Having been Aberdeen Football Club's home for more than a century, there is no doubt that when the time comes to relocate, it will be a monumental wrench for everyone connected with Aberdeen Football Club to leave Pittodrie Stadium. It has been the scene of so many memories - good and not so good - through the years and arguably, the spiritual home of AFC.

However, the bottom line is, for the Club to continue to thrive and flourish in the decades to come, remaining at Pittodrie is simply not an option, for a number of reasons.

The Cost of Redevelopment

Three of the current four structures would have to be demolished and rebuilt and would have to be undertaken in a phased approach over a period of approximately five years. A conservative estimate for the costs would be in the region of £30m.

UEFA Stadium Infrastructure Regulations

A redeveloped Pittodrie would need to comply with the standards of a Category 3 facility as set out in the above, requiring a playing surface of 105m x 68m with increased run off areas (5m) around the touchline. Given the constraints of the surrounding streets, the footprints available for new stands will be reduced for the Merkland, Main and South stands which coupled with best practice guidelines necessitating larger seats, additional leg room, superior disabled facilities, larger concourses, more toilets and vomitories will dramatically reduce the capacity of the redeveloped stadium to approximately 12,000. As many supporters will be aware, the Club did attempt, unsuccessfully, through the years to purchase the then adjacent gasometer and former Gray's Timber Yard.

Capital Contribution

The new stadium will enable Aberdeen Football Club to sell the existing site and consequently make a substantial contribution towards the capital cost of the new arena and this would clearly not be available should the existing site be retained and redeveloped.

Reduction in Income Streams

Given the reduced capacity, were the Club to remain at Pittodrie, income streams would considerably reduce which, when added to the cost of redevelopment, the lack of sales proceeds and the timescales involved, would lead to unacceptably high debt which could never be serviced, let alone repaid, rendering the whole process unviable. The new stadium will only be developed once funding is fully identified and in place. The Club will require to demonstrate that any debt carried into the new stadium will be serviced and repaid from the additional revenue opportunities and operational savings the stadium can deliver.

It is also acknowledged that it is imperative for the cost of the stadium to be 'stand alone' without any impact whatsoever on the ongoing operational budget for the football squad.

Training Facilities

It is our aim to incorporate associated training facilities adjacent to the new arena, something simply not feasible at Pittodrie Stadium, and discussions regarding this are ongoing.

In summary, as a consequence of the above, the redevelopment of Pittodrie cannot be considered as an option for the future home of Aberdeen Football Club. The site at Loirston offers the only viable and deliverable option within the boundaries of the City of Aberdeen and the location has been chosen and approved by Aberdeen City Council.