Kingsford Stadium: Aberdeen 'lacking top-class facilities', says Adam Rooney

Striker Adam Rooney has scored seven goals for Aberdeen this season

Striker Adam Rooney believes Aberdeen's proposed new £50m stadium and training facilities would play a "massive part" in luring new signings to the club.

Rooney feels without their own training ground, the Dons lag behind many counterparts in Scotland and England.

Aberdeen's plans for the Kingsford stadium were overwhelmingly approved by councillors on Monday.

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"You kind of expect a top club to have top-of-the-range facilities - it's kind of a given at most clubs," Rooney said.

"It plays a massive part, especially nowadays. Whether it's down in England or at a lot of the top Scottish clubs, they all have their own training ground.

"Hibs, Rangers, Celtic, whoever - they all have top-class facilities and it's something we lack here and really do need."

With no dedicated facilities, the Dons have used Balgownie and Gordon's Barracks, as well as the Aberdeen Sports Village and junior club Banks O'Dee to hold training sessions in recent seasons.

Rooney, 29, has played for Aberdeen since 2014 and is confident the club's planned move from Pittodrie will have wide-ranging benefits.

Derek McInnes has been forced to take his team around Aberdeen for training sessions

"A lot of the lads we're bringing up from England are coming from clubs who have their own training ground, their own indoor facilities," he said.

"It's very important for the youth team especially, if they want to do extra. I always remember when I was a kid, you'd be staying out for an extra hour or two after training to do extra work and practice different things, just because you could.

"Whereas here, we've all got to jump on minibuses on-time because all the lads have to get back and it's hard to do any extra.

"I think it'll play a massive part in the future, not just for attracting players from down south or elsewhere, but also for the young lads."

Derek McInnes' men face a trip to the Scottish Premiership's bottom side, Ross County, on Wednesday night.

Aberdeen relinquished second place last week with a 2-0 defeat by Rangers, who overtook them in the league standings.

They will swap places with the Glasgow sie - who won in Dingwall on Sunday - should they take a point, or more, from their meeting with the Staggies.

Aberdeen were 2-1 victors when Ross County visited Pittodrie in October

"It's always a difficult game, but we're confident and hoping to try and assert ourselves early on," Rooney said.

"We're not going to underestimate anyone. They're bottom, but they're going to be fighting for their lives and desperate to get themselves going.

"I don't think we've ever gone up there and enjoyed an easy night, so we don't expect anything different."