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What would you name the stands in a new Aberdeen F.C stadium?

The Guggenheim Gallery in Bilbao. Just the sort of modern, out there design Aberdeen F.C’s new stadium should have, except with floodlights, big towering floodlights. A stadium so imposing, no seagull would dare shit on it.

Let’s say for the sake of argument, Aberdeen F.C. will eventually get a new stadium. That stadium will need a name, and the stands will need names. Since we are probably not going to be asked, and decisions may already have been made, what would be your preferred names?

We also have a proposed new training complex, but hopefully Ally Begg’s Twitter campaign to get it named after Teddy Scott will do the business. This article is open for comments, or use the Facebook comments, it would be great to gather lots of ideas. It’s imaginary land, you can do what you want. Part of my reason for wanting decisions like this to be made or at least discussed, is we are all getting older, and some people might not get to see a new stadium. Arguably the way things are going, none of us will…

We’ve got four stands (even if it’s oval) two of which are slightly more important than the other two, due to their size. I will use the current Pittodrie stand names as a guide to where I mean.

The current South Stand in a new stadium. ‘The Miller and McLeish Stand’.

The Richard Donald Stand in a new stadium. ‘The Donald, Anderson, Milne, Family Stand’. Named after the three sets of directors’ families. We could shorten it to the DAM stand, or change the name order, it becomes the MAD Stand. (I’ve thought this through).

The current Merkland Stand in a new stadium. ‘The Gothenburg Greats’ Stand’

The Main Stand in a new Stadium. ‘The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand’.

Which leaves the name of the stadium. It has previously been said sponsorship of the stadium name would be important. Well whenever I hear of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, it makes me want to puke. So my favoured name for a new stadium is. Pittodrie. Not New Pittodrie, just Pittodrie. Again, who says you can’t take your own name with you? And I’m pretty sure the postman will eventually work out the new address…

I’d also like a ‘Stewart Kennedy Corner area’, a ‘Doug Rougvie Corner Area’, and a ‘Peter Weir Corner Area’. Leaving us one corner area to be named later. But the way things are going, Jonny Hayes may have first dibs on it.

And the Donald Coleman dugouts.

And also, three of the stands in Pittodrie currently have no names. What is stopping the club naming the South Stand, “The Miller and McLeish Stand” now, if that were the name chosen. And saying, the name will follow to the new stadium. Miller is sixty, Sir Alex Ferguson mid seventies. It’s um squeeky bum time…

So over to you, what would you name the stands, and the stadium.

November 12, 2015

Aberdeen FC

Banksy’s new grotesque art theme park

Sorry Dundee, just kidding. Used to live there, a lovely place. But, eh, if your name starts with a ‘D`…

This was a gag in the week Banksy opened his theme park.

August 21, 2015

Aberdeen FC

Exclusive Aberdeen Renaissance poster download

To celebrate the renaissance of Aberdeen under Derek McInnes, The Dandy Dons presents this ‘timeless’ print of that magical moment when Fergie retired and everything at Man Utd. went tits up, and our man Derek was fingered by Sir Alex. This exclusive print is… Download link is under the image.

Your free ready to print A4 Pdf

January 20, 2015

Aberdeen FC, Pittodrie

Stewart Milne is he magic or what?

So Stewart Milne eh?! He’s taken a fair bit of stick down the years. You’d have to be pathologically nasty to not be pleased for him on The Dons winning the League Cup. Adding to his popularity with the now immortal “19 years, 120 minutes and now fucking penalties” line, live on BBC Radio Glasgow to Chic Young.

To be honest, the only way he could have become more popular with The Dons’ support is if he’d ended it by kneeing him in the nadgers and pushing him down the Celtic Park steps. Still, there will be more post final interviews Stewartie…

Artists impression.

So is his new found popularity deserved. Were we, me anyway, wrong to be so critical of him? Is it ok to change your mind? Are we all neither good or bad, but somewhere in between?

No this is about the fitba, so it’s right or wrong.

Blame it on the bogie

Well down the years I’ve been involved in a few ‘where did it all go wrong’ discussions on The Dons. From “sacking Alex Smith”, to “there’s too many suits working at Pittodrie” have been suggestions I’ve heard. But ultimately, in my opinion, a football director’s job is just one thing. Appoint the correct manager, and everything else will fall into place.

When Fergie was manager, all our directors were geniuses. Visionaries they were. And maybe that’s true. And while sadly Chris Anderson passed away, way too young, and Dick Donald was very advanced in years, we didn’t really get to see what they would have done post Fergie. Clearly the decision making skills of Ian Donald were atrocious. Porterfield, co-managers, Willie Miller, Aitken the stand to commemorate his own Father which bears no relation to the rest of the stadium? Built by a builder who…

Aye, here we go…

Oh yes. Stewart Milne. But we can all make mistakes, and Milne’s managerial mistakes were all human mistakes. The most recent, the appointment of Craigie Broon. What a surprise for anyone with even half an eye on Broon’s highly dubious CV of non-achievement. McGhee, unlucky. Skovdahl, did kind of work. Calderwood, was the person we all wanted. The extended contract, was Willie Miller, who paid for it with his job. Steve Patterson, holy shit! Who knew? And why didn’t they say?! Alex Miller, after extending Roy Aitken’s contract, ouch!!

But he spotted in McInness what we all know now! He got one right. Really really right! And we can all sit back and enjoy this, until we all hold our breath when Stewart has to make his next big decision. Hopefully not for a few years.

The unforgiven

So Stewart Milne, is he forgiven? No. He is not. He ruined Pittodrie, and that very dull animated projection of our future stadium (wherever it may be!) filled me with dread. No floodlights. No imagination. No vision. Three years down the line, weathered by all the North East can throw at it, and covered in seagull shit, that will be a dull mother fucking stadium. It won’t cost much more to look stunning. Just the cost of a talented architect. And floodlights, it must have floodlights, like the spire on a cathedral to draw in the congregation. That’s where the midweek European atmosphere came from. That’s what made Pittodrie so very, very special.

Then Stewart Milne. Then you are forgiven.

March 28, 2014