An Investigation of Aberdeen Football Club’s Proposed Relocation from Pittodrie Stadium to the Town of Westhill

The aim of this article is to investigate the impact of Aberdeen Football Club’s proposed relocation from Pittodrie Stadium to the environs of Westhill, almost seven miles west of the city-centre, and to assess the probability of acceptance amongst stakeholders of the football club. At the present time, writing in November 2024, it appears that the club has abandoned this plan. Instead, there is talk of a new stadium on the seafront not far from Pittodrie. However, the issues and stakeholder relationships revealed through this case remain worthy of extensive study for what they reveal about the intersection between the corporate world, the community organizations, and the hardcore supporter bases; and how each works according to a different logic and rhythm as they vie for power and ascendency. During the fieldwork, conducted in 2018-20, the opinions of shoppers in both Aberdeen and Westhill were canvassed, alongside the views of supporters from one of the popular Aberdeen FC supporters’ clubs.