Aberdeen will play their home reserve and youth matches at Cove Rangers’ new Balmoral Stadium this season.
The young Dons had played the majority of their games in Forfar, as well as at Brechin and Peterhead, during the last campaign but the opening of Cove’s new home this summer has given them a base closer to the city.
Reserve League games will be played on Monday afternoons and youth-team fixtures will be held on Fridays. It should allow more Dons fans to watch the younger teams during the week, rather than having to travel further afield.
Paul Sheerin, reserve and youth team manager, said: “We are delighted to have a base to play out of for the entire season. It will be better for the players and our preparations for the games.
“Having to search about for a pitch that was free to host them, as we had to before, was far from ideal. Hopefully, the move back to Aberdeen will also give more of our fans the chance to come along and support the side.”
The first game of the partnership will be held today at 4pm, with Aberdeen facing Motherwell in the Scottish Youth League. Their first Reserve League home game is against Falkirk on August 27.
Cove chairman Keith Moorhouse said: “We have long standing, good, relationship with Aberdeen and are pleased they have chosen Balmoral Stadium to house the matches. I’m sure the people of Cove will welcome the chance to have them played on their doorstep.”
The Dons played at the official opening of the Balmoral Stadium last month, which was abandoned early due to an injury to Cove’s Jordon Brown.