Opponents of Aberdeen's Pittodrie move disrupt online campaign

Opponents of Aberdeen football club's plans for a new stadium have stolen a campaign slogan and snapped up domain names to protest the proposed move.
This week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.
Picture: SNSThis week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.
Picture: SNS
This week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb. Picture: SNS

This week the Dons started using the hashtag #AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.

But last year’s Scottish Premiership runners-up failed to register a website by that name in time.

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Instead, club bosses were shocked to see a pressure group use allforaurora.com to argue against the stadium complex.

This week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.
Picture: SNSThis week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.
Picture: SNS
This week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb. Picture: SNS
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Video: Fly through Aberdeen's proposed Kingsford stadium

The stunt by the No Kingsford Stadium group sees unsuspecting fans confronted with their own social media campaign #DontBelieveAurora.

It contained a list of claims about rising ticket prices, long journey times and declining attendance figures at Kingsford near the Westhill area of the city.

Legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson is among the many to back the Aurora initiative which will create a 20,000-seat ground and training facilities.

This week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.
Picture: SNSThis week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb.
Picture: SNS
This week the Dons started using the hashtag AllForAurora to get fans to back the switch from crumbling Pittodrie stadium to a new build in a city suburb. Picture: SNS

The club had previously sought to avoid public hostilities with No Kingsford Stadium, which was set up by disgruntled Westhill residents upset about the impact of the £50million construction project,

But the club’s vice-chairman George Yule issued a strongly-worded response to their opponents’ latest tactic.

He said: “Given the huge success of our Aurora campaign, particularly on social media, we’re not concerned about this type of small-minded nonsense.

“However, what is a concern is the huge amount of completely inaccurate information on this site from a small group people who are not accountable for anything they say to anyone, in the hope of misleading others.

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“This is clearly a disruptive move by these people aimed at distracting focus, and we recognise it for what it is.”

The group fired back, describing the Dons’ rallying campaign as an attempt to “harass” elected representatives into backing the relocation scheme.

Councillors are due to examine the application at preliminary hearing on September 13, with a final decision to be made in October.

A statement from the group said: “It seems that the Aurora campaign is just like the stadium plans: not properly considered or planned.

“We purchased the domains to highlight this issue and spread the message of our campaign.”

“Mr Yule’s attack is directed towards the No Kinsgford Stadium campaign, however he seems to be conveniently forgetting that the stadium plans have resulted in concerns and objections from people across the north-east.

“Mr Yule states he ‘is not concerned’, however, we would suggest the very fact Aberdeen FC has launched a campaign to harass local councillors and elected officials would indicate that Mr Yule is very concerned indeed that Aberdeen City Council is highly likely to refuse the Kingsford Stadium plans.”

The Aurora drive, named after the latin word for “new dawn”, was launched at Pittodrie on Tuesday.