The final World Cup game at Hampden? - Page 16 - TA specific - Tartan Army Message Board Jump to content

The final World Cup game at Hampden?


Toepoke

Recommended Posts

Lord Willie Haughey, one of Scotland's wealthiest businessmen, has offered to put up the cash to maintain Hampden as the national stadium.

The SFA have made ownership of Scottish football's historic home a non-negotiable condition of staying put and resisting a move to Murrayfield.

However, negotiations between current owners Queen's Park and the governing body have hit a roadblock over the price.

Queen's Park have lowered their original demand from £6million to £5m, while the SFA have upped their opening offer from £2m to £2.8m.

With a gap of £2.2m between the respective valuations, Sportsmail understands Lord Haughey, chairman of City Refrigeration Holdings and a former director of Celtic, has indicated a willingness to consider bridging the financial difference. 

Philanthropist Haughey also sponsored the Scottish Cup between 2009 and 2011.

The SFA's seven-strong board were expected to make a final call between Hampden and Murrayfield last Wednesday but delayed their decision by seven days to allow more time to thrash out a deal with Scotland's oldest senior club.

The committee of Queen's Park were meeting last night as hopes grew of a compromise agreement, with or without external help.

Scotland internationals and showpiece cup games could be moved to Murrayfield

Facing the repayment of £16m of lottery funding and debentures if Hampden ceases to be the national stadium, Queen's Park president Gerry Crawley is keen to secure a 'win-win' scenario which would see the SFA pay the Spiders enough money to make Lesser Hampden a venue fit to host lower-league football.

Queen's are also keen to play bigger cup games at the national stadium free of charge.

The SFA board heard detailed presentations from Hampden Park Ltd and the Scottish Rugby Union on behalf of Murrayfield last Wednesday.

A statement released afterwards claimed both parties had been asked to provide further information.

SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said the decision 'will have a significant bearing' on Scottish football and that the additional information would 'allow a final decision to be made'.

 

Edited by Squirrelhumper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Squirrelhumper said:

Lord Willie Haughey, one of Scotland's wealthiest businessmen, has offered to put up the cash to maintain Hampden as the national stadium.

The SFA have made ownership of Scottish football's historic home a non-negotiable condition of staying put and resisting a move to Murrayfield.

However, negotiations between current owners Queen's Park and the governing body have hit a roadblock over the price.

Queen's Park have lowered their original demand from £6million to £5m, while the SFA have upped their opening offer from £2m to £2.8m.

With a gap of £2.2m between the respective valuations, Sportsmail understands Lord Haughey, chairman of City Refrigeration Holdings and a former director of Celtic, has indicated a willingness to consider bridging the financial difference. 

Philanthropist Haughey also sponsored the Scottish Cup between 2009 and 2011.

The SFA's seven-strong board were expected to make a final call between Hampden and Murrayfield last Wednesday but delayed their decision by seven days to allow more time to thrash out a deal with Scotland's oldest senior club.

The committee of Queen's Park were meeting last night as hopes grew of a compromise agreement, with or without external help.

Scotland internationals and showpiece cup games could be moved to Murrayfield

Facing the repayment of £16m of lottery funding and debentures if Hampden ceases to be the national stadium, Queen's Park president Gerry Crawley is keen to secure a 'win-win' scenario which would see the SFA pay the Spiders enough money to make Lesser Hampden a venue fit to host lower-league football.

Queen's are also keen to play bigger cup games at the national stadium free of charge.

The SFA board heard detailed presentations from Hampden Park Ltd and the Scottish Rugby Union on behalf of Murrayfield last Wednesday.

A statement released afterwards claimed both parties had been asked to provide further information.

SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said the decision 'will have a significant bearing' on Scottish football and that the additional information would 'allow a final decision to be made'.

 

I would imagine that if someone is willing to bridge the financial gap between the SFA and Queens Park then that will all but seal the deal for the SFA to remain at Hampden.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Kirk said:

They will be utter cunts if they don't keep us at Hampden, shouldn't even be up for discussion

The SFA really are tight fisted bastards.

They allegedly pay £900,000 per year to rent Hampden and they were trying to buy it for just over twice that amount? Even if they don’t pay that much in rent,  £2.8 million is peanuts for that stadium so the improved offer isn’t much better.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

The SFA really are tight fisted bastards.

They allegedly pay £900,000 per year to rent Hampden and they were trying to buy it for just over twice that amount? Even if they don’t pay that much in rent,  £2.8 million is peanuts for that stadium so the improved offer isn’t much better.

 

Yeah agree it's nothing to them and they would.own the fucker, it's a no brained to me. Develop and fix bits up over time if needed, at least they wouldn't be funding anyone else and keeping the revenue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/4/2018 at 9:36 AM, Squirrelhumper said:

 

The SFA's seven-strong board were expected to make a final call between Hampden and Murrayfield last Wednesday but delayed their decision by seven days to allow more time to thrash out a deal with Scotland's oldest senior club.

 

 

And yet here we are 8 days later and still no decision. SFA still dragging their heels and unable to make a decision.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

half the folk that complain about  hampden haven't attempted to make an atmosphere in the place for 10 year.

enjoy a good moan rather than lifting the team.

 

it's not the greatest stadium i've ever been in but it's as good as the fan's make it.  Wembley is a corporate structure for people that rather sit and eat extortionate pies than enjoy a real football atmosphere.  That big tier or the "ring of suits" ruins it if you ask me

 

I'd love to see them put the investment in to bring the stands closer to the pitch.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read a lot about the 'lack of atmsphere' at Hampden and wonder if the people have ever been there. Kris Commons was gibbering about it in the press last week. I only know that the likes of France and Italy 2007 and England 2017 are the most incredible atmospheres I've ever experienced at the fitba. You could see in the way England reacted after they scored their first last year that they had responded to it as well, had never experienced the like.

 

It isn't really where you are but who you are that makes an atmosphere. Hampden isn't perfect (and I agree with those who say the West and East stands are misconceived)  but it does have the advantage that it gathers the noise and keeps it inside. There are no gaps. Even 500 people at a QPFC league match make a reasonable noise, but when it's full it's incredible.

 

The carping has come mainly in my experience from 1) OF supporters who prefer their stadiums and may not be that interested in Scotland anyway. 2) People from far  outside Glasgow who resent having to do all the travelling.

 

I do have sympathy with 2). In fact, the Albania/Israel games could easily have been at Pittodrie and Tynie. Post 2020, even if we stay at Hampden, Tynie, ER and Pittodrie should still get some internationals. I wouldn't be averse to trying out Murrayfield once or twice.

 

As for getting Hampden upgraded, improved, refurbished, modernised, not a chance. At best, the SFA will release the funds for a few of them to go on a fact-finding trip to some modern stadiums on some of the more attractive Caribbean islands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/14/2018 at 10:25 AM, Squirrelhumper said:

 

See that Langspoon, is it burning by any chance?

Glasgow has more football fans than anywhere else in Scotland. Like it or loath it, Old Firm fans make up the biggest % of the Scotland support.

Murrayfield is utter shite for football - views are horrendous behind the goals and unlike Hampden it even has a running track along one side. Folk slag Hampden and for some good reasons but Murrayfield is a concrete bowl too with shite facilities and shite views. It's not like we'd be moving to a massive upgrade in stadium.

 

What happened to all your so called football fans on Friday night , the best team in the world come calling and all you could muster was to fill just above a third of the stadium.I can understand your reasons to stay at Hampden if i stayed in Glasgow i would probably think the same , but to rubbish Murrayfield with half truths is not on.Access and facilities are far superior and the finance side of it there no argument.Move now sell Hampden and hopefully in the future build a stadium more centrally situated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Langspoon said:

What happened to all your so called football fans on Friday night , the best team in the world come calling and all you could muster was to fill just above a third of the stadium.I can understand your reasons to stay at Hampden if i stayed in Glasgow i would probably think the same , but to rubbish Murrayfield with half truths is not on.Access and facilities are far superior and the finance side of it there no argument.Move now sell Hampden and hopefully in the future build a stadium more centrally situated.

The best team in the world? We weren’t playing France were we?

20,000 is actually a pretty decent crowd for a friendly. Even compared to some of the Nations League games it doesn’t seem that bad. Italy v Poland had a crowd of 24,000 for example. 

As for selling Hampden, only Queen’s Park can do that as they own it. The SFA would need to buy it first. 

Where would you suggest they build a new ground? Harthill Services or something? That would be a nightmare for everyone to get to. The National Stadium should be in a big city. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Langspoon said:

What happened to all your so called football fans on Friday night , the best team in the world come calling and all you could muster was to fill just above a third of the stadium.I can understand your reasons to stay at Hampden if i stayed in Glasgow i would probably think the same , but to rubbish Murrayfield with half truths is not on.Access and facilities are far superior and the finance side of it there no argument.Move now sell Hampden and hopefully in the future build a stadium more centrally situated.

Have you ever been to Murrayfield for a football game? i have and sat behind goals.  It's pish.

As for half truths. You've just said Belgium are the best team in the world?! You do know there's a competition we've just had called the world cup and they came 3rd?

Friday was a friendly  Was £25-35 a ticket. I'm surprised as many went. 

Last friendly in East Coast got less tban 15k if i remember correctly. 

How can we sell hampden btw when we don't own jt? As for access....having been to various gigs at Murrayfield with 67k there it's certainly no better than Hampden. Can only imagine how it would be for a football game at capacity. 

I could understand if it was a massive upgrade on hampden but it's not. Massive gaps between stands on pitch on 3 sides too which makes sight befind goals in lower tiers just ad bad as hampden. 

Edited by Squirrelhumper
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/4/2018 at 4:36 AM, Squirrelhumper said:

Queen's Park have lowered their original demand from £6million to £5m, while the SFA have upped their opening offer from £2m to £2.8m.

With a gap of £2.2m between the respective valuations, Sportsmail understands Lord Haughey, chairman of City Refrigeration Holdings and a former director of Celtic, has indicated a willingness to consider bridging the financial difference. 

 

How could Hampden be worth only 2m? That makes no sense to me at all.

Neither Hampden or Murrayfield are the answer. We should be going round the grounds depending on anticipated demand for tickets. Nothing worse than a more than half empty stadium.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/7/2018 at 4:50 PM, KirkieRobRoy said:

I read a lot about the 'lack of atmsphere' at Hampden and wonder if the people have ever been there. Kris Commons was gibbering about it in the press last week. I only know that the likes of France and Italy 2007 and England 2017 are the most incredible atmospheres I've ever experienced at the fitba. You could see in the way England reacted after they scored their first last year that they had responded to it as well, had never experienced the like.

 

It isn't really where you are but who you are that makes an atmosphere. Hampden isn't perfect (and I agree with those who say the West and East stands are misconceived)  but it does have the advantage that it gathers the noise and keeps it inside. There are no gaps. Even 500 people at a QPFC league match make a reasonable noise, but when it's full it's incredible.

 

The carping has come mainly in my experience from 1) OF supporters who prefer their stadiums and may not be that interested in Scotland anyway. 2) People from far  outside Glasgow who resent having to do all the travelling.

 

I do have sympathy with 2). In fact, the Albania/Israel games could easily have been at Pittodrie and Tynie. Post 2020, even if we stay at Hampden, Tynie, ER and Pittodrie should still get some internationals. I wouldn't be averse to trying out Murrayfield once or twice.

 

As for getting Hampden upgraded, improved, refurbished, modernised, not a chance. At best, the SFA will release the funds for a few of them to go on a fact-finding trip to some modern stadiums on some of the more attractive Caribbean islands.

There's been some good atmospheres in other matches, I remember Lithuania, Ukraine, Spain andNetherlands . I am sure there's many more

IMO scheduling coupled with us being shite has had the biggest effect on the atmosphere. If we are in the mix there's a better atmosphere, if there's passion and drive on the park, there's a better atmosphere and finally Saturday matches are better for atmosphere. Thursday nights, Sunday evenings are no good. From my own personal point of view and most in my group of match attending fans, we have to pick and choose our matches. Due to travel I'd have to take today off to go to the match and the same goes for last Friday. I'm not willing to do that when I have young kid at home a very busy job. If its a saturday I can go up on Saturday morning and either stay the night or come home same day without missing work.

 

Albani and Israel couldn't be at pittodrie because the capacity is not enough. If the supporters club is full which it has been, the demand could exceed the capacity at Tynecatsle, Easter Road or Pittodrie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

There's been some good atmospheres in other matches, I remember Lithuania, Ukraine, Spain andNetherlands . I am sure there's many more

IMO scheduling coupled with us being shite has had the biggest effect on the atmosphere. If we are in the mix there's a better atmosphere, if there's passion and drive on the park, there's a better atmosphere and finally Saturday matches are better for atmosphere. Thursday nights, Sunday evenings are no good. From my own personal point of view and most in my group of match attending fans, we have to pick and choose our matches. Due to travel I'd have to take today off to go to the match and the same goes for last Friday. I'm not willing to do that when I have young kid at home a very busy job. If its a saturday I can go up on Saturday morning and either stay the night or come home same day without missing work.

 

Albani and Israel couldn't be at pittodrie because the capacity is not enough. If the supporters club is full which it has been, the demand could exceed the capacity at Tynecatsle, Easter Road or Pittodrie

Aye, ferr points. This scheduling mince is UEFA's fault for their 'week of football' silliness. Monday Night for the Albania gemme is an absolute disaster. I went to Belgium, more fool me, rather than Albania because work puts that one out for me.. I accept what you say about SSC membership levels but I expect only a fraction of the membership will be at either Albania or Israel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Caledonian Craig said:

No great surprise really. I never really thought it was ever really in doubt.

Yep, I would have been really surprised if the SFA got it for as little as £2.5m and was no way Queens Park would get the £6m that they were apparently wanting, so I always expected a deal somewhere in the middle would be agreed (£4m was the price I expected)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...