Andy Halliday tells Aberdeen FC fans to fill Pittodrie before taking aim at Hearts' away ticket policy

Andy Halliday has launched a crowd dig at Aberdeen in defence of Hearts' ticket policy this season.

The Jambos have slashed allocations for travelling fans of every Premiership club except Hibs, who will continue to get the whole Roseburn Stand for Edinburgh derbies. Everyone else however, will be limited to just one section - around 650 seats - for league clashes as Hearts look to take care of their own fans first after record season ticket sales, a 7000 waiting list and increased demand for walk up sales.

The Dandies were unhappy last season when they trip to Tynecastle in May saw them afforded the reduced number. However, the Pittodrie club have plans to follow suit, which could see Celtic and Rangers handed just 300 tickets for trips to the North East. There is a feelgood factor around the club after pipping Hearts to third last season and securing European group stage football.

But Halliday was keen to point out the numbers difference between the Dons and the Jambos when quizzed on his club's approach to dishing out tickets to travelling supporters. Speaking at the Open Goal fans forum, he said: “I don’t understand the hilarity around it. If you can sell the amount of season tickets we have then why give them up?”

When an Aberdeen punter quoted their 12,500 season ticket sales this summer, Halliday quipped: “Listen, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Pittodrie full so if we’re talking about full stadiums then…

“There was 15k early sales (at Hearts). You’ve still got two and a half thousand to go so hopefully that comes over the next couple of seasons. See as long as the stadium is full or as close to full capacity as possible, work around dishing out away tickets from there.

“St Mirren had a lock out for Old Firm fans