LESS IS MORE
Dons cut capacity to boost Pittodrie noise level
ABERDEEN chairman Dave Cormack is to reduce Pittodrie’s capacity from 20,000 to 15,500 next season in an attempt to provide a better atmosphere at home games.
With Dons fans regularly pilloried for being too quiet, the Atlanta-based businessman believes that closing the upper tier of the Richard Donald Stand can help create a more compact, intense experience and make it a more intimidating venue for visiting teams.
But Cormack admitted that it would also help if Derek McInnes’ team produced more entertaining wins at home after a campaign when they have not always convinced in front of their own supporters.
‘We’ve had this criticism,’ Cormack told the BBC. ‘We get teased by all the other fans about the sweetie wrappers being opened and being heard above the fans at the games.
‘In shutting the top of the Richard Donald Stand, we’re able to have much more of a bowl atmosphere, it will give the fans the ability to decorate that upper area, and 15,500 is enough room to have filled everybody in every league game this season, including away supporters.’
Cormack, who also confirmed that the family section will be moved from the Merkland Road stand so that the Red Shed singing section can become a permanent feature next season. insisted the new initiative is ‘100 per cent about atmosphere’.
However, he is also seeking to increase season-ticket sales from 10,000 to 11,000 as well as boosting club membership initiative AberDNA to 8,000 in its second campaign.
‘Football success is our No 1 priority,’ he said. ‘We are the fifth-best supported team in Scotland in terms of season tickets and attendances. Season tickets deliver around £2million a year in income, with walk-ups and away fans contributing £1m, and AberDNA about £1m. In total, that’s almost half the football budget.
‘We are challenging ourselves to increase season tickets from 10,000 to 11,000 for 2020-21 and drive AberDNA membership to 8,000. My promise is that this income is 100 per cent directed towards the success of the team.’
While announcing his latest plans to drive the club forward yesterday, Cormack insisted that the on-field operation remains in safe hands with McInnes.
The chairman was back home in the USA when McInnes was subjected to calls for his dismissal from a section of fans earlier this year but Cormack believes all that was needed was a period of calm reflection.
Aberdeen head for Fir Park tomorrow knowing that a win will take them back into the top three, where they have finished in six of the seven seasons under McInnes, while they are also through to a fourth successive Scottish Cup semi-final next month. Cormack said: ‘It’s always disappointing (calls for a manager’s dismissal) but fans pay their money and they’re entitled to their opinions.
‘I remember back in the day when the fans called for Alex Smith’s head and he’d won two cups! That is outrageous when you look back on one of the more successful periods at Aberdeen Football Club.
‘I think it’s a case of taking a deep breath and looking forward as the cup’s half full given we’re still in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup and we’re on track for third in the league.
‘I come back to “what are we trying to achieve? How do we get there?”. That means everything at the club, the investment, the scouting, the youth development.’ As for a season when the club have won only ten of their home games in all competitions, Cormack added: ‘It’s frustrating for everybody. Derek’s been frustrated and so have the players.
‘Our philosophy is attacking and entertaining football. For the vast majority of the time Derek’s been here, we’ve seen that.
‘Derek has 100 per cent got my support because we’re all on the same page. Nobody can put more pressure on Derek than himself.
‘It’s been a frustrating season at home for a period of time but, as far as I’m concerned, we’ve got a great group of players.
‘And I will say this for Derek, he doesn’t have any prima donnas in there. It’s a good group of guys in that squad who are totally behind him.’