Building for the Future; Aberdeen May Be Laying the Foundations for the Club's Rebirth but Will They Realise Their Dreams of a (Pounds) 100m Stadium Complex? Michael Grant Reports

Summary

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ABERDEEN had the wee ones out working from nine o'clock in the morning last week. As young as five years old, many thrashing around in tops and shorts they had still to grow into, the kids were out doing what they were told. Not only that, they were paying for the privilege in Banchory, Peterhead, Laurencekirk and 11 other centres across the north-east. Child labour around the Granite City? In fact, hundreds of children were lapping up their involvement in the club's comm-unity coaching courses, the biggest of their kind in Scotland.

Aberdeen face Motherwell at Pittodrie this afternoon. Humdrum SPL fixtures must be fulfilled but the club are playing a long game of far greater significance. Last week work began on a feasibility study into the proposed new stadium at the city's beach, just a few hundred yards from Pittodrie. Aberdeen FC would be the lead tenant of a new (pounds) 50 million municipal stadium but for the idea to take flight the club must win a battle for local hearts and minds. Those who must be won over range from the sceptical councillors who will one day vote on the proposals, to those five-year-olds in Dons tops.

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Building for the Future; Aberdeen May Be Laying the Foundations for the Club's Rebirth but Will They Realise Their Dreams of a (Pounds) 100m Stadium Complex? Michael Grant Reports

The children on the courses are told to take juice and a snack for breaktime, but Aberdeen's intention is that they will actually bring far more to the club than that. More than 20,000 children pass through their award-winning community courses each year and the club's belief is that if they enjoy themselves their parents are please...

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