A group of Aberdeen FC Fans have launched a new initiative to reward clubs and prominent figures in Scottish football who have called for sporting integrity to be upheld in the face of mounting pressure from the sport’s governing bodies for an unsavoury compromise. Fred Wilkinson writes.
Aberdeen Fans For Sporting Integrity snowballed rapidly, sparked by a suggestion posted on the Aberdeen-Mad fans message board by forum regular Joe Whimster on Wednesday 4th July.
This followed the announcement earlier in the day that Scottish Premier League clubs had voted overwhelmingly not to admit Charles Green’s Newco to the top flight.
Joe’s proposal was initially to raise £200 to be offered as a gift to Raith Rovers in acknowledgement of their club chairman Turnbull Hutton’s firm public stance against allowing Newco to ‘parachute’ into the First Division.
This figure was to be gifted in the form of sponsorship towards the cost of a player’s strip over the coming season.
It was envisaged that any spin off from the gesture, in addition to fostering goodwill, might stretch to acknowledgement of the group’s support in the Raith Rovers match programme, and a donation to charity.
However, within a mere 36 hours of the group deciding on a name, more than 70 fans had pledged their support and over £750 collected, prompting calls to acknowledge other SFL clubs which have resolved publicly to champion sporting integrity above self interest. At the time of writing, more than £1200 has been collected.
Joe told Aberdeen Voice:
“We have confirmed with Raith that we’ll sponsor their mascot. I got an email yesterday from Roary Rover himself (well, the guy in the costume) thanking us and praising our position.
“They have been overwhelmed with the support received from fans across the SPL, specifically Aberdeen fans and it seems they have picked up a considerable financial boost from various contributions.
“We have also confirmed with Clyde that we will cover a home and away top at a cost of £150
“I was hugely impressed by the communication from Clyde. They are extremely grateful of the support we’ve shown. I am still waiting to hear back from other clubs”
At a time where Scottish football fans in general, Aberdeen fans more than most, have been accused of being driven by ‘hatred’ and ‘bloodlust’ towards Rangers, it is refreshing to see such a positive initiative associated with Aberdeen FC take shape with such momentum and decisiveness, engendering friendship and respect between clubs and boosting charity into the bargain.
As Joe explains:
“I think any remaining funds at the end of our endeavours should go to
the anti-bullying charity, Beat Bullying”
http://www.beatbullying.org/.
“I have also asked Aberdeen FC for information with regards to any community based projects that are currently in need of funds
“As it stands then, we have a balance of £850. Some of that will certainly go towards sponsorship packages at other clubs but it will already leave a healthy balance for a Beat Bullying donation.”
It is hoped that the clubs which are offered support in recognition of their sense of fair play will return the gesture by highlighting Beat Bullying or donating items to be raffled in favour of the charity.
- See links below for more information on Aberdeen Fans For Sporting Integrity and how you can contribute.
Blog – http://aberdeenfansforsportingintegrity.blogspot.co.uk/
Email – aberdeenfans4sportingintegrity@gmail.com.
- Comments enabled. Note All comments will be moderated.
this is AWESOME i’m moved to tears 》
Amazing stuff this. Keep on saving cash like this and probably in about 780 years you will have enough cash to pay off Aberdeen F.C. debt of 15 millon.
Where was this “sporting integrity” when Aberdeen FC avoided relegation when Falkirks FC stadium was deemed unfit? why were Falkirk not allowed to use another stadium like Celtic were (Hampden).
This is a case of Turkeys voting for Xmas.
@Fred
Come back to me with facts and knowledge rather than succulent lamb rubbish.
Falkirk is amyth put about by Traynor and his ilk.
Oh and adults use their real names, they don’t post anonymously using cartoon characters as a front.
Why is it by the way ‘ a case of Turkeys voting for Xmas.’?
Yawn…
Goes to show if you repeat a myth often enough it becomes believable.
For the sake of clarity, again, Aberdeen FC did not avoid relegation due to Falkirk’s non-compliant stadium. The SPL was due to be expanded that season to a 12 team league and the bottom side in the SPL was due to enter a three-way relegation play-off with the second and third sides in SFL 1. Each team would play each other once with the top two teams from that mini-league playing in the SPL the following season.
Falkirk didn’t apply to groundshare elsewhere so that is a moot point.
Ah Caveman, the old Aberdeen avoiding relegation myth that has been perpetuated by the Glasgow media so frequently that people like you take it as fact. Here’s the FACTS!! In the season Aberdeen “avoided relegation” the top 2 teams in division 1 were to be automatically promoted and the third team were to play the bottom team in the SPL in a play-off, this because the SPL was increasing from 10 to 12 teams the next season. In March of that season (when Aberdeen still had a very good chance of avoiding the bottom spot) it was clear Falkirk would finish in the top 3 and therefore it was decided there would be no play-off, just automatic promotion for the top 2 teams in Division 1 with a stadium that met SPL criteria. Where would be the “integrity” be in allowing Falkirk to groundshare when clubs like Raith Rovers had complied with SPL rules and upgraded their stadiums to SPL standard, thus severely reducing their playing budget and chances of SPL football in the process? Even if there was a play off, Aberdeen would have been strong favourites to win and avoid relegation. Still, don’t let these facts get in the way of things!
I know you won’t get it but it’s not about paying off AFC debt, they’ll have to deal with that as best they can and take the consequences. It’s about supporting less well off teams that show integrity.
As for the falkirk saga…. aye,right.
Fred Flinstone – what a totally appropriate handle you have chosen for yourself and your soon to be extinct dinosaur of a club.
The decision on Falkirk was made well before the end of that particular season, it was not brought into to stop Aberdeen from going down. But why let the facts get in the way.
If it takes Aberdeen 780 years to pay off the £15m how long would it take RFC(IA/IL) to pay off the £134m you owe. Ah, I forgot you’ve gone bust and won’t be paying anything back.
Lets hope that come Friday RFC will be a footnote in the history books. You’re odious club will be mentioned in the same breath as slavery and small pox. Good riddance to bad rubbish you hun mink.
Aberdeen did not cheat! the now defunct team formally known as rangers did for many years and it is because of their cheating that scottish football is in turmoil. Supporters of the team no more really dont get it all the trophies won during the time of your cheating are tainted and of course anyone who disagrees with your take on things comes from a different religious background.
But I thought you did not care that no one liked you!! You are bigots, go away we dont want you in fact no one does.
Anyway this is no other teams fault othere than whats their name again?
I dont see what this article has to do with Falkirk or Rangers, but for anyone remotely interested in knowing the facts about the reasons why Falkirk failed to qualify for promotion, this is a good start.
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/FOOTBALL%3a+SPL+throw+out+Falkirk's+Murrayfield+plea.-a061136911
Guys don’t listen to Fred he belongs to the past, he can only love things are exstrinct.
Well done dons fans for this initiative and other fans around scotland will compliment you by copying your idea.
Hail Hail
Eloquently put, fellow Reds.
On my day I could quite happily join in the eloquent and fact-based badinage exposing the inbred throwback, born on the day the gene pool attendants were on holiday. However I will content myself with a small smirk of satisfaction and a hearty good wish to the loathsome slithering amoeba in choosing a football team to support which is not a disgrace to competitive sport and 21st century social values now that the lying cheating tax-dodging bigoted right wing cultural monolith is in the ‘tits up’ position. Next time, to paraphrase Bertie Wooster, try walking the full length of the counter before making your choice you soap-dodging cretinous hun loser.
That’s all.
Good night buns, turn off the light behind you 🙂
Light? Their supply’s been cut off for failing to pay the bill.
Some cracking sectarian comments there guys, you do yourself proud.
Actually you will find that Rangers are not dead. We will rise up again whilst the likes of Aberdeen drop down due to their own financial problems etc.
Crowds of 4,000 for you guys this coming season.
Sporting Integrity my ar*e.
Sectarian? No we are Aberdeen we stand free from that nonsense and of course cheating by the way! Enjoy your trip to Peterheed on Aug 11th for your first 3rd division fixture 🙂 Actually I feel sorry for the Blue Toon having to put up with your bigoted, filth singing “fans”, just a pity the AWPR won’t be built so we don’t need to smell you. Having said that if your commenting on this fine Voice you are probably one of those Old Firm glory hunters that live in our fair city but don’t support your local team. GIRFUY
FYI, I was born and bred in Rutherglen but moved to Aberdeen for work reasons. Does this mean I should now support Aberdeen FC? This being the case should all Aberdeen fans who move to Glasgow, London, Manchester etc should forget about their original team and begin to support the teams in their new location? what a strange idea.
Repeated use of the sectarian word H*n is quite frequent among the Dandy Dons – not clever and on a par with using equally offensive words to describe people race or religion..
Anyway, it seems my prediction has came true very quickly – Inverness Caley being the first. Hopefully it will be another club who are living way above their means who get into serious trouble – how about Aberdeen FC?
I shall continue to support my team through thick and thin, and would also like to thank my Loyal Brother in Lodge 701 for their continued support and look forward to meeting up with all you guys when we visit our brothers in Peterhead.
Fred, you’re still not getting it are you? If any the teams that you want to go bust actually go bust then so be it; they should have looked after themselves better. It’s hardly a “prediction”, the biggest team in Scotland has gone so spectacularly bust that it doesn’t exist any more so it’s not a surprise that there are others skating on thin ice.
Advice for the 11th Aug btw: remember to go straight on up King Street, nae turning right, that’s SPL only.