http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/3056784

 

The days of Stewart Milne and his fellow directors enduring an uncomfortable night during an Aberdeen FC annual meeting were consigned to the history books years ago.

 

No surprise that the board’s latest appearance before its shareholders passed without incident at Pittodrie last night.

 

The 109th annual meeting in the Richard Donald Suite was as routine as they come. Where there had been more than 300 in attendance in the past, last night’s turnout barely reached three figures.

 

For the full story, pick up a copy of today’s Press and Journal

http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/3056784

 

 

Rotten time of year to have it but bit sad to hear so few attended, esp when there are massive issues surrounding the clubs long term future

The AFC AGM for 2012 took place this evening in the RDS Suite. There was a small turn out tonight in comparison to what there has been in previous years. After the official business and the Q&A session with shareholders, Chairman Stewart Milne and Aberdeen manger Craig Brown spoke to the media and redtv.

 

Ryan Fraser Contract

"We have to give credit to Craig and his team and Neil Cooper and Neil Simpson for the fantastic job they done in the past few years in bringing all these young players through. To have so many young players coming up from the Youth side in a batch is a fantastic achievement for the club. To get six of them signed up who are all committed to AFC and have now committed their future is a fantastic thing. It is disappointing that Ryan has decided for whatever reason that he wants to move.

"No door should ever be closed that can't be opened again but it is up to Ryan. He has to decide where his future lies but he knows he can always go and talk to the manager."

Craig Brown's future

"We will discuss with Craig in the New Year his contract. It is a situation everyone is very comfortable with. Everyone associated with the clubs sees the fantastic job he has done. The early stages after he arrived were difficult and he has had to do a lot of rebuilding to get a squad that he wanted and a squad that is balanced and can deliver the sort of football that the manager is looking for but at the same time delivering more consistent results. Everyone has seen the evidence of all that hard work that has gone in and the progress that has been made during the first half of the season. We believe Craig has done a great job inside the club and externally out in the community and we would like to see Craig being part of the club going forward."

New Stadium Latest

"We have invested a lot of time, effort and money into the Loirston site and we believe it is a location that ticks all the boxes. We have made a big investment to get the project to the stage it is at present so that is where our focus will remain and we will see if we can come up with a solution but at the same time we have made it clear to the council that we have to spread the risk so we can come up with some other options. We have identified two or three other options within Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire and during the early part of next year we will be exploring these options.

"There is every likelihood that we will be a Pittodrie for a little while longer as these options will not be sorted overnight. What we have been working hard on over the past few months is decoupling the progress of the club from the progress of the stadium. Bringing in George Yule to work alongside Duncan Fraser gives us the momentum and the resources to really drive the club forward over the next period. As well as the stadium we will also be working hard to deliver the training facilities that the club desperately needs. Potential sites have also been indentified for this as well."

 

League Reconstruction

"I think we have made some serious progress over the last three months or so in terms of the revised structure. The proposals that are on the table we believe will deliver a new league structure that has real strength at the top of Scottish Football instead of having to rely on the SPL. The proposal would also mean there is a strong Championship underneath the top league. The two 12s splitting into the three 8s half way through the season provides the opportunity to deliver a lot more competitive games right through the whole season. We want more clubs who are involved in meaningful games from the start of the season right through to the finish. That is the thing that is going to help us bring more people back.

"There is a chance it could be in place for next season if all three organisations (SFA, SPL, SFL) get behind it with the right approach over the next three or four months. We should have the capabilities to resolve some of the current issues and if we can seriously advance things during January and February there is more than a fighting chance of getting it up for the start of next season. The two leagues of 12 would be made up of the 10 teams from Division One and the two tops teams from Division Two. No one would be invited into the league."

 

On another site it was suggested the Dad is the issue with Frasrer.  Apparently in negotiations he will say "my dad said this" but he is always to busy to come down and chat to the club

a lot of banging our heads against brick walls in that. good to hear the training facilities are supposedly in progress-ish.

On another site it was suggested the Dad is the issue with Frasrer.  Apparently in negotiations he will say "my dad said this" but he is always to busy to come down and chat to the club

If that is true, the wee shit needs to man up and make his own decisions in life.  It might be a short career, but unless his Da's been a professional footballer at some point, he doesn't have any right to be interfering in his adult son's day job.

 

Be professional, sign a deal or don't and move on.  Quit with the emotive Dad crap and get on with your career and let us get on with our team.

If that is true, the wee shit needs to man up and make his own decisions in life.  It might be a short career, but unless his Da's been a professional footballer at some point, he doesn't have any right to be interfering in his adult son's day job.

 

Be professional, sign a deal or don't and move on.  Quit with the emotive Dad crap and get on with your career and let us get on with our team.

 

If true, then totally agree

On Craig Brown -  the video of Milne being interviewed by STV and asked will he be here next season followed by the awkward silence and praise for improving the team but no definitive answer.

On Craig Brown -  the video of Milne being interviewed by STV and asked will he be here next season followed by the awkward silence and praise for improving the team but no definitive answer.

 

Pep Guardiola has been spotted looking at houses in Westhill.....

Pep Guardiola has been spotted looking at houses in Westhill.....

 

It's true, I seen him in Tesco.

 

Bad news is he was talking to Levein there 

Good to hear the training facilities are supposedly in progress-ish.

 

ABERDEEN FC are confident they will have their own modern training complex in place within two years.

Chairman Stewart Milne told the club’s shareholders at the annual meeting at Pittodrie that two potential sites have already been identified, one within the city boundaries and the other in Aberdeenshire.

It means hopes of Aberdeen FC and Highland League neighbours Cove Rangers sharing facilities previously planned at Calder Park are all but dead in the water.

a lot of banging our heads against brick walls in that. good to hear the training facilities are supposedly in progress-ish.

 

I thought they were progressing this time last year according to the board.