Aberdeen have just handed Rangers some extra ViaPlay Cup Final motivation as pictures of a trophy parade bus go viral online.
Back in November, Aberdeen City Council held back funds for a potential open top bus parade should the Dons overcome Rangers at Hampden this weekend.
The Pittodrie club did the same the last time they won the League Cup trophy in 2014. For clarity, the competition is currently named after sponsors ViaPlay.
But the latest images of a full-scale red bus which has been prepared with decals ahead of the League Cup Final has turned heads in Rangers and Aberdeen circles.
It’s also likely to serve as part of the pre-match coverage with both clubs having pre-emptively prepared events ahead of the Hampden showpiece.
Aberdeen ready League Cup victory bus ahead of Rangers Final
Fans have been reacting to leaked photographs of the Aberdeen bus on X, with the term “Scottish League Cup winners 2023-24” clearly emblazoned on the side of it.
It’s led to calls from some quarters to pin the images on the wall of the Rangers dressing room as the club prepare to face Aberdeen in the League Cup Final.
There is little doubt any watching Rangers players will have taken note of the bus and the images with Aberdeen promising a stiff challenge at Hampden this weekend.
Rangers shouldn’t need any extra motivation when it comes to Aberdeen but going by recent results the club’s squad could certainly use it.
Rangers have dropped five points to the Dons on league duties this season and had they picked up maximum points, the Ibrox club would be joint top of the league with a game in hand.
Photo opportunities at New Edmiston House
Of course, with the steam still billowing out of the ears of some Rangers fans, Aberdeen supporters were left fuming with a similar incident from the Ibrox end earlier in the week.
Rangers courted controversy by offering photo-opps with the ViaPlay Cup at New Edmiston House before the Ibrox club had overcome Aberdeen to win it.
An event was launched on New Edmiston House’s official website for Monday 18th December where supporters could pose with the trophy for £6.50 a shot. It’s since been taken down.
So if fans would have it their way, the Rangers team would staring at images of a bus ahead of the League Cup Final at Hampden whilst Aberdeen would be staring blankly at a website.
There is little doubt both situations are a little ill-timed and whilst we’re sure they’re done with the best intentions the optics on either are certainly not great.
But we’ll stick our necks on the line and suggest that applying League Cup winner decals to a bus is a substantial step further than offering fans a photo opportunity.
We’re sure it’ll all have little – if any – bearing on the outcome as Rangers are tasked with flexing their clear superiority over the Dons, winning the mental battle, and sending them back to their red bus red-faced.
Maybe we’ll go on to pinch one of their best players on a free not long afterwards too!
