Aberdeen F.C. Reserves and Academy

As of 2019, the reserves do not have a constant home ground. Their fixtures are normally played at lower league stadia outwith Aberdeen, either at Glebe Park in Brechin, Balmoor Stadium in Peterhead or Station Park in Forfar – although occasionally matches are played at Pittodrie Stadium. In the 2018–19 season, their nominated ground was the recently completed Balmoral Stadium, home of Cove Rangers.[8]

In the event that the long-awaited New Aberdeen Stadium is completed, the youth training facilities would certainly move to that location and some of the Reserve League fixtures may also take place there.

Aberdeen's geographical isolation from much of Scotland's population is an advantage to the Dons' player recruitment to some extent, as they are the only major club in a region of over 500,000 people so generally have the pick of the promising youngsters in the city and shire. The relative economic power of the club also means that players from the Central Belt are frequently persuaded to move north, and over the decades many of Aberdeen's successful youth products (not least Willie Miller, McLeish, Black, Leighton, McMaster and later Joe Miller, Phil McGuire, Diamond and Chris Maguire) have moved from the west of Scotland to begin their professional careers.[9] In the 21st century Aberdeen have also looked further afield to the English lower leagues for academy recruits as well as senior players.

In 2017, the Aberdeen academy was one of eight across the country designated 'elite' status on the introduction of Project Brave, an SFA initiative to concentrate the development of the best young players at a smaller number of clubs with high quality facilities and coaching than was previously the case.[10][11]

The Reserves head coach is Paul Sheerin, and the head of the youth academy is Neil Simpson.

As of 1 February 2021[12][13]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 23 MF  SCO Ethan Ross 27 MF  SCO Mark Gallagher 28 FW  SCO Michael Ruth 29 DF  SCO Jack MacKenzie 30 GK  SCO Tom Ritchie 34 MF  SCO Kevin Hanratty 35 DF  ENG Mason Hancock 37 DF  SCO Kieran Ngwenya 38 DF  IRL Luke Turner 42 FW  NGA Michael Dangana

No. Pos. Nation Player 44 DF  SCO Calvin Ramsay 45 MF  SCO Jack Milne 46 MF  SCO Ryan Duncan 47 DF  SCO Evan Towler 48 MF  SCO Jack Maciver 52 MF  SCO Finn Yeats — GK  NGA Blessing Oloyumi — DF  SCO Lyall Booth — DF  IRL Connor Power

Out on loan[N 1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 31 MF  SCO Connor Barron (On loan at Brechin City) — MF  SCO Tyler Mykyta (On loan at Turriff United)

Reserves

• SFL Division C (North-East)[1]
  • Winners: 1952–53, 1954–55
  • Runners-up: 1950–51, 1953–54
• Scottish Reserve League[lower-alpha 1][14]
  • Winners (4): 1955–56, 1972–73, 1981–82, 1986–87
• Scottish Football Alliance[14]
  • Winners: 1932–33, 1935–36
• Scottish Reserve League Cup[14]
  • Winners (9): 1950–51, 1951–52, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1978–79, 1984–85, 1996–97
• Scottish 2nd XI Cup[14]
  • Winners (6): 1954–55, 1955–56, 1968–69, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82

Youth

• Scottish Youth Cup
  • Winners (3): 1985, 1986, 2001
  • Runners-up: 2003, 2018
• SPFL Development League[lower-alpha 2]
  • Winners: 1998–99, 2014–15
  • Runners-up: 1994–95, 2012–13
• SFL Youth League[lower-alpha 3]
  • Winners: 1993–94, 1997–98

This list focuses on the players who have graduated through Aberdeen's academy since the inception of the SPL in 1998. many other of Aberdeen's earlier notable players, including most of the highly successful Alex Ferguson era also came through the youth system. Players currently at Aberdeen in bold

• Under-20s at Aberdeen official website
• Academy overview at Aberdeen official website
• Squad including Under-20s at Aberdeen FC Heritage Trust
• Aberdeen U20 at Soccerway