It just has to be
Hampden
Hibs face surprise opposition to cup
semi venue - STUART
CROWTHER
HIBERNIAN
ARE FACING SOME SURPRISE opposition over the venue for the CIS
Insurance Cup semi final in February, as opponents Ayr United are pushing
for Fir Park rather than Hampden Park! While Hibs fans appear to be
in largely in agreement with Alex McLeish that Hampden is the place to be,
in their own on-line poll Ayr fans are currently backing their manager
Gordon Dalziel's plea for the tie to be taken to Fir Park.
With a
capacity of just 14,000 it has come as something of a surprise that Ayr
wish to play the game in Motherwell, which would also represent more
travelling for Ayrshire supporters. Hibs will likely expect to sell
that many tickets themselves for the game, but the Fir Park option would
leave Easter Road fans scrambling for something like 7,000 tickets and
that is a situation Hibs hope will simply not be allowed to happen. "If
the game was at a smaller venue we could have up to 10,000 fans losing
out, and that is unfair,"
McLeish commented on proposals to take the game away from the national
stadium. Attendance is not the only factor for the Hibs boss, who
pointed out: "Hampden has a
bigger pitch and it prepares players if they are to get to the
final. For Hibs fans there is a need to play at Hampden, and I think
as many fans as possible should at least have the chance of getting a
ticket."
Alex McLeish - semi should be at Hampden (hibs.net)
The
SFL will decide on the venue and date later this week, but with a
precedent already having been set last season when Kilmarnock faced St
Mirren in a Hampden semi-final before fewer than 10,000 fans. While
Hibs would not expect to match the 20,000 fans they took to Hampden last
season for both the Semi and Final games in the Scottish Cup, a healthy
support from Easter Road would be expected to bolster the Hampden crowd
for the tie. McLeish concluded: "The
Semi should be played at Hampden because it is the national stadium and
the numbers eclipse all other grounds
outside Ibrox and Parkhead."
Hibs
meanwhile are insisting that plans for a youth academy at Vogrie Park in
East Lothian are pressing ahead, in spite of opposition from local
residents. Managing director Rod Petrie said: "Youth
development is one of our core objectives and we continue to progress the
plans for an Academy at Vogrie. We always knew it would be difficult
because of the site and the proximity to other things, but our plans have
not come to an end."
Paul
Fenwick has returned to full training this week and comes into contention
for a return to the side on Saturday, when Motherwell are the visitors to
Easter Road. And midfielders Freddy Arpinon and Grant Brebner both
featured for Hibs U-21's last night in Hibs 2-0 home win over Kilmarnock,
some consolation for the 6-2 hamming the same side handed out to Hibs
youngsters at Rugby Park last week. Gary O'Connor was once again on
the goal trail, opening the scoring for Hibs and creating the second for
Les Byle.
Hibernian
have finally launched their much-anticipated new-look official web
site. The site has been given a facelift, with more editorial
content promised in the future as well as regular match reports and news
updates. The site address is http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk.
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