| dbo:abstract
|
- The Aberdeen–Rangers rivalry refers to football matches and related activity involving the Scottish football clubs Aberdeen F.C. and Rangers F.C. Unlike Rangers' Old Firm rivalry with Glasgow neighbours Celtic, the feud with Aberdeen is a comparatively modern phenomenon which developed from the 1970s on a competitive sporting basis but escalated into hostility on the pitch and in the stands, with the animosity continuing into the 21st century. The rivalry was at its peak during the 1980s and early 1990s when Aberdeen became a force in Scottish football. The two clubs battled for the national championship and met in several cup finals, with various incidents occurring on and off the field. The intensity diminished from the late 1990s as the fortunes of the clubs diverged, with Rangers dominant and Aberdeen unable to match them, as had been the case for much of their history, although the behaviour of players and supporters on occasion showed there remained some animosity between the clubs. In mid-2012, Rangers ceased to be a member of the top division of Scottish football due to serious financial issues, and in their absence Aberdeen emerged as the main challengers to Celtic. When Rangers returned in 2016, they and Aberdeen were again on a more equal footing with the matches between them being of great significance to their league fate; the clubs' fortunes gradually diverged until the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership season, when Rangers won the title for the first time in a decade with an unbeaten campaign including four wins over Aberdeen, who accumulated barely half as many points and finished fourth. (en)
|
.jpg){kind=link}
