The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Dons name Kingsford pitch after legendary trainer
Kingsford: Stalwart to be honoured at £12m training facility
Aberdeen FC is to honour club legend Teddy Scott at its new training facility at Kingsford.
The former player, coach and kitman “dedicated his life” to serving the Dons for almost five decades.
The club has announced one of its three new training pitches at Cormack Park will be named after the long-serving Mr Scott, who died in 2012.
His family said he would have been “honoured” by the recognition. Names for other pitches at the £12 million training ground, Bobby Clark youth academy and community campus will be revealed this week, as part of what the club has called the “Pittodrie-fication” of the site.
The Kingsford training base will be officially opened next Thursday by club legend Sir Alex Ferguson.
The club invited fans to play their part in naming the pitches at the new facility, on the western edge of Aberdeen, as a nod to its heritage.
Nearly 7,000 supporters cast their vote – with Scott’s name the first to be announced.
A popular figure in club history, despite only making one senior appearance for the Dons, Mr Scott’s name is the first of six to be announced.
The Ellon resident was awarded a testimonial match against Manchester United in 1999, where a capacity crowd turned up to see the Pittodrie side take on former manager Ferguson’s soon-to-be European champions.
In a statement, Mr Scott’s family thanked the club and its fans for the recognition and said: “We are very grateful, and are sure Teddy would have been honoured to receive such an accolade from a club he dedicated so much of his life to.”
Aberdeen have pledged to look at other ways of lacing its history through the Kingsford project over time. Commercial director Rob Wicks said: “It is crucial we retain as much of our heritage as possible in our new home. We want to hear ideas from fans about how best we can recognise our history and club legends at the new site.
“Some initial ideas that have been suggested include a club museum, statues of famous players, a memorial garden and incorporating the famous granite facade from the Merkland Road end at Pittodrie.”