Aberdeen’s New Stadium Should Be A Game Changer!

Date: 18th April 2019

It now seems set in stone that Aberdeen Football Club will finally get a new stadium and training complex at the Kingsford area of the city. 

The development should be completed in two phases, with the training complex scheduled to be ready this summer and the hope is that the new stadium will be opened by the start of the 2022-23 season. 

The Dons are understandably proud of this ambitious project and it’s had plenty of backing from the city council and from Aberdeen supporters. 

Having been to Pittodrie in the past, I often felt it lacked atmosphere. It was also very exposed to the elements and was pretty outdated. 

Building a new ground should bring the whole club into the 21st century and cement their place as a top side in Scottish football. 

In Derek McInnes, Aberdeen have a top coach. Under his management; The Dons have finished in runners-up in the Scottish Premiership in the last four seasons in a row, won the League Cup in 2014 and have made plenty of cup final and semi-final appearances too. 

The club have built a very handy squad and they have fostered a strong management team, with McInnes turning down at least two job offers from elsewhere. 

Having a new stadium on the horizon should make the whole area an exciting footballing hub and attract more players to come to The Granite City and to stay there. It should also hopefully help in finding future star players from the North East region!

The new development will no doubt bring more money into the local economy and provide plenty of new job opportunities to the area too. 

I’m particularly pleased that the project is going to be very fan-friendly and one that will hopefully have a legacy the whole of Aberdeen can be proud of. 

Dons Chairman Stewart Milne said this: 

“The ambition for Kingsford is to deliver a dynamic, inspirational and inclusive football and community facility.”

“This is the biggest new football stadium build in Scotland in 100 years and our aim is to make it a lasting legacy we can all be proud of, which adds to the sporting and cultural richness of the region.”

“Our purpose-built stadium will be more comfortable and warmer, with a much better matchday experience.

“The atmosphere, or lack of it, at Pittodrie is a common criticism from fans and we will be asking them for their views on dramatically improving this in the new stadium.”

“We’ll be listening carefully to our fans’ ideas on what they want to see inside the stadium and speaking to the local community about how we can meet their requirements within the available space.”

“We’re open to ideas from an AFC heritage museum to flexible space within a concourse for community activities and entertainment before and after matches.”

“The heritage is crucial, we must carry as much of the history and memories from Pittodrie into our new home.”

Having a full-on consultation period with the supporters regarding the new stadium is music to my ears. Hopefully that dialogue can get everyone the best possible football ground and also tighten links between the football club and it’s fanbase, it might even attract new supporters. 

I also like that the AFC Community Trust are being given their rightful place at the heart of this project. They do a fantastic job and it will be great if they are given full access to the new surroundings and it’s infrastructure! 

I think the ambitious development could be huge for Aberdeen Football Club and the local community. Here’s hoping I’m right and in 2022 The Dons support get a dream new stadium that they can be proud of and that they can call home. 

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