Scotland move would shut Hampden, says local MSP
The SFA are set to make a decision soon on the future home of the national team
Last updated 18th Jan 2018
Hampden Park could cease to exist if the Scotland national team move to play their football elsewhere - that's according to local MSP James Dornan.
The Scottish Football Association's Hampden lease expires in 2020 and other options are being considered, with a meeting taking place at the end of the month to debate the national team's future home.
James Dornan is the MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, the constituency that Hampden lies in, and he says there will be major repercussions for the stadium and the area should a move happen.
Dornan said, "If Hampden loses the national stadium title and the Scottish football team stops playing there, within five, six, seven or eight years - we won't have a Hampden.
"Hampden will not be able to exist with just Queen's Park playing and the occasional gig.
"We've spent a lot of public money on it over the past 20 years or so. Hampden plays a huge role in the economy of the city.
"We've got the European Championships in 2020 coming up and I don't believe for a second that Glasgow or Scotland would be able to participate in that if we didn't have a national stadium.
"There's no other ground that can take what Hampden does, it would be devastating to the local community, it would be devastating for the city of Glasgow".
One of the options being considered is that Scotland's games will be moved around the country to different grounds, while the representatives of BT Murrayfield have put forward their proposals to bring the national team to Edinburgh.
A move to the capital is an intriguing prospect for some, but Dornan is adamant that there is only one place the Tartan Army should be watching their side in Scotland.
He said, "Glasgow is the home of Scottish football. Hampden is the home of Scottish football.
"Hampden is not perfect, but be careful what you wish for. If you go to Murrayfield you'll find you're as far away from the football pitch as you are when you complain about being far away from the ground at Hampden".