HibeeJibee Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Not 100% sure where this thread should go - embraces Queen's Park, cups and internationals. Number of Sunday papers are carrying quotes from the outgoing chairman of the SPFL, Ralph Topping - criticising the condition and purpose of Hampden Park. He labels it an anachronism in the modern age, says it isn't a real national stadium, and is calling for internationals and cup finals to be moved away after 2020. Suggests sharing them around the country, though he says that using Murrayfield may not be an option due to "angst" and "not believing the footballing public would be happy at the home of Scottish rugby". While accepting the history tradition and neutral venue status associated with Hampden he says sentimentality can't be allowed to rule the day and the economic case for using the other Glasgow venues should prevail in any negotiations. As regards Hampden itself he proposes that Queen's Park sell the stadium - for housing? - to pay off debt, debentures and liable grants still outstanding, then move to playing at Lesser Hampden. Competitive internationals, cup finals and most semifinals would be played at Ibrox and Celtic Park - with friendlies and remaining cup SFs in Edinburgh or Aberdeen. He suggests OF cup derbies be settled on the toss of a coin. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoobles Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Great idea that most fans have wanted for years. Shame he's waited until he's leaving to air his views Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moo Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 What a sausage waiting to he decides to leave to speak out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I'd be curious to know what the Queen's Park fans think of leaving Hampden. I'd have thought that playing at a massive stadium with a small crowd would be a bit shite. No doubt there's a disparaging comment about the glorious Indodrill on the way after their visit yesterday, though I've always liked the idea of the national team touring the country. It's something the English should have done, and it was hugely popular when they tried it, but the lure of the prestigious monolith in the capital was too great. Wouldn't be surprised if the idea of the mandarins having to leave London occasionally would have swayed the decision too. I wonder if the SFA have similar feelings of anathema towards visiting the Scotland that exists outside of Glasgow/Edinburgh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flybhoy Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Its an embarrasment of a national stadium. They should raise it to the ground, awful venue to watch football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 43 minutes ago, scoobles said: Great idea that most fans have wanted for years. Shame he's waited until he's leaving to air his views Do most fans actually want to forevermore play Scotland internationals, cup finals and most SFs at Ibrox and Parkhead, though? As opposed to a new stadium (which won't happen due to cost) or Murrayfield (which the authorities always seem to immediately rule-out). We don't have any other stadiums over 20k - even once Tynecastle and New Pittodrie completed. Even if you set aside the history or neutrality of Hampden - I'd have thought that was quite controversial. It would mean even more money going to OF - Celtic made more from the 2014 Scottish Cup Final than finalists St Johnstone and Dundee United did, IIRC. It would also mean OF playing at home - authorities said they "had" to set venues in advance hence Rangers v Dundee Utd SF in 2014 was played at Ibrox. I certainly wouldn't favour that, tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 1 minute ago, HibeeJibee said: Do most fans actually want to forevermore play Scotland internationals, cup finals and most SFs at Ibrox and Parkhead, though? Most certainly not. Sooner or later this pandering to the bigots will see the demise of Scottish football. They have caused enough damage already imo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milnzo Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Hampden is awful and should be done away with. Semi finals at the OF grounds though? Nope, eff that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 5 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said: Do most fans actually want to forevermore play Scotland internationals, cup finals and most SFs at Ibrox and Parkhead, though? No. f**k that shit if that's the plan. I'd been assuming there'd be plenty of lower-attendance games scattered around the rest of the country. Maybe the plan is to reduce the average attendance to fit our stadia by making the national side unremittingly shite, in which case maybe I'll get to see a Scotland game at the Recs in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williemillersmoustache Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Hampden is fucking rotten. It's in a terrible location in the wrong part of the country, it's a nightmare to get to and it is a catastrophically shite match day experience for the fans. However, the only thing worse than Hampden would be just funneling more revenue into them and / or giving them another home tie. Stop moaning, we're stuck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Mind when everyone went mental on here after someone claimed the only sensible solution was a new stadium on the outskirts of Stirling? Happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted March 26, 2017 Author Share Posted March 26, 2017 1 minute ago, BigFatTabbyDave said: No. f**k that shit if that's the plan. I'd been assuming there'd be plenty of lower-attendance games scattered around the rest of the country. Maybe the plan is to reduce the average attendance to fit our stadia by making the national side unremittingly shite, in which case maybe I'll get to see a Scotland game at the Recs in a few years. Couldn't tell you the last time a Scottish Cup Final or League Cup Final, or a competitive international, got under 20k... They'd all have to be at Ibrox or Parkhead, plus majority of cup SFs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Gaines Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I'd have no problem with it being Ibrox and Parkhead as the important thing is that they are much, much better grounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Just now, HibeeJibee said: Couldn't tell you the last time a Scottish Cup Final or League Cup Final, or a competitive international, got under 20k... They'd all have to be at Ibrox or Parkhead, plus majority of cup SFs. Yeah, I hadn't thought about the domestic games. That just makes the whole idea very grim. Might suit the SFA, though, if it wasn't for the loss of prestige that having a national stadium comes with. You'd think that Celtic/Rangers would also gain a bit more influence within the game too, as the notion that they could refuse to lease their ground out would always be there, and would be more potent than it is now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shull Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I would rather rental money went to Scottish Rugby than to those in charge of Celtic & Sevco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacksgranda Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 50 minutes ago, HibeeJibee said: Not 100% sure where this thread should go - embraces Queen's Park, cups and internationals. Number of Sunday papers are carrying quotes from the outgoing chairman of the SPFL, Ralph Topping - criticising the condition and purpose of Hampden Park. He labels it an anachronism in the modern age, says it isn't a real national stadium, and is calling for internationals and cup finals to be moved away after 2020. Suggests sharing them around the country, though he says that using Murrayfield may not be an option due to "angst" and "not believing the footballing public would be happy at the home of Scottish rugby". While accepting the history tradition and neutral venue status associated with Hampden he says sentimentality can't be allowed to rule the day and the economic case for using the other Glasgow venues should prevail in any negotiations. As regards Hampden itself he proposes that Queen's Park sell the stadium - for housing? - to pay off debt, debentures and liable grants still outstanding, then move to playing at Lesser Hampden. Competitive internationals, cup finals and most semifinals would be played at Ibrox and Celtic Park - with friendlies and remaining cup SFs in Edinburgh or Aberdeen. He suggests OF cup derbies be settled on the toss of a coin. Thoughts? That's a good idea, saves all the bother of having a match with its accompanying mayhem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Man Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I take it Celtic and Rangers would be getting paid for the national team using their stadiums? Get that idea to f**k in that case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennett Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Hampden is the national stadium, end of.... This is a subtle way of getting cup games/internationals played at parkheid, with other teams getting the odd token game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjc Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 Funny how Celtic could deal easily enough with the SRU for renting Murrayfield a couple of years ago yet our SFA can't, eh? Why is that? As for giving the OF more money for using their stadiums for Internationals and Cup SF/Finals......GTF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Illgresi Posted March 26, 2017 Share Posted March 26, 2017 I think having a national stadium is important, and I certainly wouldn't want cup finals for ever more at Celtic Park or Ibrox. Hampden is gash though, so sell the land and build something state of the art around about Stirling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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