FAILURE for the Aberdeen side of 30 years ago this very day was 'only' winning the Scottish Premier League title.

As season went, they had enjoyed better. Much better.

That they did retain their crown, exactly three decades ago thanks to a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie against nearest challengers Celtic, was an incredible achievement and one that rightly was celebrated.

Indeed, at that time their eventual points total of 59 from a possible 72 was a record for the Premier League.

But these were the days when Alex Ferguson slaughtered his own players for winning, that's winning, the Scottish Cup a mere three days after they beat those nobodies of Scottish football Real Madrid in a European final.

One trophy wasn't enough. Not back then.

This was not only the last time Aberdeen won the league, the 1984/85 campaign was also the last season any team outside of Celtic and Rangers flew the flag over the stadium.

Ferguson was to stay on for one more season and collected two more domestic cups before moving to Manchester United.

And while Aberdeen came close to the title a couple of times since then, including for much of this season, the Dons fans have to go back three whole decades to when they ruled over everyone.

And how they ruled.

One of the heroes of that team was Billy Stark who helped himself to 20 goals from 40 appearances. He remains the only natural midfielder to score over 100 times in the Premier League to use the old name. Not enough, it must be said, to win him a single Scottish cap.

This was probably Stark's best season as a player who was expert at ghosting in at the back post to score with his head. It takes little nudging to get him to reminisce about a time when you didn't have to be based in Glasgow to win a Scottish title.

Stark recalled: "It was a prolific season for me and a great season all round.

"At the start, the manager told us that between the league, two domestic cups and Europe we had to win two trophies. I suppose we failed.

"What people might not remember is that in the previous summer we lost Gordon Strachan, Mark McGhee and Doug Rougvie. Three serious players who had won the Cup-Winners' Cup the previous season.

"They were a big loss and yet we went on to have a brilliant campaign in the league at least. We went out early in the European Cup and in the League Cup, to Airdrie, and Dundee United beat us in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup in a replay.

"So we didn't win the trophies that we had been required to do, but it was a great time to be at that club."

The back three rock of Jim Leighton. Willie Miller and Alex McLeish were still there, as was Eric Black, Neil Simpson and the prolific Frank McDougall. Good players to a man.

For those of us who can remember these times, that Aberdeen side could play and if need be go toe-to-toe if anyone fancied a scrap.

However, their greatest strength was the will win to win which naturally came from the man in charge; the-then 44-year-old Ferguson who always seemed older than his years. This helped him to enjoy complete control.

Stark said: "The manager made us afraid to lose. We had to win all the time.

"The man was a force of nature. It might sound strange to say that he physically won us games because he didn't actually play, but it felt like that at times

"In those days, managers ruled and with an iron fist. None more so than Sir Alex. He was so focussed on us winning and his desire never once wavered. That's every day and I do mean every day. You didn't want to disappoint him.

"There was also another factor. We relied heavily on bonuses that helped pay the mortgage. That's true. I'm not sure that happens so much today."

Ferguson was feared by all his players. No matter how well they played, and they did win most weeks, it was never enough.

Stark admitted that while his old manager was a hard man to work with, he would not have become the player he did had it not been for Ferguson's influence.

He said: "I got on with him fine. I was with him at St Mirren for over three years and then he signed me for Aberdeen.

"It interesting now to reflect on the way he worked. He was hard on everyone, but if he wasn't talking to you at all, even in a critical manner, then you were in bother. It probably meant you were no use to him.

"I got it as much as anyone. I clearly remember going in at half-time thinking I'd played well, I had even maybe scored, and he would be at me right away.

"I can't remember any half-time when someone didn't get it. We could be 3-0 up and there was no praise, just one of the boys having to sit there and listen to criticism. We would all walk off the pitch wondering who was going to cop it from him this week.

"No matter who well we had played it was always 'you, you aren't doing what you've been told.'

"Willie and perhaps Alex had a different relationship with the boss. It was scary for the rest of us and scary is the right word."

On April 27, 1985, Celtic had to win to have any chance of catching Aberdeen with only two games left.

A Roy Aitken penalty gave Davie Hay's side a first-half lead, but captain Miller made sure of the championship with a diving header equaliser.

Stark said: "The Aberdeen-Celtic games back then were THE games. I would add Dundee United to that as well. Rangers were still Rangers but were struggling a bit.

"They were great games to play in both at Pittodrie and Celtic Park. Huge occasions for Scottish football back then.

"My memory might be going a bit, but I'm sure that there was snow on the pitch that morning we played Celtic - in April. The club got hold of a load of pensioners to clear the pitch."

The 1980s was actually a golden era for our game.

Four clubs, Celtic, Rangers, Dundee United and Aberdeen won the league. Hearts came close, while St Mirren had some great teams and won a Scottish Cup.

Stark said: "It was a great time to play football in this country. We had great players as did lots of other teams. I don't want to go down the road of all our yesterdays because nobody wants to hear that. But it was a great league and really competitive

"I am not sure anyone would have thought 30 years ago that the season would be the last time the title was one by anyone other than the Old Firm, especially as we were still a year or so away from the Souness revolution.

"And the sad thing is that I can see it being a few years yet before that changes."