SFA urged to accept help from Haughey

FORMER SFA president George Peat insists the governing body would be negligent to ignore Lord Willie Haughey’s offer of financial help to buy Hampden. The seven-strong SFA board expect to choose between the national stadium and a move to Murrayfield after Scotland’s Nations League clash with Albania on Monday. A final decision has been delayed by the SFA’s insistence on assuming ownership of Hampden from current owners Queen’s Park as a non-negotiable condition of staying put. Scotland’s oldest senior club have reduced their original valuation from £6million to £5m, while the SFA have raised their opening offer from

£2million to £2.8million. And, as

Sportsmail first revealed, Lord Haughey — chairman of City Refrigeration Holdings and one of Scotland’s wealthiest businessmen — is willing to bridge the gap with a one-off donation.

SFA president between 2007 and 2011, Peat believes the governing body and Queen’s Park should grab the offer fast.

‘I read the story about Lord Willie Haughey’s offer with a great big smile on my face,’ Peat told Sportsmail last night.

‘I thought surely now there is going to be no problem with the SFA negotiating a deal with Queen’s Park to purchase Hampden.

‘If there is a gap of over £2m between the valuations of Queen’s Park and the SFA and Lord Haughey is willing to make up the difference then there is no question in my mind the offer should be accepted.

‘Were I still SFA president, I would be saying: “Stay at Hampden”. I could not entertain the notion of moving to Murrayfield.’

A former director of Celtic, Lord Haughey also maintains links with Queen’s Park, where he played as a teenager.

In need of the money from the sale of their home since 1903 to spruce up Lesser Hampden for lower-league football, the ten-man committee of the amateur club discussed the offer at a meeting on Monday night.

‘Willie sponsored the Scottish Cup for two years during my presidency,’ added Peat. ‘But even apart from that, he had a plan in mind to create a football training centre in Bothwell which the Scottish FA would be allowed to use for a peppercorn rent.

‘It was unbelievable what the guy was proposing to do for Scottish football until the credit crunch came along and changed everything.

‘So I do not doubt for one minute that he is sincere in this offer to help Hampden — and that he will go ahead with it.’

Peat believes a move to Murrayfield would be ‘outlandish’, arguing criticism of Hampden is excessive.

‘So many of the arguments expounded for moving to Murrayfield are flawed,’ he said. ‘People are decrying Hampden for the stands behind the goals being too far away from the play.

‘To my knowledge, there are stands at Murrayfield which really are no better.

‘Any problems concerning the lack of convenient transport can be fixed by speaking to the train and bus operators about running a more regular service. It does not require a change of stadium.

‘This stuff from the SRU about Murrayfield making £2m a year extra for the SFA because it has 15,000 more seats is also flawed.

‘I could count on one hand the number of times there has been a sell-out at Hampden in the last ten years.

‘In competitive matches, the average attendance is 41,000. To think they can increase average crowds from 41,000 to 67,500 is delusional.

‘Apart from anything else, the home nation can no longer control what night the games take place.

‘It’s not like the days when you get to choose a Saturday night and maximise attendances anymore.’

The SFA were expected to reach a decision last Wednesday but delayed their final call by seven days to seek further information from both sides.

The governing body, meanwhile, will hold discussions with the other home nations over a joint British Isles bid to host the 2030 World Cup finals.

A spokesperson said last night: ‘We are always open-minded to the prospect of hosting major tournaments and have a fantastic track record of staging big games and events in this country.

‘We are going to participate in exploratory talks with the other home nations in relation to a possible joint bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

‘It is early days, though, and our focus is currently on hosting UEFA EURO 2020. Four matches will be played here at Hampden Park with our plans for that event well underway.’