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Welsh keen to team up with Scots in bid for Euro 2016



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Published Date: 03 July 2008
By Nicholas Randall
SCOTTISH ministers are set to be approached about the possibility of launching a joint bid with Wales to host the 2016 European Championship finals.
Welsh junior minister Huw Irranca-Davies said yesterday that he would talk to his Scottish counterparts about a possible combined venture.

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas called on the minister to "have a word with some of your Scottish colleagues in government to encourage them to speak to the Scottish FA about the joint hosting of the championships to mirror the success of the tournament we have just seen." Mr Irranca-Davies said he'd "be more than happy to discuss this with Scottish counterparts".

The SFA has already asked to be considered as alternative hosts of Euro 2012 if co-hosts Poland and Ukraine are unable to stage the tournament.

Scotland failed in a joint bid with the Republic of Ireland to stage this year's finals and has only four stadia which meet Uefa's criteria – Celtic Park, Ibrox, Hampden and Murrayfield.





The full article contains 176 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 02 July 2008 10:42 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

lonegersfan,

hamilton NZL 03/07/2008 03:27:45
Dundee/utd will most likley be sharing grounds then huh?. there is a rumor going round that hearts hibs will also be sharing grounds too??!!!, so its what 8 grounds that must be 30000 seaters, or whatever. Ibrox (it being a 5 star ground and soon to be 70000, as there can only be two stadiums from one city), Hampden Park, Murray Field, Aberdeen, Hearts and hibs, once their stadiums are upgraded, Kilmarnock and Dundee, plus i hear Inverness and Falkrik may also upgrade stadia for the event for back up/temporary seating.

mostlikely the final will be at the National staidum. but could also be at either Murrayfield or very likley Ibrox esp if they upgrade to 70000. i hope they will look at increasing the seating at Hampden also to atleast 70000
2

Eugene,

London 03/07/2008 06:46:31
Have I missed something? When was it announced that Ibrox would be upgraded to 70,000? I can't see how this would work given the current stadium confines. Neither can I see the economic case for upgrading Hampden when Murrayfield, Celtic Park and the Millenium Stadium all hold 60k+.

3

Dood,

03/07/2008 08:05:24
#1.

Consider the rumour quashed. Well and truly.

Hibs and Hearts possibly should have mooted the idea of stadium sharing some time ago but a certain W Mercer killed that one off. It certainly would have been fiscally prudent at the time, but now? Why would Hibs, who will soon be building their final stand, want to get involved with the pink elephant across the city.

Answers on a (small) postcard please.
4

petegeneva,

geneva 03/07/2008 08:14:14
rumours about Hearts and Hibs sharing grounds are not worth the airspace between the asshole that starts it and the earhole that hears it.
It.
Will.
Never.
Happen.
5

petegeneva,

geneva 03/07/2008 08:19:53
I hear what you're saying about 3 venues in one city - obviously to be avoided. However if Scotland gets it because Poland / Ukraine are not ready then it would be a stand-by solution, and so:
Hamden Ibrox Celtic Park
Murrayfield Easter Road
Aberdeen
Dundee
and one other.
My advice would be to approach Newcastle and use St. James' Park as one of the venues, that would save building a white elephant in Perth / Inverness / wherever. Stadiums have to have 30k capacity I believe.

[cue blinkered Yams talking about 400,000 capacity Tynecastle ready for 2012...]
6

Dood,

03/07/2008 08:28:01
#5 Petegeneva

I suspect that the Welsh would be the preferred option and that English grounds would not be considered. Further to this, I recall a wee while back when we were bidding to host the Euro's that Hibs had explored the possibility of building a new stand with a temporary tier feature which would be purpose built for the Euro's then removed afterwards.

Meanwhile, I'd expect an announcement from Gurgie in the next day or two about the new main stand. You see, this will give the deluded Yams some deflection from their current problems and reinvigorate their belief that Romanov is God. Once they're inevitably sooked back in, the plans will be shelved again. Man, the BBC should really replace River City with a Yam based soap. Much more amusing/intriguing/interesting. Bound to pull the viewers in.

7

petegeneva,

geneva 03/07/2008 08:53:54
Agree about the stand announcement. I have a sneaking suspicion though that there might be some implied criticism of local council application process or some veiled reference to a delay in the proceedings. Spun in a positive light of course.
8

Dood,

03/07/2008 08:58:56
Yes, it'll all be the cooncils fault. Damn those pesky bats.

Just been onto the Beeb re the soap opera. They're having it, they reckon it defies belief and that it'll pull the punters in. They're going to name it "Sold Down the River City".
9

Number 6,

Germany 03/07/2008 08:59:13
Irrelevant. Gordon Smith was only to eager to announce "We canny dae it, we cannae dae it"
10

petegeneva,

geneva 03/07/2008 09:09:38
#9 good point, but I'm not sure whether this would be his call or George Peat's , the President. Mind you, can anyone claim to know how scottish football really works, from an admin POV I mean?
11

Steve_HMFC,

03/07/2008 09:31:52
We wont get it, Spain seems the preferred option. They would hardly take it from Ukraine and Poland because of infrastructure fears and then give it to Scotland in the hope we could rebuild a few stadia in time.

I think 2016 is better option share with Wales
Then we will have
Hampden
Murryfield
Celtic Park
Ibrox
Millenium Stadium
City's new ground (30-40,000)

Other possible venues are
Liberty Stadium (currently 20,000 could be more)
Racecourse (currently 15,000)
Tynecastle (Might be 30,000 by then but I wont hold my breath)
Shared Dundee ground??
Redeveloped Pittodrie or Wee Team's ground?
Also are they building some sort of ground for Commonwealth 2012 or just using the fitba grounds?
12

Who?,

03/07/2008 09:33:57
I agree with trying to use newcastle's ground in any bid, 50000+ seats to add to:

Glasgow: Hampden (first game) and celtic park or ibrox
Edinburgh: Murryfield (final) + tynecastle if its still around
Aberdeen: 30,000 paid for by the taxpayer
Dundee: 30,000 paid for by the taxpayer
Inverness or Falkirk: 30,000 of which 26000 will be temporary.

If its a joint bid with the welsh then murryfield will get the first game and Cardiff the final. Lets face it do you really think uefa will want a final at hampden. Little to no view behind the goals, redeveloped terracing over 75% of the ground.

Cardiff has a capacity of 85,000. Murryfield 78,000. Parkhead 60,000. And hampden 50,000.
13

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

03/07/2008 09:59:58
Won't happen . Forget it. It's a flyer story.

 

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