Aberdeen pulled the TV plug on their scheduled Premiership fixture against Dundee at Dens Park next Monday night and managed to upset many of their fans.

With two players chosen for Scotland duty next week - Mark Reynolds with the senior squad, Lawrence Shankland in the under-21s and Niall McGinn involved in the Northern Ireland set-up - the Dons agreed for the game to be played this Saturday as BT Sport confirmed they would still televise it with a 12.15pm kick-off.

The new arrangements have not gone down well with some members of the Red Army, however, with one supporters' club secretary having spent 18 hours trying to fill seats on a bus as members withdrew because of work commitments.

Another fans' chief complained it was too short notice to make travel arrangements for the Saturday game.

Iain Ramsay, secretary of the Fraserburgh Supporters' Club, revealed that, even on the day the Monday night date was announced, one of his members telephone Pittodrie's ticket office to remind them that, as the game was due international week, there was a likelihood of a change of date for the Dens Park fixture.

"The information seemed to fall on deaf ears," said Nr Ransay.

"When I heard of the change, I spent up to 18 hours on the phone trying to find people to fill the seats on the supporters' bus left vacant because of call-offs.

"It was a bit of a nightmare.

"Half the guys, who were to be off work for the Monday night game, operate on shifts and have to fulfil their duties on Saturday.

"It was very short warning and while we've managed to match-up available tickets with new people now travelling, some are left with tickets they can't use.

"Out of the original 30 who were going, we're eight down, but even then we have to contend with a lunch-time kick-off to suit TV which will mean an early start for us for what will be a round trip of more than five hours."

Many members of the 100-strong D&G Supporters' Club in Dumfries, who did not plan to attend the Monday night, would have travelled to Dundee for the Saturday, but have found the change too short notice to book transport.

Club secretary Colin Maxwell said: "We wouldn't be able to arrange a bus at this late stage because our members live as far south as Stranraer and from different parts of Dumfries and Galloway. It's disappointing.

"I would have thought the club would have realised when the Monday night fixture was announced that they might have had players involved in the international games."

Aberdeen, meanwhile, apologised for the decision to switch the game, saying they full understood the supporters' frustrations.

A club statement read: "In the first instance, Aberdeen FC was disappointed that a popular match on the fixture calendar was moved to a Monday evening during an international week, given the possibility of player call ups.

"Given the club's current position in the league it is essential that all our players are available and, following discussions with all parties, this would not have been the case if the fixture proceeded as planned on the Monday.

"The club did investigate whether the game could have been rescheduled for a later date but with the league split happening next month, finding an alternative date would have been extremely challenging.

"While we recognise supporters initially may have preferred the Saturday TV slot of 12.15, and more fans will now be able to go to the game, we also appreciate a number of supporters will be unable to attend the match and others will have had their weekend and travel plans disrupted.

"Any supporters who have bought a ticket for the Monday night and are now unable to attend will get a full refund."

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