Hampden Park

[Broggy Man]

43 minutes ago, PanamaSaint said:

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/scotland/scotland-should-demolish-and-rebuild-hampden-p

Page unavailable John 

[PanamaSaint]

 

My first Scotland game. Was on the left hand side and nose hard against the fence with a yellow Fishermans Macintosh on b4cause it might have rained and he was looking after me. My dad was twenty, thirty, forty rows up. Our first International together. He had been at the Eintracht Frankfurt game, skived off work from Govan shipyard to go. I could easily write a book over night  on the fantastic times I have had with his grandchildren in the past forty years going to Hampden. Rebuild the old lady.

[garydavidson]

It is only just over 18 years since they finished redeveloping it last time.

[PanamaSaint]

3 hours ago, garydavidson said:

It is only just over 18 years since they finished redeveloping it last time.

Its criminal. So badly handled back then and now we have this mess.

[MySpazz]

The Hampden debacle is almost as bad as the kit launch.............. away kit leaked, via JDs

https://m.jdsports.co.uk/product/yellow-adidas-scottish-fa-away-2018-shirt/056338/

[ejksjfc]

I said earlier in this thread that we should consider using Murrayfield but that was before I visited it for our game against Hearts earlier this season. I now don't think Murrayfield although a great stadium is suited to football. I think the SFA shoud buy Hampden (for a reasonable and fair price) Queens Park should then be allowed to redevelop Lesser Hampden (which could be a cracking wee ground) into a usable ground for their league and cup games while the SFA redevelop Hampden to a decent 75000 - 85000 capacity stadium.

[cristo]

In the seventies I went to loads of Scotland games and a couple of cup finals. I've stood in both ends and the north enclosure, under that beautiful wee stand that looked like it was gonna fall down on top of you. I've had the cheese and the ham rolls, the macaroon bars, I've queued up amongst the horses at Mount Florida station, I've walked the length of Prospecthill Road looking for my bus amongst 500 other buses. I've met Billy Connolly in the piss swollen toilet at the Celtic end, and I've sat two rows behind him in South stand hospitality. Rod Stewart was three seats along. I got a lift over into the 1976 league cup final Celtic v Aberdeen and spent 120 minutes watching bottles and cans flying over my head, as well as a great game of football.

These are football memories that I wouldn't swap for anything. I haven't been there for years, but if I ever go to a Scotland game again. I wouldn't want it to be anywhere else than Hampden.

[HOODLUM65]

On 3/23/2018 at 10:25 PM, cristo said:

In the seventies I went to loads of Scotland games and a couple of cup finals. I've stood in both ends and the north enclosure, under that beautiful wee stand that looked like it was gonna fall down on top of you. I've had the cheese and the ham rolls, the macaroon bars, I've queued up amongst the horses at Mount Florida station, I've walked the length of Prospecthill Road looking for my bus amongst 500 other buses. I've met Billy Connolly in the piss swollen toilet at the Celtic end, and I've sat two rows behind him in South stand hospitality. Rod Stewart was three seats along. I got a lift over into the 1976 league cup final Celtic v Aberdeen and spent 120 minutes watching bottles and cans flying over my head, as well as a great game of football.

These are football memories that I wouldn't swap for anything. I haven't been there for years, but if I ever go to a Scotland game again. I wouldn't want it to be anywhere else than Hampden.

Yes, remember these games when it was so packed that folk were unable to get to the lavvies and would piss in their empty beer bottles and cans.

The said objects would then be lobbed  towards the pitch hitting fans at random.

Saying at the time was "it's for you if your name's on it".

Mighty glad my name 's not McEwan.

Oh the memories.

[TheYellowBox]

It’s a tough one what to do with Hampden, on the one hand, the stadium is terrible, rebuild was so badly done, poorly utilised and terrible public transport facilities, however, on the other hand, the location is actually better than most folk make out, it’s got genuine history and most importantly, it’s neutral.

If it is to stay as it is, then leave and bulldoze it. However, if there is a total overhaul, then I’d say stay. No cheep, but I’d; Level the whole place and build a tiered ‘square’ stadium, incorporate a rebuild of mount Florida station and with the extra space, create multi story parking.

The squared tiered set up would allow to minimise the capacity for lower expected crowds. The hydro does this with black curtains at different levels to close off unused seats.

Controversial, but I’d level lesser hampden too, but allow Queen’s Park to play at a tidied up Cathkin Park, which could also double as a Scotland training base and even Glasgow warriors.

Not cheep, but could be funded by clubs in exchange for larger cut of gate receipts from club games there, naming rights, govt funding and by allowing a hotel built on the lesser hampden site. 

[garydavidson]

9 hours ago, TheYellowBox said:

It’s a tough one what to do with Hampden, on the one hand, the stadium is terrible, rebuild was so badly done, poorly utilised and terrible public transport facilities, however, on the other hand, the location is actually better than most folk make out, it’s got genuine history and most importantly, it’s neutral.

If it is to stay as it is, then leave and bulldoze it. However, if there is a total overhaul, then I’d say stay. No cheep, but I’d; Level the whole place and build a tiered ‘square’ stadium, incorporate a rebuild of mount Florida station and with the extra space, create multi story parking.

The squared tiered set up would allow to minimise the capacity for lower expected crowds. The hydro does this with black curtains at different levels to close off unused seats.

Controversial, but I’d level lesser hampden too, but allow Queen’s Park to play at a tidied up Cathkin Park, which could also double as a Scotland training base and even Glasgow warriors.

Not cheep, but could be funded by clubs in exchange for larger cut of gate receipts from club games there, naming rights, govt funding and by allowing a hotel built on the lesser hampden site. 

Few issues there. Mount Florida is a good bit away and doesn't have anything to do with the football ground. Redevelopment of that would be a totally separate issue. Unless you are going to put in a new rail line there isn't that much that can be done for it.

You probably won't get much uptake on planning permission on a car park they would probably go for better bus drop off points. The government prefer public transport options.

The hydro isn't squared.

Glasgow warriors already have a stadium and training base.

You want to level a decent enough setup at lesser Hampden to move queen's to a pitch that would take a lot to get up to the standard of lesser Hampden.

[TheYellowBox]

3 hours ago, garydavidson said:

Few issues there. Mount Florida is a good bit away and doesn't have anything to do with the football ground. Redevelopment of that would be a totally separate issue. Unless you are going to put in a new rail line there isn't that much that can be done for it.

You probably won't get much uptake on planning permission on a car park they would probably go for better bus drop off points. The government prefer public transport options.

The hydro isn't squared.

Glasgow warriors already have a stadium and training base.

You want to level a decent enough setup at lesser Hampden to move queen's to a pitch that would take a lot to get up to the standard of lesser Hampden.

Mount Florida isn’t far away at all, 5 min walk at best. Don’t mean put in an extra line, but redevelop platforms etc so that people can flow faster. It’s as far if not less than the stations around Wembley which got an upgrade when it was rebuilt. SPT have been upgrading their network, so would welcome the potential to share costs etc.

I know the Hydro is oval, but the same principle can apply re sectioning bits off. Lesser Hampden is ok, but to make playable for league games by Queens Park, it would need a fair bit of work. That’s in part why they played at Airdrie a few years back.

Agree thought, car park wouldn’t be desirable to council, but if it meant cars of the surrounding roads and easier traffic management, then that might make it attractive. 

Tgere is a lot that could be done to The surroundings of Hampden as it is that would improve things, but nothing will get done unless being part of a larger project. 

[Abernethy Saint]

Approaching Hampden always reminds me of those famous photos of plucky St Paul’s Cathredral during the Blitz - every building for miles around blown to pieces, a wasteland, but the Cathedral/football stadium miraculously intact.

[ejksjfc]

What does anybody think will happen on Wednesday regarding Hampden.

I personally think the SFA should buy it for a fair price. Once ownership is transferred redevelop Lesser Hampden to a suitable standard to accommodate Queens Park league and cup games. Then after the 2020 Euros redevelop  the main stadium to the same level as the current main stand hopefully eventually reaching 75000 - 80000 capacity.

I also think we should look to move some games around the country.

I personally have not ever had a problem getting on or off the train at Mount Florida if you have 40000+ crowds you should expect to queue at some point. Edinburgh/ Murrayfield in my view is not any better from an access point of view.

[Cagey]

Is Hampten not the HQ for SFA etc with all that's associated with Scottish football. Will this be relocated to Edinburgh including Glasgow based staff.

Not sure what all this is about & I can't see it saving much money when you consider relocation of staff ,equipment & redundancies.

[Abernethy Saint]

They’re just offices, and a wee museum. Could be anywhere. The savings from not having to redevelop and maintain Hampden would be vast. Obviously, the takings from Murrayfield (taking into account non football events as well) would be greatly reduced. I would prefer the no national stadium option. The argument against that is always, what happens if you’ve booked Pittodrie for the last qualifier and it turns out it could take us to the World Cup.

Like that’s ever gonna feckin happen.

[ejksjfc]

58 minutes ago, Abernethy Saint said:

They’re just offices, and a wee museum. Could be anywhere. The savings from not having to redevelop and maintain Hampden would be vast. Obviously, the takings from Murrayfield (taking into account non football events as well) would be greatly reduced. I would prefer the no national stadium option. The argument against that is always, what happens if you’ve booked Pittodrie for the last qualifier and it turns out it could take us to the World Cup.

Like that’s ever gonna feckin happen.

I am not against taking smaller games around the country. What I am against is giving money to the old squirm or rugby authorities from the bigger games. These would include semis and finals from both cup competitions. Much as I would like both of these obnoxious clubs to be knocked out early it is unlikely to happen, they would then have home advantage as well as the advantage of bigger fan base.

I don’t have anything against rugby I just don’t think football should be subsidising Murrayfield.

[Abernethy Saint]

I’ve some sympathy with that, and I wonder if, behind the scenes, a move towards joint ownership of Murrayfield might be getting discussed? At the very least, it should be renamed, “The National Stadium” being the obvious choice.

Of course, if games were moved around the country, that could include Murrayfield to avoid the bigot twins playing at home. 

[HOODLUM65]

Outcome of the meeting very predictable.

Can't make decisions , even bad ones.

[541ntees]

i actually have sympathy for them sounds like they wanna stay at hampden but dont have the cash to improve it. 

Personally id stay at hampden for big games but use other grounds for smaller games like the Albania game  but even then that doesnt help pay for hampden

[blueheaven]

I think the problem is that, whatever decision they make, both proposed grounds are rubbish for football. Personally I'm not convinced a national stadium is even needed, but if there does have to be one then really it should be a completely new custom-built stadium.

It's painful to think about how much money was spent on redeveloping Hampden into such a terrible stadium that the SFA is already thinking about getting rid of. Who was responsible for that awful piece of decision-making?

[mainstand]

It may have already been done but does anyone know if they have compared the distance from the front of the 4 stands to the centre circle. I am pretty sure that the distance at murrayfield from the goals will be further than Hampden, which is one of the biggest complaints.

 

From a selfish point of view I like murrayfield.