley Thistle’s big week in both league and cup and the importance of Billy Mckay’s goals to their chances. Elsewhere Ross County’s Joseph Hungbo gets credit for his displays, while Aberdeen face potential six-pointers in the Premiership to try resurrect a stuttering campaign. Cove Rangers impress as they too look to balance league and cup commitments, Peterhead press on in the Scottish Cup while Elgin’s underwhelming season to date is assessed.

Alex Smith interview – Part 2: Discovering Paul Mason, blooding starlet Eoin Jess, cup double glory, and 1991 league title disappointment

Cup double-winning former Aberdeen manager Alex Smith continues his chat with Ryan Cryle and Paul Third about his life in football. In the second part of the interview, Smith details finding 1989 League Cup hero Paul Mason in Holland, as well as telling young star Eoin Jess he’d be starting the Hampden final against Rangers. The veteran boss also reveals how he broke the news to Reds legend Willie Miller he wouldn’t play in the 1990 Scottish Cup final against Celtic, his total faith Hoops-bound Charlie Nicholas would net in the deciding penalty shoot-out and how Brian Irvine put his faith in God for the winning spot-kick. We close on Aberdeen’s 1991 top-flight title heartbreak at Ibrox, before Alex briefly reflects on what went wrong in season 1991/92 – during which he departed the Pittodrie hotseat.

Alex Smith interview – Part 1: Signing Theo Snelders and Hans Gillhaus, and how Billy Bremner nearly became his Aberdeen assistant

Cup double-winning former Aberdeen manager Alex Smith talks to Ryan Cryle and Paul Third about his life in football. Now based in Australia, Smith details his friendship with Scotland legend Billy Bremner, revealing not just Bremner’s Aberdeen roots, but also how he almost brought him to Pittodrie to be his assistant. Ex-Reds gaffer Smith then details the chain of events which led to Dutch icons Theo Snelders and Hans Gillhaus signing for Aberdeen.
 
Part two of Northern Goal’s chat with Alex Smith will be out next week.

Cove v Peterhead preview, and do all Ryan Hedges’ recent interviews suggest he‘s leaving Pittodrie?

This week, we dedicate our opening section to the north-east derby between Cove Rangers and Peterhead, before musing on Ryan Hedges contract situation at Aberdeen. Do all the signs point to an exit? Continuing to put a bit more focus on the lower leagues during the international break, we discuss Elgin’s plight ahead of their League Two basement battle with Cowdenbeath, with Championship hopefuls Inverness looking to take advantage of Dunfermline’s struggles and put their indifferent run to bed.

Marley Watkins and Ryan Hedges are Aberdeen‘s dynamic duo

In this week's regular episode, we discuss the vital role Marley Watkins and Ryan Hedges have played in Aberdeen's return to form, while we also ask whether stand-in Dean Campbell might just keep regular left-back Jack MacKenzie out of Stephen Glass' team. Will a week of disruption following Hibs' Covid outbreak have killed Ross County's barely-hatched momentum, and can Caley Thistle get over their blip at Ayr? Plus, with Cove going blow-for-blow with Queen's Park at the League One summit, could Elgin City be under threat of relegation from the SPFL? 

Ally Begg on Aberdeen FC: European Nights - his book on the Dons European adventures

Ryan Cryle is joined by writer and broadcaster Ally Begg, who discusses his book on Aberdeen's Continental adventures through the decades. In this interview, Ally explains why his look at the Dons' European story is the first in a series of books on the Dandies, telling stories from the Alex Ferguson era which have been included in his latest project and revealing how he got in touch with not just Reds legends, but also players who have starred for Aberdeen's Euro rivals - from Real Madrid to Reykjavik. 

A celebration of football in the black and white era

For this special edition published on all three of DC Thomson Media’s football podcasts, Michael McEwan and author Steve Finan take a nostalgic trip over the turnstiles, up and down the terraces, and deep into the history of those most holy places: the nation’s football stadiums.
Steve’s new books show 700 never-before-seen photos of everything from the giant stadiums of Glasgow, right down to the smaller but no less revered shrines of football around the country – especially on our home patches in Tayside and across the north of Scotland.
Michael leads a conversation that touches on why Ibrox once had a paddling pool, and fears of forky-tailies at Tannadice, by way of Firhill vegetable patches and tips on how to find Scotland’s incredible (but secret) store of football knowledge.
You can get £5 off the Lifted Over The Turnstiles 2 & 3 books using the code PODCAST5 at checkout at https://www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk/ until November 22, 2021.
For more sport podcasts from DC Thomson Media, tap the links below!
⛳️ The Bunkered Podcast: https://podfollow.com/bunkered⚽️ The Courier Talking Football: https://podfollow.com/ctf⚽️ Northern Goal: https://podfollow.com/northerngoal⚽️ Twa Teams, One Street: https://podfollow.com/twateams