St Mirren Park becomes home to Scotland's Under-21 side

[007 Mickey Weir]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14457191.stm

The Scottish Football Association has announced that St Mirren Park will be the new home of the Under-21 team.
The stadium will host all four home qualification matches for the 2013 European Championship.

Seems a bit off to have it on West Coast! ER, Tannadice, Pittodrie all seem valid venues!

:confused:

[CallumLaidlaw]

No it doesn't. It seems perfectly plausible for the GFA to keep games nice and close to them

[down-the-slope]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14457191.stm

The Scottish Football Association has announced that St Mirren Park will be the new home of the Under-21 team.
The stadium will host all four home qualification matches for the 2013 European Championship.

Seems a bit off to have it on West Coast! ER, Tannadice, Pittodrie all seem valid venues!

:confused:

They Are....ridiculous desicion....never going to get kids interested in internationals if they can't go and see the wee team...last game at ER had a good crowd as have there been at other grounds

[Golden Bear]

Not ideal for everyone but the one thing it does offer is a great playing surface regardless of the time of the year or the weather. (if last season is anything to go by)

[JimBHibees]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14457191.stm

The Scottish Football Association has announced that St Mirren Park will be the new home of the Under-21 team.
The stadium will host all four home qualification matches for the 2013 European Championship.

Seems a bit off to have it on West Coast! ER, Tannadice, Pittodrie all seem valid venues!

:confused:

What an atrocious decision that is. There should be no set home venue for under age games when this sort of game can and should be moved around the country. It is bad enough the internationals being all kept at Hampden but for under 21s to be now fixed in Paisley really is taking the biscuit. Was there not 12k at ER last year for the Iceland game, a crowd St Mirren's ground would never be able to accommodate. Paisley is also a complete nightmare to get to by road at the best of times.

[Lendo]

This is a joke of decision. I really enjoyed the U21's game against Iceland (one of the best I've seen in a long time) and would happily go to more if they had them in Edinburgh. I'd even go along to the PBS to watch the Scotland u21's if need be.

[mim]

What an atrocious decision that is. There should be no set home venue for under age games when this sort of game can and should be moved around the country. It is bad enough the internationals being all kept at Hampden but for under 21s to be now fixed in Paisley really is taking the biscuit. Was there not 12k at ER last year for the Iceland game, a crowd St Mirren's ground would never be able to accommodate. Paisley is also a complete nightmare to get to by road at the best of times.

Even worse getting there by train.

For me, it's bus to Kirkcaldy then trains from Kirkcaldy to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen St, walk to Glasgow Central then train from Glasgow Central to Paisley.

Should manage it fine, if I give myself a day to get there. :rolleyes:

[Gingertosser]

Not the worst idea I've heard.
If the team get better results by having a settled home ground for qualification it makes sense.

It would also make sense if they used St Mirren for the next qualifying tournament and then allocate another ground as the home ground for the next tournament.

It would mean a 2 year rotation, so everyone would get a chance eventually.

[Mary Hinge]

It seems to be part of the overall plan to make it as difficult as possible for people to go to matches.

[Albion Hibs]

They Are....ridiculous desicion....never going to get kids interested in internationals if they can't go and see the wee team...last game at ER had a good crowd as have there been at other grounds

Totally agree. We had a pretty decent crowd for the last U21 game, close to transport a modern stadium which holds more than 5 men and a dog.

I can only assume it has something to do with proximity to an U21 training venue (what is wrong with East Mains) or we did not put our name in the hat to be considered for this.

If we did then they above is embarrassing.

[sahib]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14457191.stm

The Scottish Football Association has announced that St Mirren Park will be the new home of the Under-21 team.
The stadium will host all four home qualification matches for the 2013 European Championship.

Seems a bit off to have it on West Coast! ER, Tannadice, Pittodrie all seem valid venues!

:confused:

I doubt the ER pitch is capable of taking too many games.

[easty]

It would also make sense if they used St Mirren for the next qualifying tournament and then allocate another ground as the home ground for the next tournament.

It would mean a 2 year rotation, so everyone would get a chance eventually.

Who'll be next then? Partick Thistle?

[Saorsa]

Poor decision IMO, they should be using different venues instead of just one and they couldnae have picked a bigger *****hole :bitchy: I really enjoyed the U21's at ER last time and would have went again.



now I'll be going tae none :bye:

[Gingertosser]

Who'll be next then? Partick Thistle?

more than likely :faf:

[Pretty Boy]

Who'll be next then? Partick Thistle?

:agree:

Then Clyde, Rangers, Celtic, Lesser Hampden, Queens Park, all the junior teams on the west coast then and only then will anyone out of the Glasgow area get a chance.

[MartinfaePorty]

Just saw this on my Facebook and am outraged. It's bad enough travelling from Edinburgh, but feel more sorry for those from outside the Central belt who have to travel to the Weeg to support their country. No coincidence Billy Stark ex-Buddie or am I get too paranoid?! Been on the SFA website looking for an email address to complain to, but couldn't find one that looked like what I was after. Anyone know who I can send it to?

[blackpoolhibs]

I'd rather they used anywhere but easter road until such times as we get the pitch right. I suppose the west getting it does seem unfair though. :agree:

[H18sry]

http://www.facebook.com/scotlandnationalteam


Some answers to the obvious question's

Scotland National Team Clubs across the country were asked if they would like to become the U21 host venue and those that applied went through a tender process - the majority of the clubs that you mentioned did not apply. There are obviously particular grounds around the country that different fans would like to see matches at, but we can only take matches to clubs who want to host them.



other clubs did apply, mostly from the central belt, but St Mirren came out on top following a tender process and we are delighted to have them on board.


So was the tender from Hibs too high or did we not fancy renting out our stadium for under 21 games?

[Saorsa]

http://www.facebook.com/scotlandnationalteam


Some answers to the obvious question's

Scotland National Team Clubs across the country were asked if they would like to become the U21 host venue and those that applied went through a tender process - the majority of the clubs that you mentioned did not apply. There are obviously particular grounds around the country that different fans would like to see matches at, but we can only take matches to clubs who want to host them.



other clubs did apply, mostly from the central belt, but St Mirren came out on top following a tender process and we are delighted to have them on board.


So was the tender from Hibs too high or did we not fancy renting out our stadium for under 21 games?Why the need tae have a host venue at all though? Why not spread the games around?

[Dashing Bob S]

Glad it's not at ER.

[ancient hibee]

Suspect that in view of a tendering operation St.Mirren will now lose money because the crowds they will get will be miniscule.I have a feeling that ER has housed the largest crowds for both U21 and U23 internationals.I remember(think it was U23)Scotland going out on penalties after Joe Jordan missed-sure there was close to 30,000 at the game.

[3pm]

Glad it's not at ER.

Agreed. Far too big as is the PBS and Pittodrie. Never mind ruining the park.

Good luck to St Mirren. Right size of ground and relatively accessable.

[H18sry]

Agreed. Far too big as is the PBS and Pittodrie. Never mind ruining the park.

Good luck to St Mirren. Right size of ground and relatively accessable.

From Aberdeen,Inverness,Dundee,Perth,Fife or even Berwick yup relatively accessible right enough :rolleyes:

[O'Rourke3]

I suspect because the Scotland set up hotel of choice is now Mar Lodge, Erskine that Paisley is a great choice as it's be the first ground they came across. Not too far away from there. 20,000 stadia too big unless it was a play off against England which suggests the Yams didn't offer themselves up being way short of that number.....

[Saorsa]

I suspect because the Scotland set up hotel of choice is now Mar Lodge, Erskine that Paisley is a great choice as it's be the first ground they came across. Not too far away from there. 20,000 stadia too big unless it was a play off against England which suggests the Yams didn't offer themselves up being way short of that number.....That's a great idea from them then, the team can get there easily, shame about the fans.

[O'Rourke3]

That's a great idea from them then, the team can get there easily, shame about the fans.

They only cared about the fans when the home sell outs ceased as the team became less and less competative and they were forced in to thousands of free tickets for kids.

I know someone who was in the meeting when the then Scottish Secretary Michael Forsythe was for putting money into a new National Stadium near Stirling University. Jim Farry's response was "fitba is a west of Scotland game" Tories dropped their support and the modern state of the art stadium which is Hampden is the result.

[James.]

You would think the SFA have announced they are playing the games in the Shetlands. Paisley is hardly the hardest place to get to tbh, two shortish train rides from Waverly station. I can get to Easter Road on a Wednesday night without much hassle from this side of the country.

[Albion Hibs]

You would think the SFA have announced they are playing the games in the Shetlands. Paisley is hardly the hardest place to get to tbh, two shortish train rides from Waverly station. I can get to Easter Road on a Wednesday night without much hassle from this side of the country.

Why not have it at one of the stadiums where the majority of people can get to with one train ride?! That way it will be more accessable, increase attendances and dare I say it have a positive effect on our national game.

I guess the proff will be in the pudding, I think it would be only right for the SFA to answer questions if there was a noticeable decline in attendances.

[3pm]

From Aberdeen,Inverness,Dundee,Perth,Fife or even Berwick yup relatively accessible right enough :rolleyes:

And all these folk legged it down to Easter Road for a play off eh?

[Sir David Gray]

Scandalous decision.

Easter Road is by far the best stadium in Scotland to stage u21s matches. I'm personally against having a set venue for the u21s as I think certain parts of the country should have the chance to watch them but if they're going to have a set venue, there's several other grounds that I would have picked before St Mirren.

[H18sry]

And all these folk legged it down to Easter Road for a play off eh?

Well with a crowd of over 12,000 which was by far the biggest u21 crowd in years who knows where they came from?. But what I do know is the majority of fan's will have only have needed one train to get there. :wink:


if travelling by train

[Big Frank]

Shock! GFA give glasgow team a nice wee earner.

[KingFranck]

What a joke the sfa are my boy asked if we could go to a Scotland game I said no as they are all at Hampden he then asks why Scotland games are
in Glasgow when Edinburgh is the Capital ? Couldn't give him a valid reason for that but said never mind we could go to an u21 match .... sack that going to Paisley no thanks

[NAE NOOKIE]

Typical GFA decision.

Edinburgh and Aberdeen have a decent record for under 21 crowds. Especially when you see the rubbish crowds Scotland get at Hampden for all but the most important senior qualifying matches. I dont know what the crowd will be for Scotland v Denmark tomorrow night but I bet it would probably be close to a sell out at ER or the PBS.

I have attended a few under 21 matches at ER but there is no way I would go to Paisley to see one.

Obviously the SFA dont give a crap about East Coast or Northern supporters and once again have gone out of their way to prove it.

I love Scotland and hate these Hibs v Scotland discussions that crop up on here sometimes, but lets face it the SFA dont do the likes me of any favours in that discussion.

Hell mend em