Cove Rangers
Balmoral Stadium
Capacity:
2,602 (Seats 410)
Address:
Wellington Circle, Aberdeen, AB12 3JG
Telephone:
01224 392111
Pitch Size:
105 x 68 yards
Pitch Type:
Artificial 4G
Club Nickname:
Wee Rangers or Toonsers
Year Ground Opened:
2018
Home Kit:
Blue and White
Cove Rangers had been without their own ground for a number of seasons after leaving Allan Park in 2015, which had been their home since 1948. Balmoral Stadium was completed in time for the start of the 2018/19 season. This new stadium is quite small but functional, for a team newly promoted to the Scottish Football League. On the South side of the stadium is the small Main Stand which straddles the halfway line. It runs for about a quarter of the length of the pitch and has 324 seats spread across four blocks. This stand is covered and the roof sits quite high above the seating as at the back of the stand is a glassed frontage for other club facilities, including a hospitality suite. This stand also houses the dressing rooms and club offices. There are flat standing areas to each side, and the team dugouts are this side of the pitch.
On the opposite side, there are three small prefabricated stands, that are spaced apart. The centre one straddles the half way line and has four rows of seats, totalling 86 seats. The two other stands are identical with seven steps of terrace, one overlooking each half of the pitch. The remainder of this side is flat standing. Both ends are open flat standing areas. The skyline behind the North side is dominated by a particularly ugly communication pylon and some less obtrusive pylons and wires. There are four floodlight pylons running down each side of the pitch.
Games are rarely segregated at the Balmoral Stadium. When segregation is in force then the East End and half of the North Side, plus some of the seats in the Main Stand can be allocated. The North Side includes a small covered terrace, whilst apart from the Main Stand the rest of the visitors’ areas are uncovered. Normally a warm and friendly welcome is given to visiting fans.
There is a small ‘fan zone’ clubhouse bar at the stadium which welcomes visiting fans. As the ground is located on an industrial estate, which is about out of town too, then there is not much else nearby in terms of drinking places. One exception is the Wellington Hotel on Wellington Road (the A956) which has a sizeable bar. It is located around half a mile, or a ten minute walk away from the stadium. There is also the Landykes on Loriston Road, in Cove, located just under a mile to the east of the ground.
The Balmoral Stadium is located to the South of Aberdeen.
From The South
Leave the A92 and take the A956 towards Altens. On reaching a roundabout with a Burger King and a Shell Garage on the left-hand side. Take the first exit towards the retail park and then follow the road as it first bears around to the right into the industrial estate, passing the Royal Mail office on the left. The ground is at the end of this road.
From The North
Follow the A92 around Aberdeen heading towards Dundee. After crossing the Bridge over the River Dee, then at the next roundabout, take the first exit onto the B9077, signposted Altens Industrial Estate. Go straight over the next two roundabouts and at the third, take the third exit onto the A956, towards Perth. You will then pass the Wellington Pub & Grill on your right and a Shell Garage on your left. At the next roundabout where there are a Burger King and a Shell Garage on the right-hand side. Take the fourth exit towards the small retail park and then follow the road as it first bears around to the right, into the industrial estate passing the Royal Mail office on the left. The ground is at the end of this road.
Car Parking
There is a small car park at the ground. Otherwise, there is street parking available on roads around the Balmoral Industrial Estate that the ground is located in.
Aberdeen Railway Station is around three miles away from the Balmoral Stadium and is uphill most of the way, so it is rather far to walk. However, there is a very good bus service that will take you along the A956 near to the stadium. From Aberdeen Railway Station cross the road to the other side of Guild Street. The First Aberdeen Number 3 bus goes from here towards Cove. After passing a Shell Garage on the left, then at the next roundabout (where there is another Shell Garage on the right and a Burger King) get off and follow the road in-between Shell and Burger King into the small Retail Park and then the Industrial Estate. The stadium is at the end of this road. The bus takes about 15 minutes and runs every 15 minutes during the day, reducing to half hourly in the evenings. There is one back after an evening game. You can view timetables on the First Group website.
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Seating*
Adults £14, Concessions £8
Terrace
Adults £12, Concessions £6
* The terrace price is paid on the gate with a further £2 payable inside to transfer to the Main Stand.
Official Matchday Programme £2.
From Highland League days, Inverurie and Huntly. The closest team in Scottish League Two is Elgin City.
Cove Rangers FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).
There are spaces for wheelchair users and helpers. These must be booked with the Club by calling: 01224 392111.
1,995 v Berwick Rangers
Pyramid Play Off Final First Leg
11th May 2019
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Official Website: www.coverangersfc.com
Official Social Media
Twitter: @CoveRangersFC
Facebook: CoveRangersFC
Special thanks to Brian Scott for providing the photos of the Balmoral Stadium and a lot of the information for this page.
Cove Rangers v Raith Rovers
Scottish League Cup, Group Stage
Saturday 27th July 2019, 3pm
Tony Smith (Doing the 134)
Cove Rangers v Dundee
Scottish League Cup Group Stage
Wednesday 17th July 2019, 7.45pm
James Prentice (Doing the 42)
Cove Rangers v Brechin City
Scottish League 2
Saturday 16th November 2019, 3pm
Arthur Morris (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Balmoral Stadium?
This match was selected by my mate Ian, I was dubious about the fixture but the match and the whole event exceeded my expectations considerably.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The ground is about three miles away from Aberdeen City Centre. We took a taxi to what we thought was a nearby pub but it was a mile or so from the ground. Balmoral Stadium is at the end of an industrial estate, it is not well signposted and where there was a fork in the road we took the wrong option, as did a number of people travelling by car.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
A few pints followed by a trip to Burger King on the way to the ground set us up for the afternoon.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Balmoral Stadium?
The ground is modern and its location is at the back of an "industrial beyond", but once inside the atmosphere is very friendly. This was an international weekend and it was clear that there were a number of visitors completing the "42". The description of the ground is more than adequately covered on this site, it is similar to a number of senior non-league grounds in England. with a small modern Main Stand with the remainder being mostly standing but with no terracing.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Cove won the game 3 0 but in truth, it could have been a lot more. Brechin defended resolutely for three-quarters of the match but, once they conceded the first goal the game was up.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
This was straightforward, a mile walk back to the pre-match pub, a pint or two, followed by a taxi back to Aberdeen.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I hear that Cove Rangers are not well-liked amongst their ex-Highland League rivals but for a neutral, there was nothing to dislike, a really friendly crowd and, on the day of our visit, an absorbing game to watch.
Cove Rangers v Queen's Park
Scottish League 2
Saturday 22nd February 2020, 3pm
Derek Hall (Neutral)
Game Attended
Kelty Hearts v CowdenbeathCompetition
Scottish League TwoDate
31/07/2021Kick Off Time
3pmTeam Supported
Neutral - re-completing the Scottish 42Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
As Kelty Hearts have replaced Brechin City in the SPFL, my wife and I needed to 'do' the ground as part of The Ground-Hoppers SPFL 42.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Travelling from England, simply head for The Queensferry Crossing (over The Forth) and head up the M90. Turn right, at Junction 4, and the A909 takes you straight into the centre of Kelty (about 1 mile). At the junction with the B917, turn left onto Main Street, then take the 3rd right onto Bath Street. The ground (New Central Park) is about 100 yards, on your left.What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We had a pleasant time in the Kelty Hearts Social Club, where, because of my disabilities, we were well looked-after by the lovely Claire. To get there in my wheelchair, once we'd entered the ground at the South Terrace entrance, I was pushed by a really helpful steward, Indeed, it has to be said that all the stewards we met and came across, were exceptionally friendly and helpful and we ended-up watching the game with husband and wife, Glenn and Jane Anderson. Both were Rangers fans but Glenn was supporting Kelty, for the day, and Jane was a Blue Brazil fan. Thanks to you all.What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
As Kelty have replaced Brechin City (and their famous 'hedge'), in the SPFL, it is pleasing to see that the (north) away-end has a lovely 'hedge' of trees behind it. Both terraces behind the goals are open-ends, with no roofing. But the two terraces, in each half of the east-side, do have roofing - and there is a little smokers' den between them (facing away from the pitch). The west stand has seating for over 300 fans. The only gripe I have is that, the lay-out of the ground is not especially helpful for people in wheelchairs - and I would suggest that they build a little, roofed-enclosure, in the south-east corner of the ground (as this is the main access point to the stadium).Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a thoroughly-entertaining derby match, with Kelty proving to be worthy winners. As previously-stated, all the stewards and club officials we met were so friendly and helpful. They could not have done more for us than what they did. The strange thing not, just before kick-off, is that the opposing teams came onto the pitch from diagonally-opposed parts of the ground - and - unlike all other teams in the lower leagues of the SPFL, Kelty had their players' names on the back of their shirts, rather than just the sponsors' names. All prices for food and drink, in the social club, were very reasonable - where you can buy pies, pies and beans, burgers and such like. My steak pie, at £2.50, was really tasty - but my wife had a mince pie (for £2) which was quite average.Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
As we arrived 2 hours before the game, we were parked just yards away from the entrance to the South Terrace (which is the main entrance per se). There is a large field there to accommodate many cars. We got away quite quickly and were back onto the M90 within 5 minutes or so.Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
This was a fabulous day-out and I would recommend all ground-hoppers getting there early, in order to take advantage of the hospitality in the welcoming social club. But I would hope that club does make it that bit easier for people with mobility issues. However, it is a smashing little club - which is extremely well-supported for its size - and I would not be surprised to see them imitate the success of Cove Rangers.Images
Game Attended
Cove Rangers V Dunfermline AthleticCompetition
FriendlyDate
25/06/2022Kick Off Time
13:00Team Supported
Dunfermline AthleticWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
One of the few Scottish grounds to tick off the list.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The ground is in the middle of an industrial estate but easy enough to find. Parking is available next to the ground or in the surrounding estate.What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went to the social club and enjoyed a very friendly welcome. Pint of tennents priced at £3.50.What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
The ground is fine. There is one very small stand and the rest is standing with no terrace. This means there is very little depth and so the view is pretty poor.Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Typical friendly game, Dunfermline won 2-0.Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Wasn’t the biggest of crowds and so no bother at all. The ground is easily accessible by car.Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Good to tick another ground off the list. The social club and welcome is great, the ground itself not so much.Images
Game Attended
Cove Rangers v DundeeCompetition
Scottish ChampionshipDate
04/10/2022Kick Off Time
19.45Team Supported
DundeeWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
One of only two Scottish grounds I hadn't previously visited and one of the very few I'd never seen Dundee play onHow easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Pretty straightforward. As this was an evening game I opted to stay overnight in Aberdeen afterwards and found a nice hotel close to the ground so it was only a short walk. I followed the excellent instructions on this website and found the stadium with no problemWhat you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
As I was staying in The Aberdeen Altens Hotel nearby I had a meal and drink in their restaurant. Pretty standard pub food and not a huge range of beers to choose from but it was perfectly acceptable. As far as I could see their Keg and Coast bar is open to non residents so might be a spot for a pre match beer/meal as there didn't seem to be much else around. Not much contact with home fans but everything seemed pretty quiet and peacefulWhat you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
It's a small but neat and tidy stadium. Main stand and both ends are now covered though not sure how much protection you'd get on a bad weather day. For old school football fans like me it's sadly lacking in any real characterComment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
I expect the Cove fans enjoyed the game as Dundee were rank bad and were easily beaten 3-1. Atmosphere was subdued due to a small crowd. Stewards were helpful and friendly and toilet facilites were adequateComment on getting away from the ground after the game
No problems getting away and I was back at my hotel 15 mnutes after the final whistleSummary of overall thoughts of the day out
An OK day out though my team were disappointing and I've now done 41 of the current 42 Scottish groundsImages