Sir Alex Ferguson will return to Pittodrie this summer, bringing his Manchester United stars north to honour the Aberdeen side that he led to a Cup Winners’ Cup triumph in Gothenburg 25 years ago.

News of the testimonial game for those Aberdeen heroes of 1983 was announced yesterday as the club prepared for a ticket rush for the game at Pittodrie on July 12.

Neil Simpson, a key component in Ferguson’s Aberdeen revolution - which brought a clutch of championships, Scottish and League Cups and their famous victory over Real Madrid to lift the European trophy - hopes that his old manager will be able to parade the European Cup that night.

Simpson, now assistant director of youth development at Pittodrie, last night looked back on that triumph in Gothenburg and proclaimed that were they around today, he and his Aberdeen teammates would have little problem competing in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League because they had both the ability and desire, qualities instilled in them by Ferguson.

“We had the desire and the ability within the squad to reach whatever level we had to,” Simpson said. “The players today seem to be fitter and stronger, mainly through sports science, but I am positive that we would have had the belief needed to get to the top, whatever era we could have played in.

“We weren’t the biggest team. Only two or three were over 6ft tall. The others were 5ft 9in to 5ft 11in. But we had boys who could win the ball in the air, like Eric Black and Alex McLeish and Doug Rougvie.”

Fergsuon’s man-management skills and his eye for new talent meant that Aberdeen punched well above their weight for a provincial club, with the Old Firm recognising that they were the team to beat if championships and cups were to be won.

“Generally, we had a settled team,” Simpson said, “but the manager would add players he believed fitted in with the way we played. Peter Weir came in and when Mark McGhee left, Frank McDougall, a great goalscorer, was brought in. But there was a basis there and the manager would groom a young player every season, just to give him a taste of the first team.

“The manager was a scary guy if you didn’t do what he required of you. If you gave 100 per cent, on the other hand, there wasn’t a problem. If you didn’t cut it then someone else would be brought in to replace you.”

Ferguson’s energy and enthusiasm also rubbed off on his players, who sought self-improvement to be able to match his demands. When goals were lost, for example, McLeish, Willie Miller and Jim Leighton, the goal-keeper - a trio that was the backbone of the side - would meet to discuss what went wrong.

“They would analyse games to prevent mistakes being repeated,” Simpson said. “That was the professionalism of the players.

“At that time we had seven or eight Scottish internationals in the team at a time when Scotland were beating quality sides.

“It is a tremendous gesture on Sir Alex’s part to bring up his team to honour the side he led 25 years ago. For the current Dons players it will be fantastic for them to pit their wits against some of the biggest names in the business, even though it is only a friendly. It will add to the experience they have built up in Europe this season.”