Willie Miller

William Ferguson Miller MBE (born 2 May 1955 in Glasgow) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager, who made a club record 560 league appearances for Aberdeen. Sir Alex Ferguson described Miller as "the best penalty box defender in the world".[3]

Willie Miller
Personal information
Full name William Ferguson Miller[1]
Date of birth (1955-05-02) 2 May 1955
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Playing position(s) Central defender
Youth career
1969–1971 Eastercraigs Boys Club
1971–1973 Aberdeen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1973–1990 Aberdeen 560 (21)
1971–1972 → Peterhead (loan)
National team
1977 Scotland under-21 2 (0)
1974–1976 Scotland under-23 9 (0)
1975–1989 Scotland 65 (1)
1976 Scottish Football League XI 1 (0)
Teams managed
1992–1995 Aberdeen
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Miller was raised in the Bridgeton area of Glasgow. He had little interest in football as a young child, and when he did become drawn to the game he played initially as a goalkeeper.[1] He was scouted by several professional clubs while playing as a forward with Glasgow Schools and Eastercraigs Boys Club.[4][2]

Having been on unofficial schoolboy terms in 1969, Miller signed full-time for Aberdeen in 1971 at the age of 16 and spent a season on loan with Peterhead in the Highland League, scoring 24 goals;[5][2] upon his return he was converted to a central defender/sweeper in the reserves on the advice of Teddy Scott,[4][6] established himself in that position in the first team in place of Henning Boel,[1][2] and by 1975 had been made captain by manager Ally McLeod.

Miller's central defensive partnership with Alex McLeish was integral to Aberdeen's success in the 1980s,[7] as they won all the major domestic honours and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983. He made at least 40 appearances for Aberdeen in 14 consecutive seasons,[2] amassing a total of 12 trophies won as well as appearing in several other finals.[6] His total of 797 competitive appearances for the club is comfortably (by more than 100 matches) the all-time record.

He retired from playing in 1990 due to an injury picked up whilst playing for Scotland.[4][8][2] A farewell testimonial match in his honour took place in December 1990 with Aberdeen facing a 'World Cup XI' (featuring Kenny Dalglish, David O'Leary, Mark Hughes and Danny McGrain among others) at Pittodrie Stadium.[9] He had already received a testimonial in 1981 against Tottenham Hotspur.[10]

In 2003, Willie Miller was voted the greatest Aberdeen player of all time in a poll to mark the club's centenary.[11] In 2015 it was no surprise when he was named in Aberdeen's 'greatest ever team' by supporters of the club.[12]

International career

Having appeared at under-21[13] and under-23[14] level, Miller won 65 full international caps for Scotland between 1975 and 1989, scoring one goal. His 50th cap came against West Germany during the 1986 FIFA World Cup.[2] His international career was effectively ended by an injury suffered during the last game of 1990 FIFA World Cup qualification.[4][8] Although he did not play in the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals, Miller was presented with the match ball from Scotland's 1–0 loss to Brazil to thank him for his contribution to Scottish football.

He was an inaugural inductee to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2004,[15] and is also on the international roll of honour, having won 50 international caps. In 2010, Miller was chosen as one of the eleven members of Scotland's Greatest Team, by viewers of the Scottish Television documentary series, which sought the fans' opinion on the best Scotland players since the 1960s.[16] Viewers also chose Alex McLeish as his partner in central defence.

Managerial career

In February 1992, he was appointed Aberdeen manager, replacing the sacked Alex Smith. Despite two second-place finishes in the league and two losing cup finals in 1992–93, Miller was sacked in February 1995[2][6][17] with the club in danger of being relegated for the first time in its history (survival was eventually achieved via a playoff).

In May 2004, Miller was appointed to the Aberdeen board and given executive responsibility for football.[2] He played a large role in the appointment of Jimmy Calderwood (a friend from their Glasgow Schools days)[1] as manager,[18] as well as progressing the club's youth academy.[6]

In June 2011, he was appointed as Aberdeen's Director of Football Development, with the responsibility of finding new playing talent for the club.[19] He departed again in 2012.[6][17]

Career outside football

Miller has worked for the BBC, particularly for Radio Scotland, as a football commentator and analyst.[2] He has written two autobiographies, The Miller's Tale and The Don, the latter being published in 2007.[20][1] His third book, Willie Miller's Aberdeen Dream Team, was published in 2011.[4]

Career statistics

Club

ClubSeasonLeagueScot CupLge CupEuropeTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen1972–731000000010
1973–74311109040460
1974–75341416000442
1975–76360216000441
1976–77360308000470
1977–78362606020502
1978–79340518040511
1979–80311518020462
1980–81332106040442
1981–823606010060580
1982–833625080111603
1983–843427191100604
1984–85353601020433
1985–86331616061513
1986–87362302020432
1987–88423605040573
1988–89221005220293
1989–90150005020220
1990–910000100010
Career total56021666109361279732

International appearances

[21][2]

Scotland national team
YearAppsGoals
197510
197810
197910
198061
198170
198250
198390
198460
198580
198680
198740
198870
198920
Total651

International goals
Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.[22]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.21 May 1980Hampden Park, Glasgow Wales1–01–01979–80 British Home Championship

Managerial record

[23]

Team From To Record
PWLDWin %
Aberdeen February 1992 February 1995 155 72 50 33 046.45

Honours

Player
Aberdeen

Manager
Aberdeen

Individual
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See also

References
  1. Miller, Willie (2013). Willie Miller – The Don. Birlinn. ISBN 9780857905505.
  2. "Dark Blue Dons: Willie Miller". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  3. Harry Reid (2005), The Final Whistle?, Birlinn, 237–8 ISBN 1-84158-362-6
  4. Miller, Willie (2011). Willie Miller's Aberdeen Dream Team. Black & White Publishing. ISBN 9781845024031.
  5. "10 things about Peterhead". Scottish Professional Football League. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  6. "Hall of Fame: Willie Miller". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  7. "Dark Blue Dons: Alex McLeish". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  8. "Final Curtain: Willie Miller's last game for Scotland (v Norway, 15 November 1989)". The Scotsman. 10 October 2008. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  9. "Aberdeen 2–5 World Cup XI". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  10. "Aberdeen 0–1 Tottenham Hotspur". AFC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  11. "Miller is greatest Don". BBC Sport. 13 May 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  12. "AFC Greatest Ever XI: Goalkeeper & Defenders". Official website. Aberdeen F.C. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  13. "Scotland U21 profile". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  14. "Scotland U23 profile". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  15. "Hall of Fame Dinner 2004". Scottish Football Museum. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
  16. "TV review: Scotland's Greatest Team". The Scotsman. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  17. "Aberdeen sever all ties with club legend Willie Miller". BBC Sport. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  18. "Aberdeen target Calderwood". BBC Sport. 24 May 2004. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  19. "Willie Miller becomes director of football at Aberdeen". BBC Sport. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
  20. "Miller reveals football memories". BBC Sport. 30 October 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  21. "Willie Miller". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  22. SFA profile
  23. "Aberdeen manager Willie Miller". Fitbastats.com. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  24. "When Aberdeen ruled Scottish football". The Guardian. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  25. "Dons run riot as tension melts (page 15)". The Herald. 24 May 1982. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via Google news archive.
  26. "Don't put the blame on Russell – Greig (page 17)". The Herald. 23 May 1983. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via Google news archive).
  27. "Dons' three-in-a-row cup feat (page 15)". The Herald. 21 May 1984. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via Google news archive).
  28. "Scottish Cup: 1986 revisited". Aberdeen F.C. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  29. "Wallace, Greig make history". The Herald. 8 May 1978. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via Google news archive).
  30. "Bett the light of bold Aberdeen (page 19)". The Herald. 23 October 1989. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via Google news archive).
  31. "NOW YOU KNOW: Rougvie shown red card in Rangers cup final victory". Evening Times. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  32. Reynolds, Jim (26 October 1987). "Spot-on Rangers earn the cheers". The Glasgow Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  33. "NOW YOU KNOW: Ally McCoist double helped Rangers defeat Aberdeen 3-2 in 1998 League Cup Final". Evening Times. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  34. Webster, Jack (19 November 1983). "Here we go... all the way to glory". The Glasgow Herald. p. 18. Retrieved 24 October 2017 – via Google News.
  35. "Sir Alex's five dates with destiny". UEFA. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  36. "1983: Ferguson first for Aberdeen". UEFA. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  37. Reynolds, Jim (21 December 1983). "Aberdeen's super heroes take the glory". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 1 November 2017 – via Google news archive).
  38. "Football: Hateley cleans up for Rangers". The Independent. 29 May 1993. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  39. McKinney, David (26 October 1992). "Football: Smith's slip gives Rangers the prize". The Independent. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
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