Aberdeen seeking fresh site

Plans for a 21,000-seat stadium have been shelved after Aberdeen City Council last week rejected an application for a separate sports complex, which would have been a training base for the Dons and a home for Highland League side Cove Rangers.

Without the alternative access route to their proposed new stadium and car-parking facilities that the Calder Park sports complex entailed, the club have been forced to seek a new location.

After a board meeting today, vice-chairman George Yule said: "The board agreed unanimously that the sensible way forward is for us to explore all realistic options available and that will include sitting down with both of the councils, city and shire, to determine exactly what the current position is in terms of availability of suitable sites.

"Given the way matters have panned out, we have a significant amount of work to be undertaken over, I would envisage, the next four weeks and only after that period, when all the initial due diligence of the alternative options have been carried out, will AFC be in a position to form a more definitive view of what the future is likely to hold for us in regard to stadium re-location opportunities.

"I can also confirm that since last week's vote we have received a number of unsolicited, but nevertheless welcome approaches from local private landowners wishing to assist the club in its quest for a new stadium and while I am not in a position to be specific as to their locations at this point, I can assure our supporters that each of them will be fully considered on its merits and any decisions taken will be done in the best interests of AFC, our staff and our supporters."