Scottish Rugby Backs Kingsford which “puts Aberdeen in strong contention for” hosting test matches

Scottish Rugby is the latest national sporting body to back Aberdeen Football Club’s proposed community sports hub, training facilities and new stadium at Kingsford.

Dominic McKay, chief operating officer of Scottish Rugby, has written to AFC to formally record the organisation’s ‘full support’ for the proposals near Westhill, Aberdeen.

Scottish Rugby has also endorsed AFC’s vision for co-located facilities, saying that the combination of community and football training facilities located alongside a new stadium will help boost sports participation and performance, health and well-being across the North-east.

In addition, Mr McKay says that Kingsford would put Aberdeen in strong contention for hosting international matches, including those in the Autumn Test Series, which Scottish Rugby is committed to taking outwith BT Murrayfield.

This announcement comes after the two main bodies in professional football in Scotland formally backed the plans with Stewart Regan, chief executive of Scottish Football Association, and Neil Doncaster, chief executive of the SPFL putting their support in writing to the Club. The Scottish FA is also pledging more football internationals for Aberdeen if the proposals are approved.

Mr McKay added: “We’ve been in discussion with AFC regarding the proposed new stadium to ensure that it will have the faciltiies for, and meet the requirements of, hosting international rugby matches, hence the increase of pitch dimensions to 70 metres at Kingsford. We are also keen to look at other opportunities for working closely with the Club to mutually benefit both sports and both organisations.

AFC believes this further endorsement of their plans adds further to their economic case for Kingsford. AFC Chairman, Stewart Milne; said: “With a larger, modern stadium, which meets the requirements for international football and rugby, Kingsford will ensure that we can secure major sporting events which attract strong support. Today’s news from Scottish Rugby will be welcomed by the many fans of the sport in the North-east. It also underlines the already strong economic case for the plans by promising a boost for leisure tourism in the region.”

The proposals will see £50million invested to create a new home for the Dons with football training pitches and academy that will also provide a base for the significant expansion of the award-winning work of the Aberdeen FC Community Trust on social inclusion, participation in sport and healthy lifestyles for all ages across the region.