tom_widdows

Do you have a link to the update on their expansion? I would be interested to see if they can be as innovative with the new stand as they were with the interlinked concourses for the 3 others. Hearts also wouldn't need to move away as they would still have a capacity of nearly 13000 without the main stand. Now they have apparently purchased or been gifted most of the surrounding buildings they have a better chance that they ever did with old Vlad at the helm and their only stumbling block as I see it is the nursery next to the Roseburn. Vlads old dream of a 10000 main seater stand on the other hand..... no chance.

Apparently tic fans are turning on Delia. I've heard the arguments for why every scottish football fan should want celtic to win in europe but personally I think those who tout that are missing the bigger picture. The worst one i heard was how grateful the other clubs should be as they would get £250k out of it. Wow £250k to strengthen as opposed to 10-20million in celtics pocket. Too long have the Scottish football powers that be put all their eggs in the old firm basket whilst ignoring the other teams. Few years ago I recall tic and blue meanie games being postponed so give them a better chance of winning in europe only for them to bottle it on each occasion. The excuses of 'lack of competition' flouted without even the slightest hint of irony. The backing isn't even to win the fucking thing, its to 'get to the knock out stages'. If you're a 'big team' and you are not in the tournament to win it then you may as well not bother. The Germans ripped up their plans and started again after euro 2000. The Belgians did the same when they failed to qualify for German 2006. I don't recall Scottish football ever re-writing its philosophy and Scotland haven't qualified for a tournament since 1998 or even got past the 1st round of those they made it to. A fair balance of finances would be a start. See if the Tic can still dominate when the only extra cash they get is due to their own supporters buying tickets & merchandise, and from attracting large sponsors. Heavily enforced rules regarding how much of your income you can spend on wages A proper requirement for clubs to play their own developed players week in week out. Not like that stupid u21 rule which saw clubs name 3 bench-warmers, one that says you have X number of years to get at least 6 home grown players into your starting 11. Every club to have proper training facilities (indoor and outdoor). Then again none of that would probably help as too many cannot see past a 2 horse race.

slightly interesting scores in the league cup Dunfermline 3-1 Dundee East Fife 1-1 Motherwell (Extra Time) Partick 0-1 Falkirk Raith 2-1 Hamilton Forfar 1-1 Hearts (Extra Time)

Colin Fry In tribute I feel we should turn to Phoenix nights

I can send you a scanned 'tracing paper over photo' sketch from a few months ago. The actual formal CAD sketch has been lying dormant due to excess office and private work. Free hand perspectives on CAD are a kazak sugarcube!)

Given Celtic's keeper is allowed to rugby tackle arab players in the box I'm not holding out much hope. However ambrose has made it more interesting

BBC claiming he is swedish too. Gotta love journalist accuracy

Radio said 1600+ away fans

Manc would I be right in thinking that the residential and stadium access routes are pedestrian only? If that is the case the breakout zones should be taken care off. The old adage of 'things are a bit different in London' could possibly be argued.

Part of a cunning plan to help the blue hordes promotion push so they can get back to the traditional 'only 4 games matter each season? BBC now saying its been agreed £275k plus Dylan McGeouch (permanant) Liam Henderson (Loan) Only thing holding it up is all 3 players agreeing terms

A 6 lane motorway doesnt have local residents objecting to their lives being disrupted during construction work or that their house price will drop. Also it was built in the 1960s in a country which then ruled by a facist dictator. The big issue (as I believe) with pittodrie's redevelopment is the requirement for large concourse areas behind modern UK football stands as breakout areas (see the back of the RDS or even the current Easter Road). The south stand as it stands breaches a fair number of modern regulations and there really isnt enough space to build a 9000 seat stand and suitable concourse area with access for emergency vehicles. The same goes for the Merkland. That mock up is all very nice but having seen (and been sketching on) the site plan of the stadium you cant just stick an RDS in the same space as a Merkland. That would cover all of the publicly owned Merkland Lane and part of the carpark of the flats behind. Doing the same with the South Stand would require the demolition of a new block of flats and part of the existing car-park so we would be making the situation 'worse than existing' which fucks you over in terms of Building and Planning Regulations. It also appears to show the main stand with a nice lick of paint which is completely pointless. My sketch is based on rotating the pitch 90degrees, extending the RDS on both wings and constructing another RDS style stand opposite. Space allowing there would be a small 'safe standing' terrace behind the south goal with the North Goal remaining open (apart from a high wall and maybe a series of flag poles.) The new Merkland stand would be approx 27m away from Merkland Lane which would hopefully comply with the 'breakout' area regulations. Not great with the 3D but I'll see if i can post something up when I'm finished.

ive actually been sketching out plans which would see it converted to a two stand stadium like braga's. Trying to fit in a small terrace at one end. Might chance my arm and send it to the club when im done. U got a link to the Facebook?

'At the end of the day........''

last minute equaliser and potential lost teeth for the Arabs Goalie.

The complaints I've seen so far are people missed a large chunk of the first half queuing at the ticket office to pick up their tickets. There were also people who were out in town and decided last minute to go along to the game only to find the ticket hotline jammed, the online ticket system didn't work on their particular smartphone and when they arrived at the ground there was a large queue at the ticket office so they said 'fuck that' 11305 at the game yesterday. Given the sun was out I wonder if that could have crept over the 12000 mark had you been able to hand over cash at the gate?

Given my reputation for fleecing scotrail at any potential opportunity nor do I. However think like a large transport company and their shareholders. Say 200 tickets were sold for a train from Aberdeen to Edinburgh for a 3pm saturday kicked off at Tynecastle which is then shifted to 745pm on a Monday night. Tickets for that Monday night train will be more expensive as it is peak Commuter time but under this rule they could have up to 200 people who are entitled to use off peak tickets on that service. Are they also to assume that there are now 200 emtpy seats on a Saturday train which they could now sell or do they have to go on the scenario that all those Aberdeen fans all decide 'fuck it lets go see Edinburgh Castle and Hollyrood'? Far as I'm concerned the MSP would be better lobbying the SFA, SPFL, BT & Sky to provide a compensation fund which fans from all clubs can claim from if games are rescheduled after they have purchased train/ bus tickets.

This and also when (if ever) they proposed to get their act together and dual the track from Dunkeld to Inverness

and its hardly the train company's fault if the games are changed either. Nice thought but Scotrail etc need to make money and if they allow free re-booking for rescheduled matches how long before that becomes free re-booking for rescheduled concerts, Family days out, Business meetings etc? And what if the game is rescheduled at a time when there no trains running? Virgin used to sponsor Newcastle so they at least have a history. Abellio and Aberdeen on the other hand?

Ah well distraction over for another year Only got to half watch it but seemed the dons relied on hit and hope with their crossing. Did I see a foul in the lead up to their goal too?

so what exactly is happening in the set piece training these days?

BBC Scotland pictures suggest to me that any Kairat supporters will be in the Main stand directly above the tunnel.

Seemingly only 152 tickets left South Stand looking to be completly packed with Dons fans for the first time since the Man United friendly

Few years back for a game against Dundee I was running late so ended up at the ground about 5mins after kick off and only had £15 in the wallet. Wasnt in the mood to run around to see if the ticket office was still open so just went to the merkland turnstiles. The guy gave me a strange look then said 'you know this is the family stand' to which I said 'yes and its the only one I can afford'. He gave me a further strange look and muttered something about accompanying a child then finally took my money and let me in. I hadnt been in the merkland since the 1996 Brondby game but first thing I clocked were signs warning me about offensive language. There also seemed to be a consensus that standing up at any point in the game (even for a goal) was frowned upon. Seemed so quiet in there until a couple of dads decided that the offensive language signs didnt apply (thank fuck I said) but around me just seemed to be families of which only one member (usually the dad) was watching the game. The rest looked bored, cold and kept asking for more coke or sweets. Just checked back and that was 11 years ago and I havent been near the merkland since. I really think they need to shift the family section into the main stand and see if a singing section would work in the merkland (low roof and twice the size of 'the shed')

not quite 'today'but anyone see this last week? Never knew you could 'bruise' your spinal chord

about 2100 left but close to half of that is in the Merkland. Really bugs me seeing the gaps in that stand these days. Seem to recall it used to be packed every week back in the early 90s.