Spiders will still get changed inside their old farmhouse
Queen’s Park have confirmed that the oldest football building in the world will form an integral part of their new-look Lesser Hampden.
Work to make the Spiders’ training ground fit to host senior football, ahead of their move out of the National Stadium, started last Monday.
The 200-year-old farmhouse that has been used as changingrooms for nearly a century is included in the new design.
Scotland’s oldest club, founded in 1867, bought Clincart Farm 96 years ago and, to cut costs, they converted it into the ground’s pavilion and introduced changing facilities.
At that time, the front wall of the upper floor was removed, with windows and an overhanging roof installed.
So, externally, the building remains almost unchanged.
But inside, the farmhouse will be spruced up for when the first team moves in next spring, with it forming part of the structure that will sit alongside the new West Stand.
The Spiders’ general manager, Christine Wright, said: “It is fantastic that we have agreed a design with Bell Building Projects that allows this unique piece of history to remain in use.
“It will continue to be the changing rooms for all teams and match officials for the games that are held at the ground.”
Queen’s have also met an objective they set when they turned professional back in November by offering a youngster a two-year Modern Apprenticeship professional contract.
One of the drivers for ending 152 years as an amateur club – which also included selling Hampden Park to the Scottish FA – was to stop the loss of talent from their renowned youth system for nothing to clubs who could offer professional deals.
Liverpool’s Champions League winner, and Scotland captain, Andy Robertson, was just one of the hundreds of graduates.
Goalkeeper Jacques Heraghty – who played for the first team in a Challenge Cup tie against Celtic, and who has represented Scotland Schools – is the first kid the Spiders have been able to keep hold of as opposed to leaving free of charge.
Club president Gerry Crawley said: “These moves further underline the club’s determination to provide players in our youth academy with a pathway to professional football.”