Stewart Regan says SFA board will consider Hampden's future next month

[the_ref]

Hampden is the home of Scottish football and should remain so. Sadly the last redevelopment wasn't thought through properly and the atmosphere isn't the same as it once was. I would love to see the place rebuilt in roughly the same location. It has happened twice before. In fact, my old house stands on what was the footprint of the original Hampden. More or less where Queens Park Bowling Club is now. Will the Scottish government find the money for this? I highly doubt it. What a shame.

what is the rationale for it being built in the same place? It's a pain the backside to get to and from. If we were rebuilding, then it should be with a thought to easy access for fans, not just using a site for historical reasons.

However, it's a moot point, as the economy of Scottish football means that rebuilding a stadium for a handful of uses a year, would be utter madness.

 

[wakerickman]

what is the rationale for it being built in the same place? It's a pain the backside to get to and from. If we were rebuilding, then it should be with a thought to easy access for fans, not just using a site for historical reasons.

However, it's a moot point, as the economy of Scottish football means that rebuilding a stadium for a handful of uses a year, would be utter madness.

Tradition, and admittedly, selfishness on my part. I still live in the area ;-)

 

[SouthernGer]

Hampden park is an iconic name in world football. There are very few other venues that can rival it's place in the history of the game. The Government should completely rebuild it into a multi purpose arena befitting the title of National Stadium.
We must always have a neutral venue in this country.

There is no money to pay for a new stadium. It’s also highly unlikely Scotland will qualify for competitions ever again on a regular basis, a requirement if a new stadium is to be built.

The opportunity to build a new Hampden was lost when the SFA squandered £50m on a new main stand. The Welsh showed how it should be done.

Murrayfield and/or rotation of club grounds is the only option.

 

[Dumfriesbear]

The idea of using Murray has been bandied about before but it is the police who always shoot that idea down. They will not have over 50000 old firm fans travelling through to Edinburgh for a match.
They would not be able to control it.
Saying that we all know it won't matter a jot as it is going to the peadodome so that liewell has an even bigger retirement fund and dirty des has more money to squirrel away tax free.
Feck the tims and the sfa - same snakes different name

Im sure Bhernard Higgins will have had an input suggesting the paedodome for policing purposes naturally.

 

[flesher]

Hampden is the oldest continuously used international ground in the world. It holds pretty much every attendance record worth a damn. It is owned by Queens Park who, though they are now a tiny team, pretty much founded modern world football in the period 1867 - 1893. Their principled adherence to amateurism does mean that they are unbiased when it comes to who makes money from the Game.

Yes, both ends are appalling, but if the SFA are responsible for any project, then you should hope for everything, but expect nothing. Both ends should be rebuilt with money from the Government.

I expect that the Police would put the kybosh on any attempt to have Rangers and Celtic fans heading off down the motorway to Murrayfield. One overlooked point is that hiring non football grounds takes money out of the game: in this case going to Rugby.

 

[devilman]

I'd prefer they didn't move away from Hampden to be honest. I don't think transport wise Murrayfield is much better. Granted, it's a much better stadium but too much has been invested in Hampden for it to just be left to rot. Queens Park would have no chance in keeping it going so it would just end up being shut down completely.

Hampden could have and should have been a vastly better stadium for the cash spent on it.

 

[Dazza]

There is no money to pay for a new stadium. It’s also highly unlikely Scotland will qualify for competitions ever again on a regular basis, a requirement if a new stadium is to be built.

The opportunity to build a new Hampden was lost when the SFA squandered £50m on a new main stand. The Welsh showed how it should be done.

Murrayfield and/or rotation of club grounds is the only option.

Nonsense.

Qualifying for the next European Championships will be so straightforward all they need to do is turn up.

 

[Virgil Hilts]

The S F A should never get another bean in lottery funding when this comes to pass.

 

[Delboy]

Why the hell should we put money in the coffers of Scottish Rugby? It doesnt make sense. Surely the most sensible thing would be to rotate the big games between Ibrox and the piggery and the lesser games in the Capital and up at sheepsville.

 

[Calgacus]

Hampden is the home of our game. It should have been redeveloped properly, but it wasn't. There's space enough outside the main stand for fan zones etc. but we just have a car park.

I'd rather keep the money in football so that's a no to Murrayfield and if it comes down to a choice between Ibrox & the recently spruced up piggery (and surrounding area) then you know what they'll pick.
It's a selection of poor choices, but the best of the poor choices is Hampden.

 

[SouthernGer]

Nonsense.

Qualifying for the next European Championships will be so straightforward all they need to do is turn up.

I said on a regular basis, the next Euros will be easy, but we need consistency to bring in income to sustain any new stadium.

 

[Willger]

There is no money to pay for a new stadium. It’s also highly unlikely Scotland will qualify for competitions ever again on a regular basis, a requirement if a new stadium is to be built.

The opportunity to build a new Hampden was lost when the SFA squandered £50m on a new main stand. The Welsh showed how it should be done.

Murrayfield and/or rotation of club grounds is the only option.

There's always money, it's the will that's missing.

 

[Dazza]

I said on a regular basis, the next Euros will be easy, but we need consistency to bring in income to sustain any new stadium.

Qualifying for the Euros every 4 years will be consistency.

If mooted attempts to increase the number of participants in the World Cup happen as well, there's an even greater chance that they can qualify.

 

[Avengers]

If Hampden goes Scotland games should be shared around the country with big matches ałternating between us and the Tims. Old firm semi finals/final at murrayfield, all other teams can play at a suitable neutral venue like Tynecastle etc.

 

[Northhiglander]

You can't decry Hampden's transport links and then suggest that Murrayfield is an alternative.

In the last 20 years there has been at least 14 Glasgow teams in the Scottish Cup final. It's at least 15 when you look at the League Cup final. For the vast majority of Rangers and Celtic fans who attended these finals, Hampden was relatively straightforward to get to - far more so than Murrayfield would be.

I've noticed that you've said Scotland games but there is not a future that has Scotland games and domestic cup finals being played at different stadia.

They'll keep Hampden.

Murrayfield is better. Park and ride at Ingleston, station at Haymarket, tram at stadium, all better than Hamden. Getting back into Glasgow from Hampden is a joke. I usually walk. Poor facilities for the fans. Very poor. Driving to Hampden a total joke.

Also view inside stadium is piss poor. Yes games could be shared around, however we all know that would mean advantage to them.

 

[bigy]

Are the SFA really going to abandon Hampden 2/3 years before it hosts major European Championship games?

 

[alexg123]

Hampden park is an iconic name in world football. There are very few other venues that can rival it's place in the history of the game. The Government should completely rebuild it into a multi purpose arena befitting the title of National Stadium.
We must always have a neutral venue in this country.

If it moves to the piggery that's me finished watching Scotland because it will be like watching ROI playing in dark blue jerseys and they will never ever have the crowds that used to watch OUR National team . It will just become a poetfest and if it has to move then it should be Murrayfield but due to it's history, Hampden should be rebuilt to the best standards possible .

 

[chickenhawk]

To me the SFA blazzers are so full of self importance they will want their own stadium and offices.
If it moves to Parkheid they will be playing to 10,000 crowds during a bad run. We wont be happy and i dont think smaller clubs will be happy Celtic making more £££ while Kilmarnocks , Motherwell, Dundees struggle to stay afloat. Can see some of them staying away , i will be.

 

[daven37]

Long term all games will be at the girodome. Also the sfa plan to move there offices there and pay a fortune in compo to the dims. Part of the playing deal will see the maintenance of the place mostly paid by the sfa.

The sfa would not have their offices at the shitter. They would hire office space elsewhere and play Scotland games at whatever stadium they deemed fit which would more often than not the piggery.

Hampden should remain and should be upgraded again so we have a proper national stadium fit for purpose.

Rangers fans should claim the national team back and get rid of the snobs who currently pollute these games.

 

[muttley]

Folk have a bolt loose if they believe Ibrox will be awarded any big international ties by the SFA. Any important game will be at the Piggery due to it having a " bigger capacity". That excuse will always be the clincher, I'm afraid.

 

[Professor Yaffle]

Peter has already considered it and declared the Irish theme park to be the home of Scotland work that out!!

 

[pelem]

The first point of order is considering Reagan's position in that set up. The guys a failure, and a cock.

 

[Bazoo]

What ever makes the least sense it will be

 

[Dazza]

Murrayfield is better. Park and ride at Ingleston, station at Haymarket, tram at stadium, all better than Hamden. Getting back into Glasgow from Hampden is a joke. I usually walk. Poor facilities for the fans. Very poor. Driving to Hampden a total joke.

Also view inside stadium is piss poor. Yes games could be shared around, however we all know that would mean advantage to them.

We've established how straightforward travelling to Murrayfield is when there are only 14,000 away fans in attendance.

Double that number, double it again and then try to imagine the logistics of having 30,000 Rangers and Celtic fans travelling from Glasgow.

 

[Blues and Royals]

I suspect the decision to abandon Hampden has already been taken with the Pigsty earmarked for all major games while all the other Clubs, including us, fight for the Georgia, Latvia and San Marino scraps.

 

[Barclay the Bear]

they will debate it..but in the end they will stay at hampden. they have their plush offices there and their muesum .at the end of the day to you think they care about the supporter experience at hampden

 

[bnigmother]

Hampden is the oldest continuously used international ground in the world. It holds pretty much every attendance record worth a damn. It is owned by Queens Park who, though they are now a tiny team, pretty much founded modern world football in the period 1867 - 1893. Their principled adherence to amateurism does mean that they are unbiased when it comes to who makes money from the Game.

Yes, both ends are appalling, but if the SFA are responsible for any project, then you should hope for everything, but expect nothing. Both ends should be rebuilt with money from the Government.

I expect that the Police would put the kybosh on any attempt to have Rangers and Celtic fans heading off down the motorway to Murrayfield. One overlooked point is that hiring non football grounds takes money out of the game: in this case going to Rugby.

You make good points but frankly in an age where schools and hospitals are suffering cuts there is no way that the government will finance a redevelopment of Hampden.
Murrayfield is an option and security can be put in place to ensure problems don’t occur.