Aberdeen stadium: 16-17,000 capacity, Pittodrie stay until 2025, £16m question

It was revealed that the 2025/26 season is the earliest a new home for Aberdeen would be built.

The club have planning permission for a stadium at Kingsford on the western edge of the city where the new training ground is situated but it is now “plan B”.

“A community stadium on a site near the Beach Leisure Centre being put forward by Aberdeen City Council has a chance of delivering for the Club as the Council are very keen for AFC to stay within the city but the business case has still to be looked at and the Kingsford planning option is still on the table and remains a plan B,” according to an update from the AGM on the club’s website.

The proposed stadium at Kingsford was for a 20,000-capacity ground.

Cormack, however, explained why the club are looking at fewer seats, which may well include safe standing, in a bid to create a better atmosphere which would also save the club a reported £16million.

Aberdeen’s average league attendance this campaign has been 10,155, albeit not helped by a limited capacity at times. However, they recorded their lowest league crowd since the 2011/12 season when 6,295 turned up for a 2-0 win over Livingston earlier this month.

"We want a stadium that rocks every week, that's full," Cormack told the AGM.

"Rather than spend £16m on 4,000 seats that you might use two or three times a year, why don't we allow the fans to basically sell their ticket to someone who might want to walk up to a game?

"We think 16,000-17,000 so far is the optimal number. But, if we achieve our goal of 15,000 season ticket holders, 30% don't turn up, that's 10,500 in the stadium. Even if all 15,000 turn up, maybe 1500 walk up and you let 500 away fans in, you've got a great atmosphere.

"It's all about maximising the capital investment."

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