OUT OF TIME
Hampden not fit for purpose says Topping
SPFL chairman Ralph Topping last night branded Hampden a creaking ‘anachronism’, no longer fit for purpose.
The national stadium hosts Sunday’s World Cup qualifier with Slovenia but the SFA are considering moving Scotland games away from Mount Florida when their 20-year lease ends in three years’ time.
Rental talks between the governing body and owners Queen’s Park are due to commence next year.
The SFA have already warned, however, that ‘all options’ are on the table — including quitting Scottish football’s spiritual home for
the last 114 years. Scheduled to stand down from the boards of both the SFA and SPFL this summer, Topping will not be part of the final negotiation on Hampden’s future beyond the 2020 European Championships. In an exclusive interview with Sportsmail, however, he insists the decision is clear cut, saying: ‘Hampden is an anachronism in this day and age. ‘You essentially have an amateur football club as the owner of the national stadium. ‘Queen’s Park have a proud, fantastic history. They are a great club in their own way. ‘But were I still on the SFA board when the decision time came around, the fundamental question would not only surround the economics of renewing the lease — you would also have to ask if Hampden fits the bill as a modern stadium any more. I don’t think it does. ‘It stands pretty poorly in comparison with other arenas of similar status. ‘There is nothing there that could make you say it’s a national stadium or take a sharp intake of breath. ‘You don’t look at Hampden and go: “What a fantastic stadium, what a great environment for fans”. ‘It’s a hard place to get to, a hard place to get away from. Is it modern enough? No. ‘Will it stand the test of time for the term of another 20-year SFA lease? No, it won’t. It is creaking at the moment.’ The SFA currently pay a six-figure sum for annual rental of the stadium to Queen’s Park. And Hampden business rates are expected to increase by £350,000 as part of a government revaluation. Concerned an ageing stadium no longer represents value for money, Topping favours Scotland games and showpiece cup games being played around the country. ‘There are three big stadia available,’ he continued. ‘Murrayfield might cause angst about using a rugby venue — but it is a modern stadium. ‘Celtic Park and Ibrox can also meet the current demand for Scottish football. ‘Then you have Pittodrie, Tynecastle and Easter Road, where the national team are about to play Canada. So I don’t see the need for Hampden Park.’ As Sportsmail revealed earlier this month, an SFA exit will leave Queen’s Park with a crippling £4.5million bill for the repayment of 4,000 debenture seats sold in 1999 to help fund a £59m redevelopment. Selling the stadium and relocating to Lesser Hampden to pay the debt would be an emotionally, and politically, charged move. Insisting nostalgia can no longer justify the costs of the SFA and SPFL staying put, however, Topping added: ‘There are always going to be sentimentalists. ‘I remember my first game at Hampden, entering the big bowl and going up the big steps and thinking: “This is brilliant”. ‘But is it a modern stadium for the Scottish game to portray itself in the most favourable light? No, it isn’t. ‘I can’t see the economic case for paying rent to stay at Hampden another 20 years. ‘There may be political angst, but the SFA and SPFL can find other offices easily. There is no need to be based at Hampden Park. ‘Anyone who has travelled and seen stadia elsewhere in the world (knows) Hampden is a long way behind other arenas and that situation is not going to improve over time. ‘So what is the right thing to do come decision time? Well, if you are deciding the best use of your resources, you have to conclude it’s not a modern stadium fit for purpose.’