THE Scottish Football Association may have to take a £1million gamble on Scotland's proposed friendly against Argentina.
Senior figures in the Tartan Army today gave a mixed reception to news that ticket prices for the clash against the South Americans would be higher than usual.
The SFA would have to pay an inflated fee to bring the South Americans over to Glasgow
for the match which has been provisionally scheduled for Wednesday, November 19.
The top-price seats for competitive Scotland matches currently sell for £35, while the highest cost of a ticket for the visit of Northern Ireland to Hampden in next month's friendly will be £20.
In an innovative move, chief executive Gordon Smith canvassed supporters to gauge their appetite for the fixture for which ticket prices would have to rise above normal levels.
Smith was confident enough, saying: "We could go ahead and do it but I'm asking the fans what they think.
"If they are saying we shouldn't have this type of game any more because it's just too expensive, we would say, 'That's fine'.
"But I am of the opinion that they will support it.
"I am hopeful and it would be great if they said 'yes' because it would be great to play Argentina."
However, Tam Ferry, deputy spokesman for the Association of Tartan Army Clubs, is not sure enough numbers would turn up at the national stadium to cover costs.
He said: "It's great that there is a consultation process but I'm not convinced.
"I'm not so sure about the prices and it being on a Wednesday night in November.
"Some of the Tartan Army will be just back from two of the most expensive away trips in the World Cup qualifiers, against Macedonia and Iceland.
"If it has been in the summer you might be able to guarantee a full Hampden.
"But it could be cold and raining and who is to say that Argentina will turn up with the full team?
"Lionel Messi night be injured the week before in the Champions League.
"I think Scotland's last friendly at Hampden against Croatia was over-price at £25. And so £40, if that is what the SFA would be looking at for the visit of Argentina, is an awful lot of money.
"The last thing the SFA need is to lose money."
Conversely, Tam Coyle, from the West of Scotland Tartan Army, believes there would be enough interest from the fans to justify taking the game on.
He said: "I was at the game against Argentina in 1979 when Maradona played, and in 1990 when we beat them 1-0, so I think it would be great.
"I've heard the figure £40 mooted and people have said to me, 'Why is it so much compared to recent qualifiers against Italy and France?'.
"Well, we don't have to pay the opposition to turn up for those games.
"There are third parties involved when you try to bring teams like Argentina and Brazil to Scotland so that's why it is so expensive.
"So I say, why not? Is the price too much when compared to the £24 or whatever it is to watch SPL games?
"I can appreciate that it's difficult for fans from places like Inverness and Aberdeen, but in 1990 the game was played on a Wednesday night and there were 51,537 there.
"So if you were asking me for a figure then I would say about 40,000 would turn up."
The full article contains 589 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
