A "copycat" survey by a city's football club seems to mock the original - sent out by the local newspaper - and is being branded a "tit-for-tat" exercise by football fans.

Aberdeen FC fans have blasted what they see as a "petty" attack on the Evening Express.

A football club's web survey, identical except for the names involved, mirrors one from the newspaper asking fans what they thought of the club. The five-page questionnaire was e-mailed to fans by Aberdeen FC to ask what they think of the city's evening newspaper.

Editor Donald Martin said: "I do question whether the survey is a serious attempt to gather information or simply a disguised attack on the Evening Express.

"We always welcome feedback from readers and carry out our own extensive regular research. That has resulted in a number of changes to the newspaper.

"We have made a number of improvements to our sports coverage on the back of a detailed questionnaire we carried in the paper."

The Evening Express claims the football club survey - which covers a variety of topics - is a virtual carbon-copy of its own study on the club.

An article on the developments said: "Our survey asked - Do you think the current management team will lead the club to better things in the next three years?

"Their survey asks - Do you think the current editor and journalists will lead the paper to better things in the next three years?

"Our survey asked - Where do you think the Dons will finish this season and in three years' time?

"Their survey asks - Where do you think you will get your news in three years' time?

"Our survey asked - Do you think AFC is being run effectively?

"Their survey asked - Do you think the EE is being run effectively?

"The survey also asks for views on various Evening Express sections, from news and sports coverage to competitions and even our weather forecasts."

John Stephen, spokesman for the AFC supporters trust, described the exercise as "bizarre".

Former Dons captain Stewart McKimmie - whose performance as an Evening Express columnist is also an element of the questionnaire - said: "They should concentrate all their efforts on their own problems rather than being concerned with what's going on at the Evening Express."

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