Statoil deal will help Dons keep hold of young talent

Last updated : 12 December 2014 By Stand Free Ed

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Yule spoke after announcing a new sponsorship with international energy company Statoil.

The Norwegian energy company employs 120 people in Aberdeen and is building its new UK North Sea headquarters at Kingswells, and has now agreed a seven-year deal to invest a six-figure sum in the Dons' youth system.

Yule told RedWeb: "The importance of the club's need to produce its own talent can never be over emphasised.

"We will invest in improving the standard of our coaches and players and we want to make this club the benchmark for youth development in Europe.

"We run seven teams from under-10 to under-17 which play on a weekly basis and it takes commitment, resources and a lot of effort to manage.

"In the past there have been gems of players from Aberdeen and the surrounding area who have passed through the net, but I'm hoping this announcement is the start of us tightening that net to ensure more are caught.

"It started 18 months ago for the club, when we moved from having three part-time youth scouts covering Tayside to Moray. We now have 12 youth scouts on the payroll with a further 12 network scouts behind each one covering the same area. Statoil's support will allow us to push on and develop and improve those links."