‘Fantastic day’ as SFA agree to buy Hampden in £5m deal

The Scottish Football Association came “incredibly close” to moving to BT Murrayfield before agreeing a deal to buy Hampden from Queen’s Park.

Chief executive Ian Maxwell hailed a “fantastic day for Scottish football” after the SFA confirmed Hampden would remain the home of major internationals and cup semifinals and finals.

The governing body had been considering taking showpiece games to Edinburgh when its Hampden lease expires in 2020, following an offer from the Scottish Rugby Union.

However, the SFA struck a £5 million deal to buy the stadium from Ladbrokes League Two side Queen’s Park, who have owned Hampden Park since it opened in 1903 and will now decant to the adjacent Lesser Hampden.

“It was incredibly close,” Maxwell said. “I sat in board meetings that got heated. It was very hotly debated.

“The SRU put forward a very compelling case. They are a very impressive organisation. I would have really enjoyed going to work with them at Murrayfield, I think we would have done well and we would have learned a lot.

“But ownership is the game-changer. Owning our own stadium and being able to utilise that 24/7 gives us a real opportunity to make changes.

“It is a fantastic day for Scottish football, absolutely fantastic.

“For me to be sitting here as chief executive of an association that now owns its own stadium and the opportunities that gives me and the board and staff, I am hugely excited about the time ahead.”

Picture: SNS. Hampden Park will remain home to Scotland internationals and cup finals after the SFA agreed to buy the stadium.