Hampden Old Firm roar ‘loud as a lion’

THE “Hampden roar” lived up to its name during the recent Old Firm clash after sound experts said the noise generated by fans was the equivalent of a lion’s roar less than a metre away.

Sound experts at the national stadium recorded an “incredible” 115 decibel (db) peak during the showpiece Celtic v Rangers semi-final on Sunday.

Vanguardia say this is also equivalent to the front row of a music concert or just short of a jet engine at take-off from 25 metres.

The Hampden roar was measured as part of a fact-finding mission by managers of the Glasgow stadium as is faces questions over its future.

Peter Dallas, managing director of Hampden Park, said: “Sunday’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final reaffirmed why Hampden Park is Scotland’s national stadium. The Celtic v Rangers tie was beamed to households across the globe but these readings show there is no substitute to experiencing the atmosphere inside the stadium.

“We are pleased the experts at Vanguardia have validated our firm belief the Hampden roar is unrivalled in Scottish football.”

The match, won 4-0 by Celtic, recorded crowd noise peaks as the teams emerged from the tunnel (109 db) and immediately after each goal (115 db).

Measurements of all 20 English Premier League stadia pale by comparison.

The Guinness Book of World Records recognises 142.2 db as the loudest noise recorded in a sports stadium, during a Kansas City Chiefs v New England Patriots American Football game at the Arrowhead Stadium, which holds 76,416 fans, in 2014.