The Big Queen's Park FC Thread

[Bring Your Own Socks]

2 hours ago, mcjameos said:

Puting aside the misinformation from our esteemed leader , moving any of this season's remaining league games just never made any sense to me.

Assuming the Thistle and Ayr games are on the telly, that’s two more opportunities to appear and tell everyone that if we make the playoffs we will definitely be playing at Lesser.

[EaglesandSpiders]

I'm beginning to think Lesser will be known as the La Sagrada Familia of Glasgow's south side 

[VincentGuerin]

1 hour ago, an86 said:

Dempster is the biggest grifter in Scottish football. Not only terrible at her job, but wholly dishonest at the same time. 

"She really is a TOP OPERATOR, and she's doing GREAT THINGS at Queens Park, isn't that right, Willie Miller?"

Edited March 29, 2023 by VincentGuerin

[Spider1975]

No surprise regarding the latest announcement regarding Lesser.  I'm sure OC will state outwardly that the playing/coaching staff remain focused and unaffected by all the off-field antics but would I be right I saying that all the league games we've lost at home have been Friday night fixtures?

If you have a business plan for the direction of a/the club which includes investment into the playing and coaching staff which it is hoped, ultimately leads to a promotion or two, (three?) then surely that plan should extend to future proofing the blank canvass that is your new stadium?  It is beyond belief that we should be going into any summer period with a new 'stadium' which is not guaranteed to be fit for purpose.  I had a good look at LH last night before the Spain game and there seems very little space to put anything meaningful behind the goals....it's looking more and more like Ainslie Park than something befitting the SPL.  The notion that we could pick and chose where to play dependent on whom we're playing is absolutely bonkers.  Between this and the Scottish Cup fiasco, I'm wondering where the accountability lies?

 

 

[mcjameos]

1 hour ago, an86 said:

Dempster is the biggest grifter in Scottish football. Not only terrible at her job, but wholly dishonest at the same time. 

In my youth, a Grifter was a pretty cool bike made by Raleigh. Clearly you mean something less fun

[Cyclops van Gogh 1867]

If (and I know that's still a big if!)we were to get promoted, I wouldn't have any issue with us playing all or just some games on either pitch within the' Hampden Campus'.

It seems to me that that's been the narrative since the very beginning of this phenomenal adventure. 

The recent comments from the National Team Squad re the improvements to Lesser would seem to be aimed at reinforcing the idea that a quid pro quo arrangement with the SFA would be ideal for all concerned.

Works for me!

 

[lubo_blaha]

Could the huge increase in games and concerts being held at Hampden affect Queens moving back there?

It now hosts all Scotland Women’s home games as well as the Scottish Women’s cup semifinals and final. The number of concerts has gone from generally one every summer to four or five.

You could be looking at 20-25 QP games being added to 15-20 existing games and 5 concerts over the course of a year. The surface is struggling as it is.

Would the SFA want to kick their women’s team (or cup) out after announcing Hampden as their new home? I doubt they’d want to reduce the number of concerts either as they will have been very lucrative for them as well.

[G_&_T]

1 hour ago, lubo_blaha said:

Could the huge increase in games and concerts being held at Hampden affect Queens moving back there?

It now hosts all Scotland Women’s home games as well as the Scottish Women’s cup semifinals and final. The number of concerts has gone from generally one every summer to four or five.

You could be looking at 20-25 QP games being added to 15-20 existing games and 5 concerts over the course of a year. The surface is struggling as it is.

Would the SFA want to kick their women’s team (or cup) out after announcing Hampden as their new home? I doubt they’d want to reduce the number of concerts either as they will have been very lucrative for them as well.

The women's team could play at Lesser...

[Spider Rico]

Remember when season tickets were marketed and one of the benefits was to “guarantee your seat for the return to Lesser Hampden”

 

[Johnny Worm]

6 hours ago, EaglesandSpiders said:

I'm beginning to think Lesser will be known as the La Sagrada Familia of Glasgow's south side 

[Arachnophile]

6 hours ago, EaglesandSpiders said:

I'm beginning to think Lesser will be known as the La Sagrada Familia of Glasgow's south side 

if only...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagrada_Família

[lubo_blaha]

2 hours ago, G_&_T said:

The women's team could play at Lesser...

With 90% of their usual crowd unable to get a ticket.

[Hampden Diehard]

On 26/03/2023 at 14:04, PB1994 said:

I just don’t think it is right to use Hampden as a cash cow to make millions in extra ticket revenue. That’s the only reason it is being discussed as an option, nothing to do with the History etc.

 

People are getting fairly righteous about what is fair.  Your own ground was built with approx 50% of the cost coming from taxpayers' funds.  How fair is that when some grounds are falling to bits with no local authority or enterprise company bailing them out?  Some clubs have wealthy owners or pools winners pumping money in, and that's not just us.  Is that fair to the clubs who, like Arbroath, seem to make a decent fist out of balancing the books without any of the above? 

Bottom line is, you take whatever you can to make your club better or to stay afloat.  Just like ICT.  You've benefitted greatly from the taxpayer and Tulloch Homes who gifted you the ground.   The SFA stole Hampden from us.  If we manage to get back there and make some money to make us a better side, it's karma.

[RandomGuy.]

On 26/03/2023 at 19:18, Tattie36 said:

Perhaps, but I would like to think that Arbroath would play big  home games at the 60k Friockheim bowl if and when we get to the Premiership.

The more money feeding into Scottish football the better, especially to teams other than the usual suspects.

All fun and games until youre experiencing 55k+ fans spewing bigotry at you for 90 minutes as you get thumped 3/4/5 times a season. Thats not me being patronising btw, Celtic and Rangers are just so far ahead just now its inevitably heading that way again, especially with both due another £15m+ from the Champions League next season.

"Make as much money as you can" fades into insignificance for supporters when youre not enjoying going to games.

Queens Park shouldnt be able to pick and choose where they play based on opponents. Creating a precedent where teams can just switch to a bigger stadium on a whim when playing bigger clubs isnt great, and i fear it would seep into the Cups, to the point we'll probably see Rangers/Celtic playing away at their own ground to lower league sides.

The only reason for switching, and which im sure it is in the cups just now, would be if the stadium is too small to safe, and Lesser fits that bill for every single home fixture youll have if promoted, so aye. Id be stunned if you dont play the whole season at Hampden next season and Lesser becomes a training field.

Edited March 30, 2023 by RandomGuy.

[G_&_T]

4 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

All fun and games until youre experiencing 55k+ fans spewing bigotry at you for 90 minutes as you get thumped 3/4/5 times a season. Thats not me being patronising btw, Celtic and Rangers are just so far ahead just now its inevitably heading that way again, especially with both due another £15m+ from the Champions League next season.

"Make as much money as you can" fades into insignificance for supporters when youre not enjoying going to games.

Queens Park shouldnt be able to pick and choose where they play based on opponents. Creating a precedent where teams can just switch to a bigger stadium on a whim when playing bigger clubs isnt great, and i fear it would seep into the Cups, to the point we'll probably see Rangers/Celtic playing away at their own ground to lower league sides.

The only reason for switching, and which im sure it is in the cups just now, would be if the stadium is too small to safe, and Lesser fits that bill for every single home fixture youll have if promoted, so aye. Id be stunned if you dont play the whole season at Hampden next season and Lesser becomes a training field.

If Queen's Park can attract 30,000 for the Old Firm games, at an average of £20 per ticket, then that's £1.8 million. It's what other clubs generate in season ticket sales alone (calculated at 4,500 STs x £400). think with that sort of money they could establish themselves in the top flight and even break into the top-six. It's a no brainer, and I think most fans would jump at the opportunity.

[Tattie36]

4 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

All fun and games until youre experiencing 55k+ fans spewing bigotry at you for 90 minutes as you get thumped 3/4/5 times a season. Thats not me being patronising btw, Celtic and Rangers are just so far ahead just now its inevitably heading that way again, especially with both due another £15m+ from the Champions League next season.

"Make as much money as you can" fades into insignificance for supporters when youre not enjoying going to games.

Queens Park shouldnt be able to pick and choose where they play based on opponents. Creating a precedent where teams can just switch to a bigger stadium on a whim when playing bigger clubs isnt great, and i fear it would seep into the Cups, to the point we'll probably see Rangers/Celtic playing away at their own ground to lower league sides.

The only reason for switching, and which im sure it is in the cups just now, would be if the stadium is too small to safe, and Lesser fits that bill for every single home fixture youll have if promoted, so aye. Id be stunned if you dont play the whole season at Hampden next season and Lesser becomes a training field.

The Queens Park situation is completely unique though. It’s not like Edinburgh City moving to Murrayfield or Arbroath playing games at the fabled Friockheim Bowl. However, if Edinburgh ever did make it to the top flight then I would have no issue with them doing just that… if Meadowbank wasn’t adequately developed by then.

Hampden was QPs home for decades and is literally next door. Add in the fact that the board have made a c*nt of the redevelopment of Lesser and I can see no reason why they can’t play there UNTIL Lesser is up to scratch.

If Lesser was currently a 6-8k stadium then I could understand it being an issue but not the way things are at the moment and, as I already said, if it means more money for teams like QP then great. We need a greater distribution of £ in Scottish fitba and if it coincides with added success on the pitch and more home fans for QP then great. Let’s face it, even if it takes 100 kids away from supporting “them” then it’s a good thing.

[RandomGuy.]

31 minutes ago, G_&_T said:

If Queen's Park can attract 30,000 for the Old Firm games, at an average of £20 per ticket, then that's £1.8 million. It's what other clubs generate in season ticket sales alone (calculated at 4,500 STs x £400). think with that sort of money they could establish themselves in the top flight and even break into the top-six. It's a no brainer, and I think most fans would jump at the opportunity.

Theyd make more than that. Most clubs charge £28+ and Celtic/Rangers always sell out their away allocation as their fans want "points" so they can get tickets for away games against each other.

 Its not as simple as all the ticket money going straight in your pocket though, the policing costs are extortionate and youve always got stadium repairs to do after they visit, plus sometimes compensation. We regularly get destroyed toilets needing rebuilt and had a teenage kiosk operator have a smoke bomb thrown at them.

3 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

The Queens Park situation is completely unique though. It’s not like Edinburgh City moving to Murrayfield or Arbroath playing games at the fabled Friockheim Bowl. However, if Edinburgh ever did make it to the top flight then I would have no issue with them doing just that… if Meadowbank wasn’t adequately developed by then.

Hampden was QPs home for decades and is literally next door. Add in the fact that the board have made a c*nt of the redevelopment of Lesser and I can see no reason why they can’t play there UNTIL Lesser is up to scratch.

If Lesser was currently a 6-8k stadium then I could understand it being an issue but not the way things are at the moment and, as I already said, if it means more money for teams like QP then great. We need a greater distribution of £ in Scottish fitba and if it coincides with added success on the pitch and more home fans for QP then great. Let’s face it, even if it takes 100 kids away from supporting “them” then it’s a good thing.

As i say, clubs can do what they want to make money, but it sets a precedent i wouldnt like to see.

Theres next to no chance Queens Park can use Lesser Hampden in the top flight next season, so this whole thing is moot. Theyll either be playing at Hampden or a different stadium. No issue if they use that next season until Lesser is rebuilt to a bigger size (...) or for the full season. I just dont like the idea clubs can take home games away if the support is big, if their home ground could cope (again, Lesser isnt close to being fit for purpose for the top flight).

As for the extra money, itll become irrelevant once they experience a few Hampden games v the OF. Genuinely think people under estimate how brutal it is and most of the "smaller" 6 clubs in the top flight have less fans at these games than season ticket holders, with almost no kids going. Your speaking like the chairman of certain clubs (my own) who think turning away 1000 of your own fans is worth it if you're making money of Celtic/Rangers games. It works the opposite way which is why we've broken records for lowest ever home attendances against them this season. 

[Tattie36]

4 minutes ago, RandomGuy. said:

Theyd make more than that. Most clubs charge £28+ and Celtic/Rangers always sell out their away allocation as their fans want "points" so they can get tickets for away games against each other.

 Its not as simple as all the ticket money going straight in your pocket though, the policing costs are extortionate and youve always got stadium repairs to do after they visit, plus sometimes compensation. We regularly get destroyed toilets needing rebuilt and had a teenage kiosk operator have a smoke bomb thrown at them.

As i say, clubs can do what they want to make money, but it sets a precedent i wouldnt like to see.

Theres next to no chance Queens Park can use Lesser Hampden in the top flight next season, so this whole thing is moot. Theyll either be playing at Hampden or a different stadium. No issue if they use that next season until Lesser is rebuilt to a bigger size (...) or for the full season. I just dont like the idea clubs can take home games away if the support is big, if their home ground could cope (again, Lesser isnt close to being fit for purpose for the top flight).

As for the extra money, itll become irrelevant once they experience a few Hampden games v the OF. Genuinely think people under estimate how brutal it is and most of the "smaller" 6 clubs in the top flight have less fans at these games than season ticket holders, with almost no kids going. Your speaking like the chairman of certain clubs (my own) who think turning away 1000 of your own fans is worth it if you're making money of Celtic/Rangers games. It works the opposite way which is why we've broken records for lowest ever home attendances against them this season. 

I completely agree with what you’re saying. “They” are a cancer on our game and I would love it if Premiership teams gave them a small allocation. There is this myth that fans of other teams come out in extra numbers when Rangers or Celtic are in town, it used to be the case but now fans stay away due to the bigotry etc. I think every premiership team has a smaller home support when they come to town. I wish the powers that be at the clubs that give them massive allocations realised this and made the decision that home fans are more important to the club than dropping their knickers to them.

However I can’t see a problem with QP benefitting in the short term. Lesser is currently, and for the foreseeable, woefully inadequate. Once it’s properly developed, then hopefully they can grow as a club, become a top flight fixture and give kids in Glasgow another option apart from the old firm.

Nothing wrong with ambition and I just wish other clubs, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen in particular showed a bit more ambition. Aberdeen are genuinely talking about making their new stadium hold about 15k!! How the hell are they going to compete long term with such a small minded attitude.

[G_&_T]

42 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

The Queens Park situation is completely unique though. It’s not like Edinburgh City moving to Murrayfield or Arbroath playing games at the fabled Friockheim Bowl. However, if Edinburgh ever did make it to the top flight then I would have no issue with them doing just that… if Meadowbank wasn’t adequately developed by then.

Hampden was QPs home for decades and is literally next door. Add in the fact that the board have made a c*nt of the redevelopment of Lesser and I can see no reason why they can’t play there UNTIL Lesser is up to scratch.

If Lesser was currently a 6-8k stadium then I could understand it being an issue but not the way things are at the moment and, as I already said, if it means more money for teams like QP then great. We need a greater distribution of £ in Scottish fitba and if it coincides with added success on the pitch and more home fans for QP then great. Let’s face it, even if it takes 100 kids away from supporting “them” then it’s a good thing.

I believe Queen's Park purchased the land for the present Hampden Park in 1899!

13 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

I completely agree with what you’re saying. “They” are a cancer on our game and I would love it if Premiership teams gave them a small allocation. There is this myth that fans of other teams come out in extra numbers when Rangers or Celtic are in town, it used to be the case but now fans stay away due to the bigotry etc. I think every premiership team has a smaller home support when they come to town. I wish the powers that be at the clubs that give them massive allocations realised this and made the decision that home fans are more important to the club than dropping their knickers to them.

However I can’t see a problem with QP benefitting in the short term. Lesser is currently, and for the foreseeable, woefully inadequate. Once it’s properly developed, then hopefully they can grow as a club, become a top flight fixture and give kids in Glasgow another option apart from the old firm.

Nothing wrong with ambition and I just wish other clubs, Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen in particular showed a bit more ambition. Aberdeen are genuinely talking about making their new stadium hold about 15k!! How the hell are they going to compete long term with such a small minded attitude.

I don't think it's the 'bigotry' particularly. I know people who don't want to take small kids to the games because of the anti-social behaviour of both clubs' supporters, which you have mentioned. But for the most part, it costs £30 to see your side lose, and often get pumped by a margin of 3 or 4 goals, or more. I bet if folk thought they genuinely had a great chance of beating them they would turn up in their droves.

[ExiledLichtie]

I agree with Randomguy, I dont like the precedent it sets.  As he said, next time a wee team draws an SPL team what's to stop them just picking a big ground to play at?  What's to stop teams deciding to play crucial games at other stadiums?  This doesnt seem like sporting integrity.

If they want to play at Hampden, that's fine, if they want to play at Lesser that's also fine.  But they shouldnt be able to switch just based on how they are feeling that week.

Oh, and if Lesser isnt "safe", which Ive seen a few people say, then they shouldnt be allowed to use it in the championship either.

Edited March 30, 2023 by ExiledLichtie