STAND & DELIVER
Hampden to follow Parkhead in creating safe standing areas... if ‘devastating’ move to Murrayfield is avoided
SAFE standing areas will be introduced to Hampden if the SFA agree to remain at the iconic venue. The game’s governing body plan to choose between the National Stadium or a move to Murrayfield by the end of this month.
The SFA want ownership of Hampden as a prerequisite of keeping Scotland internationals and showpiece cup games in Glasgow.
As Sportsmail first revealed, however, a decision could be delayed after current owners Queen’s Park asked for £6million to hand over the keys.
The governing body are reluctant to pay more than £2m.
In a letter to SFA president Alan McRae, the leader of Glasgow City Council (GCC) Susan Aitken warned that a move away from Hampden would be ‘devastating’ for the local economy and would create a ‘historic stain’ on Scottish football.
Neither the Scottish government nor the city council have offered public money to improve or maintain Hampden.
In a bid to improve the matchday experience of a stadium criticised for its atmosphere, spectator views and accessibility, however, Councillor Aitken says there are ‘no obvious barriers’ to GCC agreeing to safe standing areas behind both Hampden goals after Celtic Park pioneered the move in 2016.
The city council are also willing to consider fan zones and have established a transport working group to improve match-day access to the venue for supporters.
Councillor Aitken’s letter to the SFA, seen by Sportsmail, reads: ‘A regular discussion point about Hampden is the capacity to enhance the fan experience, particularly the sight lines at the East and West ends of the stadium.
‘I would disagree with any suggestion that significant investment to fund structural changes to Hampden is the only solution to related spectator criticisms. One of the most significant developments in fan experience in recent years has been pioneered in Glasgow, with Celtic Park successfully operating a safe standing area for the past two seasons.
‘Interest in whether a similar scheme would appeal to other clubs and fans has not been limited to our other clubs in the city.
‘Indeed, there has been correspondence from local authorities and senior clubs from across the UK, seeking more information about how we have facilitated safe standing in the city.
‘Were an application for a standing area at Hampden submitted to Glasgow City Council, providing it met all the relevant safety, stewarding and accessibility criteria, there would be no obvious barriers to the bid being approved by the authority.
‘Similarly, fan zones are a growing part of the footballing landscape and will be a key aspect of the fan experience for Euro 2020. This move towards providing a family-focused platform for improving the match-day experience is broadly welcomed by the Council.’
Sportsmail understands the SFA concerns over Hampden are less concerned with the staging of events and the match-day experience than they are with concerns that an ageing stadium could cost millions to maintain.
Owned by the Scottish Rugby Union, Murrayfield’s 67,000 capacity would offer Scottish football the ability to sell more tickets with none of the overheads.
Confirming GCC have established a transport working group to improve rail and bus links to the city for major games, however, council leader Aitken says the economic impact of moving to Edinburgh would extend far beyond the bank balance of the SFA.
‘Any decision which resulted in the loss of Hampden’s role as the home for the Scottish national team and major domestic cup games would be devastating for that community and its economy,’ adds the letter.
‘The SFA have a clear moral responsibility to Mount Florida and King’s Park, built up over decades.
‘To abandon those communities would be devastating, both to them and the wider area and to do so immediately after the last UEFA Euro 2020 match would be a tragic irony, creating a historic stain on Scottish football I believe would be impossible to erase.’