A LONG time ago on what seemed to be a different planet a long way away, I attended a meeting of a planning committee of Edinburgh District Council, as the local authority was then known.
I was there with my ultimate boss, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, that redoubtable SNP and rugby-mad figure – president of my club Lismore RFC – Norman Irons. It was 1992 and we were there because the Scottish Rugby Union was applying for planning permission to build what ultimately became the new North, South and West Stands which completed the rebuilding of Murrayfield.
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The SRU had presumed in its arrogant way that planning permission would be granted to them simply because they were the SRU. During the meeting, Norman Irons called them “bungling arrogant and insensitive” adding “and I’m on their side”.
There was some opposition as I recall, but not much, and the planners had imposed some conditions which the SRU agreed to.
The only sticking point was that the planners had concerns that the SRU would use the expanded stadium for all sorts of non-rugby activities, such as pop concerts, and that would be unfair to long-suffering local people used to two Five Nations games per year and the odd touring Test and other rugby matches – no organised Autumn Tests back then, and no Pro-14 or European Cups either.
I personally heard the SRU secretary, the late Bill Hogg, promise the committee there would be no more than half a dozen non-rugby events a year using the outdoor area, ie the pitch, of the new stadium. The committee took his gentleman’s word and voted in favour of what has become the biggest and best stadium in the country.
Later today the Scottish Football Association will take the decision on whether to stay at Hampden Park or move internationals and major domestic matches to Murrayfield.
I have stated often enough that Hampden must stay as the home of our major national sport, albeit with major improvements. The Old Lady of Mount Florida is looking rather bedraggled these days, and while the price might be prohibitive, new stands at either end of the pitch with standing areas and detachable seats might solve the problems that fans say Hampden suffers from.
What infuriates me is the SRU’s position in all of this. They have gone out aggressively to get the money that will come with hosting Scotland internationals and cup finals–- though they would be well advised to check on exactly what income they would get as there will be very few occasions that will see 67,500 people attend a footie match anywhere in Scotland.
Celtic and Rangers in a cup final would, and unlike other people I have full confidence in the SRU and Police Scotland to come up with ways of segregating the two tribes, something you don’t have to do at rugby matches.
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I don’t know what the people of the Corstorphine, Murrayfield, Gorgie and Dalry areas would think of Old Firm fans passing through their areas, attended by police with horses, dogs, Tasers and batons. Not to mention kettling barriers, and neither does the SFA, SRU or Edinburgh Council whose leader, the SNP’s Adam McVey, has allowed himself to be dragged into the SRU’s propaganda war – but then which council leader would not assist a bid that could earn his city millions? Mind you, Adam probably should have asked if it was advisable to champion a move that is hugely opposed by the SNP council in Glasgow. Oops.
No my beef is with the SRU and its total concentration on getting cash anywhere it can – and that’s without mentioning the Super 6 fiasco and the ongoing inquiry into the cabalistic methods of the Murrayfield executives.
There is simply no way that the SFA can be squeezed into Murrayfield without adversely affecting Scottish rugby – fixture clashes, anyone? – but who has asked the rugby community in Scotland for permission?
It will definitely affect the local community – the SRU has excellent relationships with Murrayfield Community Council through their stakeholder manager Graham Law, but as yet the community council has seen no formal proposal for what happens when the SFA moves in.
The council is also much more exercised by the plan to move Murrayfield Wanderers to Roseburn Park – caused by the insistence of the SRU on breaking its gentleman’s agreement with that club over their clubhouse.
Rugby is famously a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen, but the SRU has no gentlemen, just cynical businessmen. If I were the SFA, I wouldn’t believe a word they say.
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