⚽ The Saturday Kick-Off #12 - Whatever Happened To...
The Aberdeen 2000 Scottish Cup Final squad? The free daily Kick-Off email will be back on Monday.
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ABERDEEN - SCOTTISH CUP FINAL 2000 SQUAD
The 2000 Scottish Cup Final between Aberdeen and Rangers was the first Scottish Cup Final of the new Millennium. It was Aberdeen goalkeeper Jim Leighton’s last game before he retired.
Of course, two minutes into the game, Rangers striker Rod Wallace collided with Leighton, fracturing his jaw, and he had to be stretchered off. With only three substitutes allowed on the bench, none of whom were a goalkeeper, forward Robbie Winters went in goal. Aberdeen went on to lose 4-0.
Whatever happened to that Aberdeen squad?
1️⃣ JIM LEIGHTON
Retired from playing immediately after that final. He later returned to Aberdeen in a goalkeeping coaching capacity and stayed involved until leaving that role under Derek McInnes in 2015. After leaving full-time football, he worked offshore.
3️⃣ DEREK WHYTE
Whyte continued playing for Aberdeen until 2002, then finished his playing career with Partick Thistle. He was appointed joint-manager alongside Gerry Britton of Partick in 2003, but they were sacked in December 2004.
He later moved to Dubai, where he is a sports pundit and writes a column for a daily paper.