WeegieRed

Actually amazing that stand ever got built. I don't remember any furore over it at the time - was there one? I suppose though it has its uses certainly as far as corporate goes and I'm sure it has made a lot of money down the years. The club would probably argue it has now paid for itself (from memory it cost £4m to build) through revenue. And, it might look out of place but the RDS is an impressive looking stand and it's the one I always go to. I used to be in the pro-new stadium camp. Maybe the out of town thing didn't bother me as much because I'm not living there, and when the artist impressions of the new ground were released I was on board. However, I've now cooled on it, and I look at Pittodrie and question what's so difficult to change. I'd like to see the corner filled in between the RDS and south to protect fans from the elements - maybe even a TV screen the club can play adverts on. Other than that, put a roof on section Y and attach it to the merkland. Just to make the stadiums a bit more closed in to stop the atmosphere "escaping". I don't think there's much wrong with the Merkland either, maybe a new roof to get rid of the pillars. Then it's just the main stand. Surely something can be done there, even if they have to build over the road (Sorry if this has already been covered, I'll make a mental note to read back the pst 6 years at some point). It really doesnt need to be an impressive looking arena, what's impressive about a ground is the atmosphere created. The Red Ultras have their home in the RDU now and they should be allowed to make it their own with safe standing. If they can get the upper deck full every week (3100 fans) with singers they'll create a right racket and no doubt on big nights when the stadium is full the rest of the ground will get involved. But if Stewart Milne announces tomorrow work is about to start on a new 22,000 stadium in Westhill then I might change my mind.

And my feeling was right. Hibs away. That'll make those who can't get a ticket to Tynecastle feel a little better, should be plenty tickets for Easter Road. Also very likely to be the game chosen for TV.

No assumption about it. They've been discussing both scenarios for a while now. The costs involved have been discussed long ago. I'm not naive enough to think everything will now be all rosy in the garden forever, and that we don't need to look ahead. I've seen us been good on the pitch and stable off it before. And I saw, due a lack of foresight by many, us fall from grace and become a shambles on and off the pitch. We should be ensuring the same mistake is not made twice. Yes, you can say Hearts were in trouble a few years ago, but due to the actions of the old owners. I'm not praising them. I'm looking at Hearts now and what they're planning for the future.

Thursday 2:30pm Seeded: Celtic, ABERDEEN, Inverness CT, St. Johnstone, Dundee Utd, Ross County, Motherwell, Kilmarnock Unseeded: Hearts, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline, Morton, Falkirk, Livingston, Rangers, Hibs. Nightmare draw: Hearts Preferable draw: Morton Have a feeling we'll get Hibs or Rangers.

You can't cut your season tickets holders for a season while you build a new stand. You do it if you have to, but if you have two stadiums in your city to pick from then it seems obvious. I think their best bet would be Easter Road. Hearts fans would get a kick out of having a bigger average crowd than hibs in their own stadium. The ticket sales would cover the cost of ground sharing. It's incredibly frustrating though when you see Hearts increasing home crowds to the point where they've sold out the Aberdeen game a month in advance and have less than 500 left for the next home game after that v Kilmarnock. Add in 13,500 season ticket holders and the plan to have the new main stand built in the next 2-3 years, you can only admire that. On the other hand we don't know what we're doing. We're doing well on the pitch but we should be taking advantage of it off the pitch and we're not. I don't think we'll see a new stadium or an upgraded Pittodrie for at least 10 years.

They haven't announced any formal plans, just that they are planning to rebuild the main stand and move away for a season. http://m.heraldscotland.com/sport/13213144.Budge_has_a_change_of_heart_over_new_stadium/ They would have to move away for the season, they couldn't stay at Tynecastle. Firstly the capacity - 13,000 wouldn't even cover their season ticket holders. However more than that, they'd have no changing rooms, physio room, anywhere to wash kit, no press box, etc. It would be a nightmare and should they be in Europe they might be forced to move anyway, so they would have to move. On the same note, should Aberdeen decide to stay at Pittodrie and rebuild the main stand, we would have the same problem. Bit trickier us moving to another ground for a year though.

Watching the Celtic game, what a crowd Malmo had, and what a tidy ground too. It's a wee bit bigger than what we're looking for (around 26,000 I think theirs holds) but created some noise. Of course, you'll never get Pittodrie, or any Aberdeen full house, making that noise for 90 minutes. You'll get a few waves round the ground but v Kairat was nowhere in the scale of that Malmo crowd tonight. However, it really wets the appetite to get a ground to be proud of, either new ground or a rebuilt Pittodrie. The sections that will sing, give them a proper place behind the goal, let the noise spread around the ground. Hearts are already planning an extension to Tynecastle and I wouldn't be surprised if they get moving on it in the next year or two. It's easier for them of course - move to Murrayfield or share Easter Road, build a new main stand, and they're done, probably somewhere between 22,000 - 25,000 and in current attendances they'll have it near enough full (game v Aberdeen already sold out with a month to go). Would be nice to hear some news from AFC about what we're doing.

Looking at the Aberdeen website, even taking into account the sections of the RDU which wont be up for sale yet, there seems to be 16,200 tickets sold already (including the Celtic support). 4,000 to be sold in less than 3 weeks? Easy.

Called the line-up. We played some decent stuff at times and really controlled the game, but for a side so dominant the final ball always seems a bit too desperate. Despite all the pressure in the first 45 minutes Scott Bain hasn't had much to do. We weren't actually as good in the second half but a few individuals made the difference. Good run and cross from Hayes and Rooney does what he does. Shinnie really is an excellent player. McGinn very good again (though was surrounded by blue shirts the whole game). Hayes a bit off again but he'll have a poor game then because he doesn't stop trying he'll still produce some magic. Didn't see enough of the new boy to make a judgement. Onwards to Partick Thistle. A win there hopefully before a massive week where we meet the rest of the top 4 inside 8 days.

13,621 the crowd. Pretty decent numbers. I'd like to think we can get over 14,000 average for this season. Next home game v Celtic hopefully a sell out.

Do we really need five defenders at home to Dundee? They've been decent this season but they've also leaked a lot of goals. Flood I thought had a good first half against Motherwell, though apparently is a doubt which would explain his substitution at half-time v Motherwell. Not sure I'd risk him if he's not 100% fit, we've a big enough squad to cope. Goodwillie actually had a good game too at Fir Park and is having a good season. He's not a goalscorer but he does help the creativity in the team, spots a pass well, and helps brings McGinn and Hayes into the game. I'd like to see both him and Rooney start as I thought they played well together last week. Ward Logan Taylor Considine Shinnie Jack Hayes McLean McGinn Goodwillie Rooney

I know it's a bit Hearts-esk dot counting on the website, but by my reckoning we've sold 13,077 tickets for the Dundee game. That doesn't take into account the away support. I would guess at an attendance of around 13,500, considering there's always season ticket holders who don't turn up.

If going by the ticket sales on the website (and I've taken into account large sections of the RDU haven't been released for sale yet), by my reckoning there's just over 12,000 tickets been sold for Saturday. Good to see this early in the week. That won't count the away support either who may come up in numbers after a decent start to the season (and unfortunately a good record against us).