Break out the buntin’ Boaby, the SFA are staying at Hampden.
Unfortunately, this is not a scene or quote from Still Game, this is in all fact looking ever more the reality.
Let’s get one thing straight from the off, I am all for the SFA staying in place at Hampden if they wish to invest and upgrade the national stadium, they don’t and won’t.
I cannot think of any football fan of any team that is happy with this choice, Hampden is quite simply a dump, the viewing angles are, at best, restricted and the transport links are non-existent, it is a nightmare to get to and from and I only reside in Paisley, I can’t imagine the inconvenience to fans who are further afield.
I feel I am in as good a position to comment on this, as I have attended the stadium on many occasions, ranging from cup semis and finals with Rangers, Scotland games, I was there during Glasgow’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games and concerts, as I’m sure many of you have too.
I was also present at Hampden before its “modernisation” then during the two reopening matches, one with Holland in 1993, before the old South Stand was demolished, then after on the Friday night opening of the BT South Stand featuring a Queen’s Park select and players such as Kenny Dalglish.
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Everybody knows Hampden badly needs upgrading, if you are positioned behind any of the goals you can hardly see the game when it goes up the other end, the facilities are dilapidated and lacking in choice, the big screens are hardly big, in HD or easily viewable from many seats, any kind of seat that is situated down towards the pitch and you either have stewards in your eye line or the pitch is higher than your position.
This is not something that has crept up on the SFA either, for years fans has voiced their displeasure of the ground, to no avail, they just don’t give a toss, what other reason could there possibly be?
Hampden does have some plus points, no sorry even I couldn’t come up with one. What it really could do with are some New Mobile Casinos.
Countries like Spain, the Netherlands and the USA amongst a few spread the games across the country, giving fans in all parts an opportunity to experience an international match close to home. Glasgow alone has two Stadiums, one five star of course, one not. Why not just play the Scottish and League Cup finals in alternative years in those grounds, all pre-determined well in advance.
This was a real chance to use the bargaining power the SFA had, play them against the SRU, negotiate a better deal, yet again we will see it’s more just pats on the back, jobs for the boys and to hell for the rest of us. It is the fans who are forced to attend this out of date, unpopular ground, time after time, year after year.
So there we have it folks, get the streamers and party balloons looked at, we’re heading for Hampden for the foreseeable future. Woop Woop.
Tell me your views. Would you have stayed?
@steven_harrigan @rangersnewsuk b