Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne believes the proposed new stadium and training facilities can secure the club’s future for the next 40 years.
The planning application for the stadium and training facilities at Kingsford, Westhill, will be submitted in January 2017.
Milne insists the next five years represent a crucial phase of the club’s history.
He said: “We believe there is an opportunity in the next five years, where, if we can deliver the stadium, training facility and on the pitch, we can set this club up for the next 30 to 40 years.
“The overall cost of delivering the facilities will be £50million, with the training and community facility costing £10million and the stadium a further £40million.
“It is going to be a massive challenge to raise the funds but I’d like to think there are people here who can help us.”
Milne insists the progress of the football team is integral to the club’s attempt to deliver a new stadium and training facilities.
The Dons chairman is determined to give manager Derek McInnes the tools he needs to make the team more competitive and is adamant the club’s attempts to raise £50million for the cost of building the stadium and training ground will not hamper the manager’s transfer plans.
“We face several challenges. Number one is to continue to grow the football budget as what happens on the pitch gives us the momentum to tackle the challenges of the next few years.
“We believe we have to work hard to try to grow the support to get behind Derek and the team.”
The chairman is frustrated the success of the team has not been reflected by the number of supporters coming to Pittodrie and has appealed for the people of Aberdeen and the surrounding area to get behind McInnes and his players.
He said: “We’ve seen the growth at Hearts and Hibs but unfortunately ours is going the other way.
“The team is the driving force within any club and irrespective of the challenges we have got over the next three to five years the team will remain the number one priority.
“We have got to keep the momentum going in the football operation as that will help us deliver the other elements of the club.
“Derek, Tony Docherty and the players deserve enormous credit for taking the club to the level it is at today but Derek is an ambitious guy. He wants to deliver more success and play in Europe every year and eventually reach the group stages.
“Derek has shown his commitment to the club and has also convinced other players to make the same commitment. He has been a central part in us not only bringing in very good players but also retaining them.”