Hampden Park (Glasgow)

Hampden Park is the national stadium of Scotland, with a rich and fascinating history with the current stadium its third incarnation, owned by the Scottish FA since the summer of 2020 after it was purchased from Queen’s Park FC.

The first Hampden Park opened in October 1873 as a home to Queen’s Park on the site where the Hampden Bowling Club now stands staged the first final of the Scottish Cup in 1874 along with another eight further finals.

It was also the home ground for six Scotland international games including a 7-2 and then 5-4 wins against England in 1878 and 1880. The ground was required for an extension of the Caledonian Railway, so the club moved a few hundred metres east.

The second Hampden Park was opened in 1894 with a capacity of 50,000, going on to stage eleven Scottish Cup finals as well as Scotland in a 1-1 draw with England in 1890 with over 26,000 fans in attendance, which was a world record international crowd at the time.

Queen’s Park wanted to purchase more land for expansion to compete with Celtic Park and Ibrox which both had larger capacities, but the landlords were not forthcoming. Instead they looked a few hundred metres south and found a site off Somerville Drive which was purchased in November 1899.

Third Lanark AC took over the ‘second’ Hampden, rebuilding it and calling it Cathkin Park, the same as their previous home. Read here all about the club and my visits to the stadium.

Architect Archibald Leitch designed the new Hampden’s shape and terracing while James Miller designed the two grandstands which were divided by a pavilion. Glasgow were in possession of the world’s biggest three stadiums.

The new stadium held the 1903-04 Scottish Cup final, missing out in 1905-06 and then between 1909-10 until the final returned in 1919-20. It would stage the big game aside from two finals and the break for War for the next seventy years.

A new world record of 127,307 turned out at Hampden Park in 1912 to see Scotland draw 1-1 with England. A couple of years later the central pavilion was ruined by fire and replaced by a new structure with press box on the roof.

Further banking was added to the terraces in 1927. A North Stand with 4,500 seats hanging over the huge terracing opposite the Main Stand was added in 1937 which took the capacity to an amazing 150,000.

Hampden holds some incredible attendance records: Scotland v England drew in 149,517 in 1937, which is the highest ever crowd for a game in Britain. 10,000 more are said to have gate crashed.

A week later the Cup Final between Aberdeen and Celtic was watched by 147,365 which is the highest crowd for a game between two club sides anywhere in the world. In 1945 the press box was rebuilt after fire while capacity was cut to 135,000 following the Burnden Park tragedy at Bolton, when thirty-three fans lost their lives in crushing.

Scotland internationals moved to Hampden after previously only hosting games against England along with a couple of other games, while the League Cup final was added to the calendar from 1946-47 as crowds flocked to Mount Florida.

A crowd of 130,000 attended the 1960 European Cup final when Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 prior to the installation of floodlights a year later. In 1962 the ground was chosen for the 1961-62 European Cup Winners' Cup final when Fiorentina drew 1-1 with Atlético Madrid.

The final of the same competition returned in 1965-66 when Borussia Dortmund defeated Liverpool 2-1 after extra time. A roof was added to the West Terrace in 1967, which is also known as the Rangers End as that is the end always given to their fans for Cup Finals.

Hampden holds the record for any game in a UEFA competition as 136,505 saw the European Cup Semi Final between Celtic and Leeds United in 1970. Celtic chose to use the venue to allow more fans to watch and moved subsequent matches against Ajax and Rosenborg to the stadium.

Hampden was starting to decay, particularly the terracing which had never been properly concreted. The Safety of Sports Grounds Act of 1975 led to the stadium capacity being reduced to 81,000.

Bayern München defeated Saint-Étienne in the final of the 1975-76 European Cup with a relatively low crowd of 54,864 in attendance. Hampden’s future was in doubt for many years during the 1970's and then the 80's.

A riot after the Celtic v Rangers Scottish Cup final of 1979-80 prompted huge changes to be made if the stadium was to be retained. The North Stand was demolished while the terraces were concreted, the Celtic, East End cut in size and new turnstiles installed between 1981 and 1986 leading a cut in capacity to 74,370.

Hampden staged the 1989 Under 16 World Cup final when Saudi Arabia defeated Scotland on penalties. When the annual Scotland against England match was played for the final time in 1989 it was questioned whether Scotland needed one national stadium when games and finals could be spread around as other stadiums saw large investment.

A National Stadium Committee had been formed as the spiritual home of Scottish Football was saved. The West Terrace was concerted to seating in 1991 but Hampden was still unable to stage FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

A grant was eventually forthcoming as the remaining terracing had seating and roofing installed but Hampden’s capacity fell to just over 37,000. Celtic decamped to the stadium for the 1994-95 season while Celtic Park was rebuilt.

The Scottish Cup final was moved for a couple of seasons while Hampden saw major redevelopment as the South Stand was rebuilt with a new two tier construction joining up with the other stands to offer cover for all 51,866 spectators as the new capacity was set at.

The new stand allowed room for administrative facilities as the Scottish FA moved in and a new football museum was opened. Hampden hosted the 2001-02 Champions League final when Real Madrid beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1.

Sevilla FC defeated RCD Espanyol on penalties in the 2006-07 UEFA Cup final in front of a sell out crowd at Hampden before the stadium hosted football matches during the 2012 Olympics prior to hosting its first Scotland women’s international game.

A temporary conversion to allow the installation of an athletics running track led to Hampden being the main stadium for the 2014 Commonwealth Games with a capacity of 44,000. Queen’s Park played their matches for a year at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium while the Scottish Cup and League Cup finals were moved to Celtic Park.

Hampden was chosen as one of thirteen venues to stage matches in Euro 2020 which was deferred by a year owing to the outbreak of Coronavirus. Meanwhile, the SFA outlined plans to buy the stadium from Queen’s Park after canvassing opinion.

The deal was concluded with Queen’s Park redeveloping Lesser Hampden to play from the 2020-21 season, where they’d moved their base once the SFA had moved into the new South Stand, although some games could still be played in the main arena if works were delayed.

 

My visits

Thursday 28th January 2010

I had enjoyed a wonderful three days in and around Glasgow, but I thought that I was saving the best until the final afternoon. I had always wanted to visit Hampden Park. I wish it had been in its glory days, but I’m afraid it’s impossible to turn back time, more is the pity.

I alighted at Mount Florida station after previously looking at the home of Pollok FC and walked through the huge tenement lined streets down the hill towards the stadium. I was in the northwest corner and walked past the Queens Park FC community offices with Lesser Hampden on my left.

I poked my head inside to find a community used artificial pitch with natural banks surrounding it. An old ornate pavilion and small stand were on the far side. A game was in progress on the pitch. As I took some images a player stopped and told his mates to look good as they were about to appear on you tube!

I carried on around to the main South Stand. It was a very impressive structure with all the administrative facilities. I found the entrance to the museum and tour and paid my money to the welcoming gent on the desk.

He directed me down to the museum a couple of levels down as I had fifteen minutes to kill before my tour began. The museum looked excellent, which whetted my appetite to go back for a proper look around after the tour.

I found my tour guide Sandy and an older couple who supported Partick Thistle. Sandy told the story of the stadium beautifully. He really was a true football fan. He was employed by the SFA and supported Motherwell as well as the national team.

He was immensely proud that he had attended all of the European finals that had been held at the stadium, although he lamented how he missed the terracing and the old atmosphere, telling us a wonderful tale as to how Hampden's official attendances were underestimated.

Many knew turnstile operators who would allow fans to jump over for a small fee which was pocketed. The authorities caught onto this and decided to take action by moving the operators from their usual positions for the next match without notice.

Not to be outdone the operators took chalk into work for the next game and told their pals to get there a little earlier. After being allocated their particular entrance, the operator then chalked his initials above the gate so he could be found so normal service was resumed. 

Sandy took us into the changing and media rooms as well as the warm-up areas where we all scored a goal and had the speed of our shots measured. I must remember to knock off the Scottish pies next time!

We went out down the tunnel into the smart arena. I had been in bigger stadiums, but there really was something special about Hampden. We said our goodbyes and I went back into the museum, which in all honesty I could have spent a full day. It told the complete history of both the stadium and Scottish football in beautiful detail.

It is without doubt the best football museum I had been in. It was certainly better than the Manchester edition although the one dedicated to German football in Dortmund would later come a close second.

My stadium viewing wasn't quite done as I wandered off in the gloom down Bolivar Terrace and found an entrance to a park off Prospecthill Road. I eventually found myself in what was the second Hampden Park and later renamed Cathkin Park to stage the games of Third Lanark AC, which can be read about here.

A meal and beers in Wetherspoons Society Room back in town rounded off a fine day before I travelled home in somewhat sombre mood after receiving bad family news and work rung up asking where I was after a misunderstanding over days off.

Queens Park ? Thistle Weir 1 (Sunday 15th February 2015) Club Academy Scotland Games Programme 2 Under 13s

Waking on a bright Sunday morning after an excellent sociable night out I pondered on how best to fill in a few hours with Carl and Karl after Guy had headed back south. I decided a ride to Mount Florida was in order to show my friends some football history.

They enjoyed Cathkin Park, especially after I explained its relevance. We then walked up the banked terracing and over the hill to Hampden. Unsurprisingly no gates were open to take a look inside the main stadium, so we wandered to Lesser Hampden.

A junior game was in full swing with lots of parents and other players looking on. It had the feel of many of my morning visits to clubs in Spain and Portugal with the club the hub of the community.

Click here to read about Queen's Park, their history and my visits.

Ross County 3 Celtic 1 (Sunday 31st January 2016) Scottish League Cup Semi-Final (att: 22,130)

It was an early start as the alarm clock went off before 5am. Fortunately I’d wisely opted for a day of rest on the Saturday to get over my four days adventure to Holland. I woke up in decent form and made my way to Stansted via the N98, 183 and National Express service.

Following my shambles of missing the coach home from Eindhoven the previous Friday, I made sure that I was waiting bright and early for my flight, as I enjoyed the ambience of Stansted for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

The plane had another few football fans aboard, as I managed to have a refreshing and welcome nap before waking up as we approached the snow-covered hills either side of the Clyde.

We landed a few minutes early and by 10.45 I had got off the express coach by Glasgow Central station after a chat with some optimistic Ross County fans. I had mulled over a ride to Benburb to see their new venue but instead decided on a more relaxing morning.

Breakfast at The Society Room Wetherspoon establishment was a far more prudent choice as I munched into a haggis roll and listened to Andy Murray once more succumb to the power of Novak Djokovic. A wander up the hills and lovely streets of the old city led me to the top end of Sauchiehall Street. I thought that my timings were good.

However, much to my surprise both the excellent Bon Accord and State Bar didn’t open their doors until 12.30. Hengler’s Circus Wetherspoons provided me with a fine pint of Hophead while I did some puzzles in the Sunday paper, before the State offered me the usual fine selection of ale.

The barman in the wonderful pub told me of a comic at their comedy club the previous evening who’d pushed the boundaries and upset a punter, while Everton made Carlisle United look very ordinary in the FA Cup on TV.

Time always seems to go far too quickly when you are having fun, and this was the case once more. My plan had been to catch a bus to Hampden, but I couldn’t see the stop and time was getting on.

I marched back down the hill in double quick time which fine beer always seems to aid to catch one of the special trains going directly to Mount Florida. After a short walk I was inside the concourse with twenty minutes still to kick off.

My seat was with the Ross County fans. They took up a few blocks at one side of the tunnel in the lower tier. The Celtic fans were at the other side, behind the goal and right down the far side. The traditional Rangers End and upper tier of the Main Stand remained unoccupied.

The admin department at County had been top class when I purchased an online ticket. Originally, I had bought one for a section that they shouldn’t have sold for. A quick email and reply quickly rectified the situation.

I had requested a seat towards the back up at the end of the row. It was exactly where I would have chosen been given a seating plan, as it was perfect for the exit, as I settled down with a scotch pie and Bovril.

The Staggies fans seemed a friendly bunch. Their composure was tested after just twenty-six seconds when a simple little through ball from Callum McGregor opened up the Highlanders defence to set Leigh Griffiths through on goal. He sensibly rolled the ball square for Gary Mackay-Steven to score into an empty net.

The goal rocked Ross. A couple more near misses from Celtic followed in quick succession, to encourage their posse of Green Brigade ultras, who I thought looked a bit silly in their own block with stereotyped chanting and clapping. Just what was with the latest craze?

It was fine abroad, but a club like Celtic surely didn’t need such gimmicks. Perhaps it was just me getting older. Maybe it was because I was grumpy at the thought of an easy win for the ‘Bhoys’ from Parkhead?

Anyway, a few minutes later they had concerns of their own on the pitch. County’s Alex Schalk was free in the box. His first touch looked heavy, but referee Craig Thomson spotted that Efe Ambrose had fouled. County were awarded a penalty and Ambrose was given a straight red card. Martin Woods smashed in the penalty to level things up in the fifteenth minute.

Celtic regrouped and probably had the better of the rest of the first half. Mikael Lustig and Stuart Armstrong both had half chances, but Scott Fox was having a decent day between the sticks for the Staggies. The teams went in level at the break, while I had a stretch on the concourse.

There wasn’t much time to settle after the restart when Ross took the lead. A corner looked too deep, but Andrew Davies rose magnificently to nod back across to Paul Quinn who buried his header past Craig Gordon, who complained that he was impeded.

The travelling support, including myself, were delighted, while the mass ranks of green and white were most despondent. Celtic tried to push forward, but the game was stretched on the drenched surface, which manager Ronnie Deila had complained about in the lead up to the match.

It was proper cup tie football and brilliant for anyone but a Celtic fan. On the hour mark Schalk latched onto a Woods pass to smash the ball into the roof of the net to make it 3-1 and send the Staggies into dreamland.

Delia brought on Scott Brown who began to take control of the midfield and make a real difference, despite being wound up by some clever gamesmanship from the County players. However, the substitutes’ presence led to County’s backline going deeper by the minute. Celtic were given a lifeline as referee Thomson awarded a spot kick for a very debatable hand ball against Brian Graham.

Griffiths penalty was saved by the legs of Fox, with the rebound landing near the halfway line. It really was brilliant stuff. Fox made another miraculous save with his feet when wrong footed with the ball spinning over the bar from a shot. His counterpart Gordon had to make a great stop when Jackson Irvine was sent through.

A few minutes later the game was over to spark wild celebrations amongst the visitors from Dingwall. I hung around for a few minutes, before shaking the hands of the gents I had chatted with throughout the game and heading off.

The rain was teeming down as I joined the queue to be let onto Mount Florida station. Within a few minutes an empty non stopping train arrived to take us back into town. I was doing my best not to look too cheery on the train full of green and white clad fans wondering what had happened to their treble?

It was time for a couple of beers in the Horseshoe, where I saw the bad news that Hull City had been drawn away to Arsenal in the FA Cup, while chatting with a rational and pragmatic Celtic fan. There was still time for a pint and dram in the Bow Still, followed by a giant battered sausage and chips supper before catching the express bus back to the airport.

I ended up sitting next to the same fellas I’d travelled in with earlier in the day, having a good chat about the match and just how a hapless manager Deila was proving to be. Once again, I was early at the airport, with time to have a rub in the automatic massage chair. I didn’t remember too much of the flight back down south!

We arrived earlier than anticipated at Stansted, but National Express were fine with me using an earlier coach than the one I’d booked. A 183 was just leaving Golders Green as we got back to the metropolis. My running ensured that I just caught it, meaning I was home in bed at just gone midnight.

It had been another absolutely outstanding day out in a great city, watching a great cup tie. Click here to see my brief video of the teams coming out and the equalising penalty.

The black and white photos of Hampden have been taken from the internet.