RUGBY chiefs have pledged to foot the bill for policing Old Firm matches should Murrayfield become the new home of Scottish football.
Scottish Rugby’s chief operating officer said the organisation’s bid to host football matches at the Edinburgh stadium includes all costs associated with policing Rangers-Celtic clashes.
He was responding to concerns raised by Scottish Police Federation General Secretary Calum Steele, in which he warned of the “not inconsiderable policing implications” of switching crunch Old Firm cup matches from Hampden, to the home of Scottish Rugby.
Mr Steele had suggested that policing the fixture in Edinburgh could create extra costs, with officers being having to police crowds for longer periods as they make they way to the ground, and afterwards as they spilled into a city centre unfamiliar with tackling tense Old Firm supporters.
However Mr McKay said the policing costs linked to Old Firm fixtures is already “part of the bid” and that he believed the relevant authorities were satisfied.
He added: “I can’t go into the commercials itself, but all the costs associated with policing Old Firm costs are included in the bid process. All the policing costs … are part of the bid that we’ve shared with the Scottish FA.”
Mr McKay added that Police Scotland had indicated that they could comfortably cope if tens of thousands of Rangers and Celtic supporters were to gather in Edinburgh for a League or Scottish Cup crunch fixture.
“Police Scotland have been part of our discussions and part of our planning for the bid, and Police Scotland have told us that regardless of where the Scottish FA decide to go they will make sure they can comfortably confirm manage whether it is at Murrayfield or at Hampden.”
He added: “I understand that the Federation have a position on matters, but Police Scotland have committed to us in writing that they are neutral, and wherever it goes that they’ll manage to police it.
“It’s not beyond recognition that there are major events that take place in Edinburgh, there are major events that take place in Glasgow. We’re a pretty small nation and I would like to think that with the right sort of planning, with the right sort of arrangements, with the right discussions on-going that we could police any event.”
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Murrayfield officials now believe they are within touching distance of wrenching Scottish football’s biggest matches away from their historic Hampden home.
The Scottish Football Association is due to announce its final decision on whether to move their showpiece football fixtures from Hampden to Murrayfield a week today (next WED) Earlier this week Glasgow City Council leader Susan Aitken penned a last gasp plea to the SFA, warning the impact on the local community of leaving Hampden would leave “a historic stain which would be impossible to erase.”
She also insisted that new transport measures, which could help ease one of the key areas of frustration among football fans, are already underway.
However, rugby chiefs are buoyant – and confident that Scottish Rugby has presented an unbeatable case to switch key SFA games, including Scotland international matches, to Murrayfield.
“I think we’re in a great position. I believe we have an outstanding bid,” said Mr McKay. “Most of the information we need to supply, we’ve now supplied. They know everything about us.”
Hampden was rebuilt at a cost of more than £63 million less than 20 years ago, much of it from Lottery or public funds.
However the SFA’s lease with Hampden owners Queen’s Park is due to expire in 2020. While the Ladbroke’s League Two side is reported to be willing to sell to the SFA for £6m, football chiefs decided to look beyond their home since 1906, in a bid to find an improved base for the Scottish game.
The switch to Murrayfield would being to an end more than a century of international football history and heritage linked to the 52,000 seat stadium.
Mr McKay said bringing football and rugby under one roof presented a “generational opportunity” to maximise revenue and harness partnership which could boost attendance figures for international matches.
He added: “There will be discussions between now and when the SFA make their final decision but our homework has been sent across and it’s up to others to mark it. We can’t replicate 100 years of history but we can make sure the experience going forward is the best it can be for fans.”
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