The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dalglish: Hampden should remain home of Scottish football
Kenny Dalglish has backed Hampden Park to remain the home of Scottish football.
There has been talk of moving major internationals as well as domestic cup matches away from Hampden in recent weeks, with BT Murrayfield touted as a possible venue for the Scottish Football Association.
The SFA remains in discussion with Queen’s Park over extending the lease at Hampden, which is due to expire in 2020, while the Scottish Rugby Union has revealed it is in talks over the potential use of Murrayfield.
However Dalglish, capped 102 times for Scotland, insisted Hampden must remain the home of Scottish football and dismissed the idea of using the rugby stadium to host football matches.
“I read about the lease being up for Hampden and people saying Scotland might leave,” he said.
“How can Scottish football move from Hampden? It’s home.
“I’ve been at Murrayfield for a rugby match. It might be a fantastic stadium, but would they want to play rugby at Hampden? I don’t think so.
“Murrayfield is a fantastic facility, which is not to be sneered at, but Hampden is the home of Scottish football. You don’t want to be moving away from that.
“Geographically it’s good to move around the country to give Aberdeenshire, Edinburgh, a shout. But take it to Tynecastle or Easter Road, keep it in a football ground.
“But keep Hampden. I don’t know what the finances are to renovate it, but traditionally, you need your home, and Hampden is the home of Scottish football.”
“Hampden has been home of Scottish football since hosting its first international in 1906.
“You always got a buzz going to Hampden. I don’t know if that’s gone now, but even going to watch an international at Hampden was fantastic.”