The national stadium question

[Lencarl]

Urging the SFA to use Murrayfield, Ibrox and Parkhead, Souness told The Sunday Times: 'I was working in Scotland when they were talking about spending all the money on revamping Hampden and, at the time, I said: "Why are you doing that? You've got two fabulous stadiums in Glasgow and one in Edinburgh. Why not use all three and go and build a hospital instead?". I was much-criticised for it, but that's still my thinking.

'It's not the stadium that's important. It's the supporters and the support won't be less if it's at Murrayfield, Ibrox or Celtic Park rather than Hampden.

'Could you not introduce a rule that if Celtic or Rangers get to a cup final, it goes to the other stadium? If both get there, it could be at Murrayfield, or they could toss up or take it alternate times. There are ways round everything.'

 

I really wish that Souness would stop getting quoted about this issue.

 

He does speak some crap.

[RicoS321]

I really wish that Souness would stop getting quoted about this issue.

 

He does speak some crap.

 

You might not agree with his opinion on this particular occasion (I think he's a populist dick) but he's certainly not speaking nonsense in that particular quote. His suggested solution is fairly logical and not controversial. Which parts do you have issue with?

[Lencarl]

You might not agree with his opinion on this particular occasion (I think he's a populist dick) but he's certainly not speaking nonsense in that particular quote. His suggested solution is fairly logical and not controversial. Which parts do you have issue with?

 

 

The SFA would have to use public money to renovate Parkhead and Ibrox which only benefits the owners of the stadiums.

 

We do not require 3 different venues to play Scotland matches or Cup Finals.

 

By all accounts it looks like the SFA are trying to buy Hampden on the cheap from Queens Park anyway.

 

And another reason is that Souness is a populist dick as you have mentioned.

 

 

[RicoS321]

We do not require 3 different venues to play Scotland matches or Cup Finals.

 

Aye, I see fit yer saying, I agree with you on that. If Murayfield were given the green light then there would be no need for the other two. Similarly if we chose one of Parkhead or Ibrox. The notion that we couldn't choose one of either Parkhead or Ibrox either is a symptom of the biggest problem in our game.

 

By all accounts it looks like the SFA are trying to buy Hampden on the cheap from Queens Park anyway

 

I'm not sure why QP don't just put it on the market for sale to the highest bidder, be it for flats or fitever. That would stop the SFA dicking about and put the whole thing to bed. QP could get themselves a cracking stadium somewhere else with a wedge leftover for coke and stippers.

[Ten Caat]

The Record are going with the SFA offering Queens Park £4 million for Hampdung. QP are supposedly after £6 million which will allow them to do up Lesser Hampden. The whole site is huge I would have thought QP could have got a far bigger offer from a developer ( If Pittodrie is "worth" circa £20 million then the whole Hampden site Id have guessed worth at least twice that probably nearer 3 times it). That would have taken the whole question out of the SFA's hands at a stroke.

 

I really would have preferred a new dedicated ground built near a motorway and accessible within an hour of Edinburgh/Glasgow/Dundee  but that isn't on the cards so Murrayfield to me is the best option. We should only use it for actual qualifiers though. Friendlies can be taken round the country. What has to be avoided at all costs is the SFA saying that Ibrokes/Porkheed will become the dedicated options on a rotational basis.

[Kowalski]

BBC saying we’re sticking with Hampden.

[Lencarl]

BBC saying we’re sticking with Hampden.

 

The deal that means Scottish football will remain at its spiritual home will see the SFA buy Hampden Park from part-timers Queen’s Park.

Scottish businessman and former non-executive Celtic director Haughey will provide half of the £5m figure.

 

“We have heard the fans’ views throughout the process and agree with them that we need to improve access, transport links and the overall experience.

“We are committed to doing that.”

 

 

Two things:

 

1…..What is Lord Willie Haughey getting out of this wee loan to the SFA?

 

2....When have the SFA EVER listened to the fans vews ?

 

The SFA will demand public funds to renovate Hampden which will take a while, and use Parkhead and Ibrox as the stadiums for Cup Finals and semi finals.

 

 

 

[tom_widdows]

Sportsound & co citing Stuttgarty's stadium as an example of what could be done at Hampden

 

2006 World Cup (58million euro redevelopment) 52000 capacity

 

 

After redevelopment (completed 2011 63.5million euros) 64000 capacity (54000 when all seated)

 

 

 

[Lencarl]

The Scottish FA also hinted that redevelopment of Hampden may be possible through ownership, but did not go into detail.

 

I bet they fucking didn't 

[tom_widdows]

I bet they fucking didn't 

 

Do you?

You rent a property and one day you decide to make some improvements. If yer a 'good' tenant you ask your landlord for permission who in turn will need to consider if your changes will improve or potentially damage their investment. In a domestic property if its merely painting a room then yer usually fine as it wont cost much to rectify and they could always withold yer deposit at the end. If you start knocking down walls or extending then its another matter.

In commercial property its common for lease agreements to have a clause stating you will return the property back to the state it was prior to occupation but you still need to get permission from the landlord to do anything and if you do it against their wishes they can kick you out.

Now Queens park may be a small amatuer club but they were the owners and whatever the SFA proposed the Spiders opening gambit would be 'whats in it for us?'.

Businesses come along saying they want to buy the naming rights - 'whats in it for us?'

We'd like to build offices, shops, a hotel, student halls into the structure of a new stand(s) to build revenue streams -  'whats in it for us?'

 

and so on

 

Now Queens park are gone its one less hurdle for potential investors plus now the SFA have an asset they can take out loans against

[CvB]

fucking multi millionaire weedgies jumping in to financially secure the future of that grey fucking shitehole. Actually makes me even more pissed off than just the standard corrupt incompetent pricks that normally fuck everything up.

 

 

[RicoS321]

fucking multi millionaire weedgies jumping in to financially secure the future of that grey fucking shitehole. Actually makes me even more pissed off than just the standard corrupt incompetent pricks that normally fuck everything up.

 

I assume Tom Farmer isn't a weegie? That aside, it's a good point. The national game shoudn't be an investment vehicle for someone who owns nearby property or wants to make a mint off hotels and shite. I know it is, I'm just saying that it shouldn't be. Fitba really isn't a sport anymore, is it?

[manc_don]

I assume Tom Farmer isn't a weegie? That aside, it's a good point. The national game shoudn't be an investment vehicle for someone who owns nearby property or wants to make a mint off hotels and shite. I know it is, I'm just saying that it shouldn't be. Fitba really isn't a sport anymore, is it?

 

Agreed

 

[CvB]

I assume Tom Farmer isn't a weegie? That aside, it's a good point. The national game shoudn't be an investment vehicle for someone who owns nearby property or wants to make a mint off hotels and shite. I know it is, I'm just saying that it shouldn't be. Fitba really isn't a sport anymore, is it?

 

good point about Farmer, got too caught up in my own rant to fact check.

 

Still boils my piss though.

Of course, I may be doing the corrupt bastards a disservice. With full ownership of Hampden there's maybe a secret plan to sell it and then rebuild a proper stadium in a centrally accessible part of Scotland. 

 

 

[RicoS321]

good point about Farmer, got too caught up in my own rant to fact check.

 

Still boils my piss though.

Of course, I may be doing the corrupt bastards a disservice. With full ownership of Hampden there's maybe a secret plan to sell it and then rebuild a proper stadium in a centrally accessible part of Scotland. 

 

Aye, I do that! Facts are for dicks. To be honest, if we were moving down the route of "centrally accessible" then we'd be far better served not building a stadium and moving games around the country. Semis and Scotland games against Albania and the likes can go to Edinburgh or Westhill when not featuring the scum. Big Scotland games, semis and finals to one of the scum grounds or Murrayfield on occasion. The notion that we should be signing up to some sort of X year contract to always play games in a particular ground is a serious problem too (see Dons v Motherwell and Dons v St Johnstone recently). Sell hampden and put the money into something useful like grassroots development or knocking down Ibrox.

[tom_widdows]

I assume Tom Farmer isn't a weegie? That aside, it's a good point. The national game shoudn't be an investment vehicle for someone who owns nearby property or wants to make a mint off hotels and shite. I know it is, I'm just saying that it shouldn't be. Fitba really isn't a sport anymore, is it?

 

Tom Hunter (New Cumnock) is the man yer after

 

Tom Farmer (as far as I know) hasn't done anything yet. Hes from Leith if anyone's interested

 

 

[RicoS321]

Tom Hunter (New Cumnock) is the man yer after

 

Tom Farmer (as far as I know) hasn't done anything yet. Hes from Leith if anyone's interested

 

Whatever. Fuckin weegies.

[tlg1903]

Really don't see what the whinge fest is all about.  Everything I am hearing about this decison seems positive.  They are going to try and find a way to renovate the stadium so there will be better views behind the goal. Tick.  The SFA will no longer be contractually obliged tp play all competitive games at Hampden and can use other grounds. Tick. Not one fucking penny leaving the Scottish game for the SRU.  Tick.  Seems to me this is a really good outcome for the Scottish game.  Oh and Willie haughey was on the radio last night saying investment is not a loan but a no strings gift.

[CvB]

Really don't see what the whinge fest is all about.  Everything I am hearing about this decison seems positive.  They are going to try and find a way to renovate the stadium so there will be better views behind the goal. Tick.  The SFA will no longer be contractually obliged tp play all competitive games at Hampden and can use other grounds. Tick. Not one fucking penny leaving the Scottish game for the SRU.  Tick.  Seems to me this is a really good outcome for the Scottish game.  Oh and Willie haughey was on the radio last night saying investment is not a loan but a no strings gift.

 

Unless they plan to bulldoze the shitholes that surround hampden then I don't see much improvement.

Unless there's a plan to improve the infrastructure so it doesn't take 3 hours to get past the city boundries then it will still be a shit place to go to a game of football.

All this money that's "not going to the SRU" will be used for what exactly?

For Scottish football to move forward it needs a radical overhaul and cutting the links to glasgow should be step one.

 

I think your ticks may need some ointment because I'm not seeing anything particularly positive from them.

[tlg1903]

Unless they plan to bulldoze the shitholes that surround hampden then I don't see much improvement.

Unless there's a plan to improve the infrastructure so it doesn't take 3 hours to get past the city boundries then it will still be a shit place to go to a game of football.

All this money that's "not going to the SRU" will be used for what exactly?

For Scottish football to move forward it needs a radical overhaul and cutting the links to glasgow should be step one.

 

I think your ticks may need some ointment because I'm not seeing anything particularly positive from them.

 

Cool story bro.  Why don't you just say you don't agree because you fucking hate Glasgow and be done with it?

 

 

[CvB]

Cool story bro.  Why don't you just say you don't agree because you fucking hate Glasgow and be done with it?

 

hey Bro...(what the fuck are you, 12?)

 

Why don't you just accept that some people think the stadium is a fucking dump.

 

Newsflash dickhead, some people have differing opinions to yourself and, like yourself, want to put their opinion across.

 

 

[donsdaft]

What’s wrong with hating Glasgow?

It’s a minging shitehole.

[Kowalski]

I don’t hate Hampden the stadium as much as others but I just think it’s in the wrong place. Given vast numbers of the locals would rather support Ireland or the Guffs, the National Stadium should be somewhere around Perth or Stirling to make it far more accessible to the whole of Scotland. Significant numbers of the Tartan Army travel from north of the central belt. As stated above, that side of Glasgow can be horrendous to get out of if you’re travelling by car or coach.

 

It ain’t gonna happen.

I’d have taken Murrayfield as it’s a little easier to get to.

[RicoS321]

I don’t hate Hampden the stadium as much as others but I just think it’s in the wrong place. Given vast numbers of the locals would rather support Ireland or the Guffs, the National Stadium should be somewhere around Perth or Stirling to make it far more accessible to the whole of Scotland. Significant numbers of the Tartan Army travel from north of the central belt. As stated above, that side of Glasgow can be horrendous to get out of if you’re travelling by car or coach.

 

It ain’t gonna happen.

I’d have taken Murrayfield as it’s a little easier to get to.

 

I think that having a 50K seater stadium in Stirling or Perth would only prove how stupid the idea of "a national stdaium" actually is. My folks were at Elche th'ither night watching the national team tank the world cup finalists because Spain don't need a national stadium. It's arrogant and stupid and a waste of resource. Perth or Stirling wouldn't handle 50,000 spectators coming in about to the towns. Glasgow and Edinburgh (and to an extent Aberdeen or even Dundee) could handle 35K plus regularly without issue.

[wee toon red]

I think that having a 50K seater stadium in Stirling or Perth would only prove how stupid the idea of "a national stdaium" actually is. My folks were at Elche th'ither night watching the national team tank the world cup finalists because Spain don't need a national stadium. It's arrogant and stupid and a waste of resource. Perth or Stirling wouldn't handle 50,000 spectators coming in about to the towns. Glasgow and Edinburgh (and to an extent Aberdeen or even Dundee) could handle 35K plus regularly without issue.

 

In a country as parochial as Scotland, and with our stacked football system being what it is, taking games "round the country" would in reality give people the chance to moan about money being spent renting stadia from the Huns/the Tims/the Sheepshaggers/the posh rugby cunts so, for once, I think the SFA were damned if they did and damned if they didn't on this one.