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  1. #1
    Coaching Staff NAE NOOKIE's Avatar
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    The future of Hampden

    With a decision whether or not to renew our commitment to the national stadium looming ever closer for the SFA what are folks thoughts on it?

    It does seem logical to bin the whole thing and stick two fingers up to Queens Park, who own it but never put a penny into it, and take the internationals around the country, that is until you look at exactly what that will mean. Every game with any meaning will still be played in Glasgow, with the rest of the country getting meaningless friendlies or the busted flush qualifiers nobody wants to see and the ugly sisters dividing up the spoils from the games where there's real money to be made, including the league and Scottish cup finals, putting even more money into their pockets.

    I can honestly also see a scenario where the venue for old firm semi finals or cup finals will be either decided on the toss of a coin or played on a two legged basis. I simply cant see police Scotland allowing them to play each other at the only other stadium capable of holding the game which is in Edinburgh, even if the police were ok with it the council would never sanction it IMO.

    Taking all this into account I would say we simply have to do two things:

    The first is to find a way to wrest control of Hampden from Queens Park .. rental for the stadium from the SFA, SPFL, concerts and other events goes into their company ... but any renovations to the stadium over the years has been paid for from grants and sponsorships only attained because of the involvement of football with the stadium ... when the pitch gets re laid for example I'm pretty sure the SFA pay for it, not Queens Park ..... its a farcical situation.

    The second ... dependent on the first happening ... is for Scottish football to find a way to rebuild the stadium and take its capacity up to at least 60,000 ... Look at what they did to the Maracanã Stadium ... nothing fancy, they just built another basic one tier stadium but with the stands much closer to the pitch. That's all they need to do with Hampden, knock down the east, north and west stands and rebuild them much steeper and much closer to the pitch at both ends ... steepness means more height, but if they want the stands to be level all the way round all they need to do is lower the pitch and put another section in front of the south stand to bring it level with the others.

    They could probably do the whole lot for 70 million quid and when you look at the money SKY and BT pump into the EPL and Champion's league I bet you could get them to put up at least 40 million of it for the naming rights .... the SKY Hampden park stadium would perhaps even appeal to them.

    As you can see its a slow Sunday and I'm bored waiting for the Scotland game to start ...... But in all seriousness, IMO allowing Hampden to pass into history would be a huge mistake.


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  3. #2
    I think the national stadium should be around the Motherwell / Airdrie area - more accessible for those coming from the north and east, even those from the south.

    Quote Originally Posted by NAE NOOKIE View Post
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    With a decision whether or not to renew our commitment to the national stadium looming ever closer for the SFA what are folks thoughts on it?

    It does seem logical to bin the whole thing and stick two fingers up to Queens Park, who own it but never put a penny into it, and take the internationals around the country, that is until you look at exactly what that will mean. Every game with any meaning will still be played in Glasgow, with the rest of the country getting meaningless friendlies or the busted flush qualifiers nobody wants to see and the ugly sisters dividing up the spoils from the games where there's real money to be made, including the league and Scottish cup finals, putting even more money into their pockets.

    I can honestly also see a scenario where the venue for old firm semi finals or cup finals will be either decided on the toss of a coin or played on a two legged basis. I simply cant see police Scotland allowing them to play each other at the only other stadium capable of holding the game which is in Edinburgh, even if the police were ok with it the council would never sanction it IMO.

    Taking all this into account I would say we simply have to do two things:

    The first is to find a way to wrest control of Hampden from Queens Park .. rental for the stadium from the SFA, SPFL, concerts and other events goes into their company ... but any renovations to the stadium over the years has been paid for from grants and sponsorships only attained because of the involvement of football with the stadium ... when the pitch gets re laid for example I'm pretty sure the SFA pay for it, not Queens Park ..... its a farcical situation.

    The second ... dependent on the first happening ... is for Scottish football to find a way to rebuild the stadium and take its capacity up to at least 60,000 ... Look at what they did to the Maracanã Stadium ... nothing fancy, they just built another basic one tier stadium but with the stands much closer to the pitch. That's all they need to do with Hampden, knock down the east, north and west stands and rebuild them much steeper and much closer to the pitch at both ends ... steepness means more height, but if they want the stands to be level all the way round all they need to do is lower the pitch and put another section in front of the south stand to bring it level with the others.

    They could probably do the whole lot for 70 million quid and when you look at the money SKY and BT pump into the EPL and Champion's league I bet you could get them to put up at least 40 million of it for the naming rights .... the SKY Hampden park stadium would perhaps even appeal to them.

    As you can see its a slow Sunday and I'm bored waiting for the Scotland game to start ...... But in all seriousness, IMO allowing Hampden to pass into history would be a huge mistake.

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    Doesn't the SFA own Hampden now?

  5. #4
    Coaching Staff NAE NOOKIE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by theonlywayisup View Post
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    I think the national stadium should be around the Motherwell / Airdrie area - more accessible for those coming from the north and east, even those from the south.
    Ideally yes it should ... but in this scenario we are rebuilding Hampden. In any scenario where you build a new stadium on a different site its going to be difficult to get a planning application past the locals ... The sweetie paper rustlers of Aberdeen are struggling to get the good folk of Westhill to agree to their stadium .... imagine the resistance to the prospect of 60,000 knuckle draggers pissing in gardens and puking up in the street a few times a season from the good folk of Motherwell etc.

  6. #5
    @hibs.net private member Carheenlea's Avatar
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    It's not the greatest stadium in the world, but not half as bad as some make out. One of footballs most famous venues and every Scottish football fan will have memories never to be forgotten, be that international or club. I hope we continue on at Hampden Park.

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    Quote Originally Posted by theonlywayisup View Post
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    I think the national stadium should be around the Motherwell / Airdrie area - more accessible for those coming from the north and east, even those from the south.
    Personally I would like to see an enlarged Hampden for for purpose. But if they decide to move I believe Stirling is where it should be. Accessible to all parts of the country and the historic heart of Scotland.

    If they don’t want to do that then let’s put it in Inverness. Neutral ground and very little goes to the highlands. Every bit as relevant as any other part of the country

  8. #7
    Ultimate Slaver Keith_M's Avatar
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    It's the SFA, they'll choose the easiest option (no brain required), so they'll just renew the lease on Hampden.

  9. #8
    Hampden will be hosting games at the euros in 2020, should have been done up for that imo

  10. #9
    @hibs.net private member lord bunberry's Avatar
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    Make Hampden bigger and better would be the best way to go imo. Sharing Murrayfield would be the most cost effective way to go, but it would never happen, and if I’m being honest I’m glad it won’t happen.

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    If they wanted to do a botch job semi rebuild,(....this is Scotland we are talking about so seems plausible)

    I would leave the main stand and rebuild the north,east,west and make them multi tiered with a proper rake to the seating, east and west stands are especially poor for spectator viewing.
    There is not a huge amount of space behind the north west corner, they might have to shift the odd weegie out their house and claim a bit of land.

  12. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Carheenlea View Post
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    It's not the greatest stadium in the world, but not half as bad as some make out. One of footballs most famous venues and every Scottish football fan will have memories never to be forgotten, be that international or club. I hope we continue on at Hampden Park.
    Absolutely this. I personally love Hampden.

    We could try and increase capacity to 60k... although only 1 qualifier in this campaign has sold out

  13. #12
    @hibs.net private member LaMotta's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Carheenlea View Post
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    It's not the greatest stadium in the world, but not half as bad as some make out. One of footballs most famous venues and every Scottish football fan will have memories never to be forgotten, be that international or club. I hope we continue on at Hampden Park.

  14. #13
    Coaching Staff NAE NOOKIE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Liberal Hibby View Post
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    Doesn't the SFA own Hampden now?
    No, its always been in the hands of Queens Park ... the current owner is 'Hampden Park Ltd' which is in effect Queens Park FC.

    Their continued ownership of the stadium has been a disaster for it over the years IMO. Example .... Glasgow was desperate to hold the Commonwealth games and the Scottish government was very very keen to help them do it. Short of building a white Elephant that would be utterly useless within a fortnight the only possible venue was Hampden .... Even though they had Glasgow council and the government over a barrel Queens Park Ltd allowed them to spend 14 million quid on the stadium with incredibly no lasting legacy or benefit to it whatsoever ... any company worth its salt would have insisted that the stadium had to benefit in the long term from such an arrangement. Which proves to me that Queens Park Ltd see the stadium as nothing more than a cash cow and have little or no interest in its upkeep, its maintenance, or sadly its future .... they are little better than a slum landlord.

    But then why should they bother when all the money they have ever needed to improve it and keep it running has come through its connections to the SFA and Scottish football in general .... Its like renting out a house and expecting the tenants to pay to have the roof replaced and bizarrely the tenants agreeing to it .... hell its like renting out a house you have expected your tenants to buy for you.

    The biggest question which remains for Queens Park Ltd is what exactly do they do if the SFA and SPFL refuse to use the stadium in the future? You can only hold so many Take That and Robbie Williams concerts in a year, so far for the summer of 2018 all they have booked is 3 nights of Ed Sheerin. With footballs lack of input there is no way they would be able to attract a penny of public money, nothing like the sponsorship they do and nowhere near the annual rental income. The SFA / SPFL have Queens Park Ltd over the same barrel they had Glasgow Council and the government over with the Commonwealth games.

    The SFA and SPFL if you ask me can near enough 100% expect Queens Park Ltd not to call their bluff when it comes to a threat to withdraw from their use of Hampden and at that point the whole situation is up for negotiation with all the cards firmly stacked in favour of Scottish football .... The only fly in the ointment is will the absolute dullards who run our game have the brains to see it and the balls to take full advantage?

    Get that place into the hands of Scottish football, or even better a charitable trust in the control of Scottish football and Hampden could have a future .... IMO its as iconic a Scottish landmark as Edinburgh castle or the Forth bridge and getting it into the hands of a charitable trust isn't as fanciful as it might seem if you ask me .... manage to do that and the prospect of access to public funding and major sponsorship for a rebuild would be far higher than they are at the moment.

    If Scottish football was united in its purpose instead of being at loggerheads all the time the clubs could get together and get Celtic Park and Ibrox who both have far better facilities and certainly in the case of Ibrox are far easier to get to, to compete with Hampden for big concerts. If the buggers wont play ball run them into the ground until the place is a rusting hulk.
    Last edited by NAE NOOKIE; 08-10-2017 at 01:39 PM.

  15. #14
    @hibs.net private member Bishop Hibee's Avatar
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    It was an opportunity missed when it was redeveloped. They should have forced Queens Park out and built a 60K stadium with stands nearer the pitch. Ideally this would happen this time round but I suspect the SFA will cut their losses and ditch Hampden.
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  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bishop Hibee View Post
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    It was an opportunity missed when it was redeveloped. They should have forced Queens Park out and built a 60K stadium with stands nearer the pitch. Ideally this would happen this time round but I suspect the SFA will cut their losses and ditch Hampden.
    I cant see the SFA leaving Hampden. In fact id be shocked if they did.

    If Hampden didnt exist id think there was no need to build a national stadium, especially such a rubbish one.

    But it does exist, so i think the history etc makes it worth keeping. I just wish they had shown slightly more vision when they refurbished it to make it decent. If Lansdown Road and Cardiff Arms Park could be turned into the brilliant stadiums they have been, i dont understand why Hampden couldnt.

  17. #16
    Coaching Staff NAE NOOKIE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bishop Hibee View Post
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    It was an opportunity missed when it was redeveloped. They should have forced Queens Park out and built a 60K stadium with stands nearer the pitch. Ideally this would happen this time round but I suspect the SFA will cut their losses and ditch Hampden.
    Sadly you are probably right. But IMO Scotland needs to have a national stadium. Its true that countries like Germany and Spain share games around, but both countries have huge populations compared to Scotland and huge stadiums scattered all around the country, a luxury we certainly don't enjoy.

    With Celtic and Sevco owning the only two stadiums capable of matching Hampden and the presence of at least one of them in every set of cup semi finals played, not to mention finals, the effect of having no national stadium would be as I said before to pump even more money into the coffers of the two clubs who are already miles in front of everybody else in spending power. If they have any regard for the general good of Scottish football its something the SFA and SPFL have to be worried about.

    I've said it before ...... If the Scottish government were prepared to spend hundreds of millions on a glorified school sports day that subsequent studies have shown actually had no overall beneficial affects on the good health or prestige of the nation ... something they could have learned before the event by looking at the stats for previous commonwealth games and Olympics ... then there is no reason why they shouldn't get on board with helping to build this country a national football stadium we can be proud of and which is fit for purpose. They are quick enough to stick their nose in when it comes to using football for their own ends .... its time they did something to help it.

  18. #17
    Hampden should be left to Queens Park or torn down. We are a small country and already have a top class national stadium in Murrayfield. I'd be happy enough going to Murrayfield/Ibrox/Parkhead for semis and finals

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    Keep it, make it better sell name right and extend it. I couldn't count the amount of times at the Malta match I looked up to where I was sitting in the final and day dream. We just won the cup there. Keep it now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingDomofFife84 View Post
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    Hampden should be left to Queens Park or torn down. We are a small country and already have a top class national stadium in Murrayfield. I'd be happy enough going to Murrayfield/Ibrox/Parkhead for semis and finals
    Aye Celtic at Parkhead for a final would be brilliant. Or do the stadiums get a month or so to prepare depending on what sides are competing? There's nothing wrong with Hampden. Even as a wee laddie going to Glasgow no on a weds night for an international was brilliant.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Firestarter View Post
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    Aye Celtic at Parkhead for a final would be brilliant. Or do the stadiums get a month or so to prepare depending on what sides are competing? There's nothing wrong with Hampden.
    A game involving Celtc would be played at Ibrox and one involving Sevco at Parkhead. If they're playing each other, then they take it in turns to host with the stadium split 50:50.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eyrie View Post
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    A game involving Celtc would be played at Ibrox and one involving Sevco at Parkhead. If they're playing each other, then they take it in turns to host with the stadium split 50:50.
    Yup

  23. #22
    The view is absolute ***** but there is something special about going there. Always feel goosebumps when I walk in.

  24. #23
    I've said for years we will buy a new stadium cut price from Qatar after the 2022 WC. That stupid friendly at ER wasn't for nothing and they'll have 7 or 8 stadiums to spare after their farcical tournament.

    Whether that stadium is then reconstructed at the current site or moved elsewhere is the question.
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  25. #24
    If Hampden was torn down would Celtic and Rangers get to keep their ends?

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    Ultimate Slaver Keith_M's Avatar
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    If I win the Euromiilions I'll make a contribution to a new National Stadium... but only if they promise to build it outside Glasgow and accessible by motorway and rail.

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingDomofFife84 View Post
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    If Hampden was torn down would Celtic and Rangers get to keep their ends?


    tbf Hibernian would need to be consulted to see if we wanted any part of the hibs end, we could maybe get some use of concrete for filling in the corners at ER, you just need to look at hertz to see the cost of tin is obviously much higher than good solid concrete

  28. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by Pretty Boy View Post
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    I've said for years we will buy a new stadium cut price from Qatar after the 2022 WC. That stupid friendly at ER wasn't for nothing and they'll have 7 or 8 stadiums to spare after their farcical tournament.

    Whether that stadium is then reconstructed at the current site or moved elsewhere is the question.
    That's not a bad shout

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eyrie View Post
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    A game involving Celtc would be played at Ibrox and one involving Sevco at Parkhead. If they're playing each other, then they take it in turns to host with the stadium split 50:50.
    So if they are both in the Semi final you think it's realistic each season to set out ticket plans and hosting etc in about a month depending if any get knocked out? If it was to happened it would have to be pre-determined at the start of each season and both they clubs would just get the money that wouldn't go to Hampden which wouldn't help either.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Pretty Boy View Post
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    I've said for years we will buy a new stadium cut price from Qatar after the 2022 WC. That stupid friendly at ER wasn't for nothing and they'll have 7 or 8 stadiums to spare after their farcical tournament.

    Whether that stadium is then reconstructed at the current site or moved elsewhere is the question.
    How do they move the stadium from there to Glasgow? Interesting theory mind reminds me of taking my subbuteo stadium to my mates shan pitch only but on a better surface.

  31. #30
    Solipsist Eyrie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Firestarter View Post
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    So if they are both in the Semi final you think it's realistic each season to set out ticket plans and hosting etc in about a month depending if any get knocked out? If it was to happened it would have to be pre-determined at the start of each season and both they clubs would just get the money that wouldn't go to Hampden which wouldn't help either.
    Why would it need to be done in one month when it's known what the arrangement would be? The only decision would be which plan to use to split the stadium and that would depend on their opponent (we'd be 50:50 but it could be one stand for a club with a smaller fan base).

    Other grounds would be used when neither Celtc nor Sevco are involved - Easter Road would be a front runner for many of the central belt clubs. Murrayfield could be rented for a Hibs-Hearts game.

    Do we really need a rarely used stadium just to provide a neutral venue for two groups of bigots to exchange vile taunts? The money saved on that white elephant could be invested in grass roots facilities to bring through better young players to improve the standard of our game.

    National games can then be taken round the country and played at Pittodrie, Easter Road etc rather than forcing everyone to travel to Glasgow every time. After all, it's our national team and not our Glasgow team.
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