Echoes of Brexit as the Hampden debate needs extra time to settle
£40million over the next 20 years, but that calculation was dependent on selling out the 67,000-seater stadium, something Scotland can hardly guarantee right now.
Similarly, while Queen’s Park looked to be home and hosed when they agreed in principle to sell the stadium to the SFA in March, their part of the equation has been complicated by quoting a figure of £6m – more than twice what the SFA were expecting to pay. While the Spiders feel that is the minimum they would require to make any changes required to make Lesser Hampden operational for senior football and maintain their respected youth academy, the other clubs know that means less hand-outs for them.
Having spent Tuesday morning getting the tour and final sales pitch from SRU chief operating officer Dominic McKay then decamping to the other side of the M8 to speak to Peter Dallas of Hampden Park Ltd – a wholly owned subsidiary of the SFA which runs the stadium – in the afternoon, yesterday was spent locked in the board room for the best part of six hours of what was said to be ‘healthy debate’. Beginning at 10am, it was touching 4pm before Mulraney, the only man who didn’t park his car deep within the bowels of Hampden, departed – keeping his counsel as he went.
A three-line statement was all the gathered media got, which perhaps tellingly left out any mention of where BetFred Cup showpiece matches might be hosted.
The SFA are thought to be keen to have a speedy conclusion so this wasn’t exactly kicking it into the Tynecastle grass, but with the current lease not due to expire until Euro 2020 is out of the way, the really bad news is that there might just be time for further deliberation yet.