Council correct to kick AFC funding request out of the stadium

Sir, – With the country facing a fiscal black hole deficit of £54 billion, years of austerity and recession, caused by the inept policies of the Tory Government, not to mention Brexit, it beggars belief that a wealthy football club should expect the taxpayer to help it build a new stadium. How dare the directors of Aberdeen FC blame the council for lack of foresight.

At a time when millions of families are facing fuel and food poverty, lost jobs, inflation at 10%-plus and rising mortgages and costs, falling incomes, etc, it would be inconceivable for any public body to invest in a private business venture in the circumstances.

This is deja vu of Trump’s attempt to get the Scottish Government to use their compulsory purchase powers to help him evict his neighbours to further his private commercial aspirations – and we all know how that ended.

How dare the directors of Aberdeen Football Club criticise the council for not helping to fund their new stadium – shame on them.

Set aside the pros and cons of a new stadium as part of the city’s plans to revamp the beach area, this is, by their own admission, a costly site to develop, especially as AFC already have planning consent for the Kingsford site, which will be significantly less costly to develop.

The Kingsford site is by far the better site, if for no other reason than it has direct access to the A90 and plenty of parking, something which does not seem to have been addressed for a stadium at the beach.

Well done Aberdeen City councillors for thinking of their constituents’ best interests.

Mike Rasmussen. Allach Lodge,

Low Rd, Aboyne.

The proposed site for Aberdeen FC’s new stadium. Picture by Kenny Elrick.