Hampden edges Murrayfield
So it is either Hampden Park, the home of football or BT Murrayfield, the home of rugby.
The Scottish FA have decided that they must either stay at our national stadium or face relocating international matches to Edinburgh.
The current lease deal with Hampden’s owners, Queen’s Park FC, runs out in 2020 and the governing body’s board met last Tuesday to discuss the options for the future.
They have ruled out the Scotland team playing their games, or big domestic club cup matches, around the grounds, including Celtic Park and Ibrox.
That is fair enough as long as Tynecastle, Pittodrie and Easter Road are continually used for matches which draw smaller crowds.
But if it is a straight fight between Murrayfield and Hampden in a bid to host football matches, the latter edges it’s neighbour in the east.
For all we moan about it, watching football in a packed Hampden Park is still an amazing experience.
It is where our youngsters dream of growing up and playing.
It is where you picture yourself scoring the winning goal in a cup final.
Although the SFA will be all too aware of the fan’s emotional attachment to the Old Lady, we must try not to put heart over head in this decision.
It needs to be for the better of Scottish football and for supporters.
Having sat in both stadiums, neither particularly give you a great view if you are situated behind the goal. The stands are too shallow and too far away from the pitch.
Only a win for your team will make you feel like you have got your money’s worth, and even then, if it is a drab affair, you may think that you have been shortchanged.
Both have poor transport links.
Finding a parking space around Murrayfield is a tall order, and Mount Florida is not exactly an easy place to get to by public transport.
Moving to Murrayfield would also see a fixture clash too given that the Autumn Tests get under way at the same time as Scotland play their last UEFA Nations League group matches. And imagine trying to get both halves of Old Firm fans – more than 60,000 of them – along the M8 or into Haymarket Station without any trouble?
Neither lack atmosphere when full and it is a close one to call if you compare the two on that front.
But renovating Hampden, if that is a viable option, would only enhance it.
There is a lot of haste to switch stadia and get rid of tradition.
But home is where Hampden is – despite its flaws.
Hampden is far from ideal but it should be revamped rather than left to rot.