A SURVEY of over 800 local residents has shown overwhelming support for retaining Hampden as the home of Scottish football as the SFA board prepares to make a decision on the future of the national stadium.
The board will meet today to hear representations from both Hampden Park Ltd and the Scottish Rugby Union, who are bidding to host Scotland football internationals and cup finals and semi-finals at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
Architects Keppie Design, who have enlisted the help of entrepreneur and former Kilmarnock shareholder Marie Macklin, will also put forward a proposal to rejuvenate Hampden by attracting public and private investment.
An announcement on an issue which has divided opinion in the national game could be made tomorrow – but a further delay to consider findings is also a possibility.
But the results of a survey carried out by Hampden Roar, a pressure group that has been set up to save the stadium, has shown emphatic backing for retaining Hampden among the local community.
Of the 847 people polled polled a total of 74 per cent felt that Hampden should remain as the home of Scottish football while 66 per cent called for Greater Hampden to be designated as an area of historical sporting significance.
Hampden Roar have sent the survey to SFA present Allan McRae, Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as well as other key stakeholders to show the strength of feeling for keeping Scottish football in its spiritual home on the South Side of Glasgow.
Hampden is unpopular with many Scottish football fans due to a perceived lack of atmosphere and poor viewing from the East and West Stands – but Hampden Roar would like to see stadium as well as the entire area redeveloped.
Hampden Roar spokesman John McHugh said: “We’re calling on the decision makers to invest in the stadium, create a partnership with Queen’s Park FC and make Hampden a stadium that is used every day by people in Glasgow.
“After the tragedy of the Art School, Glasgow cannot lose another iconic building. We should make Hampden a priority for Scotland to celebrate our culture, history, people and national sport and you will attract investment for improvements to the stadium and infrastructure.
“Creating a global vision and a plan for improvements will boost morale and create a culture of pride and respect for the area.
“Hampden is Glasgow’s Broadway. Instead of walking away from the community who have housed them for a century, we’re asking the SFA to share our vision for Hampden - Scotland’s most significant sporting, cultural and historical asset.”
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