The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Late Dons fans to be honoured
Dons fans who have passed away in the last year will be honoured during the final game of the season at Pittodrie. Berriedale Funeral Home, working in partnership with Aberdeen FC, is working on a fitting tribute to remember followers – and are appealing to families to add their loved one’s name to the memorial list.
Berriedale partnered with the club at the start of last season in what was described as a “unique display of community solidarity”.
The collaboration provides support to Dons fans who are nearing the end of life, as well as families experiencing the pain of loss, by offering them exclusive AFC experiences, including the use of an executive box to enjoy a match.
Both sides also pledged to work together to host memorial ceremonies, creating a space for fans to remember and celebrate the lives of their loved ones in a “supportive and respectful environment”.
Stephen Westall, co-owner of Berriedale Funeral Home, said: “We didn’t know when we started where this would take us, and since then we’ve been able to reach out to so many families and make their dreams come true.”
The funeral home is now putting together a list of Dons fans who have passed away during the past year, and need relatives to come forward so that no one is missed out.
The memorial will take place at the final match of the season at Pittodrie on May 15, when the Dons take on Livingston.
Names will be featured on a dedicated page of the RedMatchday programme as well as on screens around the stadium during a moment of remembrance.
A wreath supplied by Berriedale will be laid in the centre circle by funeral directors William Paterson and Kathleen Macintosh prior to kick-off, accompanied by two pipers.
A banner will also be displayed in the stand while the pipers are on the pitch.
Mr Westall said: “We don’t want to miss anyone out.
“We want to make sure they are all memorialised in some way. “I think it’s massively important. “Football is not only about the game that is played, it’s about the community it creates and it’s a place that everybody goes to.”