Aberdeen draw up ‘battle plan’ to assist community amid coronavirus crisis

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack revealed the club have “drawn up a battle plan” to assist fans and the wider community amid the coronavirus crisis.

The Granite City outfit’s approach, with help from its partner charity, AFC Community Trust, will aim to provide information to people and engage with them, particularly those in isolation, and offer practical support to those in need.

The Ladbrokes Premiership club are also willing to open up the Richard Donald Stand as a coronavirus testing facility if required.

Cormack told the club’s official website: “Aberdeen Football Club has been at the heart of our community for over 100 years.

“Today, we stand ready to do whatever we can to assist the community in what is a rapidly escalating, unprecedented situation. Our response to the crisis facing us is one of solidarity and support.

“We have drawn up a battle plan which will allow us to provide practical support to those who need it most and to bring our fans and the community together in our fight against the virus.

“As the biggest club in our region with a fantastic and loyal fan base, we have a unique platform to connect with people of all ages, from all backgrounds across all parts of the city region and beyond.

“With over 100,000 people on our database, over 300,000 followers on social media and, through the reach of AFC Community Trust, interactions with thousands more, we are in a position to engage with the community through content that educates, comforts, reassures and even brings a smile to all those affected, but particularly those suffering from loneliness, anxiety and fear.

“In normal circumstances, we’re a daily topic of discussion and entertainment for supporters. As we face not only an as‐yet undetermined pause on football, but a much bigger global threat, we can provide familiarity in an unfamiliar world.

“Throughout our history, we have been supported by our revered and loyal Red Army, Standing Free every step of the way. Now, we will rally behind our fans and the wider community in their time of need.

“Alfredo Di Stefano once said that ‘Aberdeen have what money can’t buy, a soul, a team spirit, built in a family tradition’.

“By galvanising our fans and the wider community, we aim to build a Team Aberdeen approach to winning the war against COVID-19.”

AFC Community Trust will be working with Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) to make deliveries of food to areas where the Trust already works to reduce food poverty, supporting children during the school closures.

Aberdeen and the Trust are also proposing the following – deliveries of other essentials to those in need and regular check‐ins over the phone for those fans in isolation. This could be from staff, players, former players as well as coaches and volunteers.

Also, a morale-boosting campaign to fly the flag for the club and Aberdeen, an on‐line campaign to promote local business and actively encourage fans to support these local businesses to help prevent them from going under and the potential to open up the RDS (Richard Donald stand) concourse as a testing facility.