MJC Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 18 hours ago, Dunty said: Why should a Scottish semi-final be there? What's the actual reasoning other than you personally liking the stadium? The sensible decision is to hold this game elsewhere. Because it is the most nuetral venue you can get and as I've said before, moving this tie to Easter Road or Tynecastle would give Aberdeen a crowd advantage as in a smaller, compact stadium, their larger support would make it like a home game. Anyway folk can greet and whinge about this til the cows come home. The SFA have for years insisted that all Scottish Cup semi finals are played at Hampden and that's just the way it is so folk need to get over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 On 3/16/2018 at 19:18, Poet of the Macabre said: Utter and complete pish. The semis shouldn't be at Hampden if it can possibly be avoided. Leave it for the final. Incredible that the SFA and SPFL open their cheeks for TV but are happy to have a half-empty stadium on a Saturday lunchtime. It won't matter to people who already care about the game but will be dreadful at attracting new viewers. Seeing a Dunfermline supporter reminded me that the "other" semi in 1991 between Utd and St Johnstone was played at East End - so there is obviously no tradition that semi's are always played at Hampden. I assumed that the SFA had some agreement with Queen's Park (or the operating company for Hamden) that they will play a certain number of games there - and that was the reason that unsuitable games are played there. I'd also be happy with Easter Rd as a venue (but not Tynecastle as the pitch is shite). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarapoa Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 5 hours ago, MJC said: Because it is the most nuetral venue you can get and as I've said before, moving this tie to Easter Road or Tynecastle would give Aberdeen a crowd advantage as in a smaller, compact stadium, their larger support would make it like a home game. Anyway folk can greet and whinge about this til the cows come home. The SFA have for years insisted that all Scottish Cup semi finals are played at Hampden and that's just the way it is so folk need to get over it. Why is a venue 10-15 miles from Fir Park "the most neutral you can get". Motherwell could demand half the tickets for Easter Road, which is still much nearer the 350,000 people in North Lanarkshire than it is the 225,000 people in Aberdeen. Why the TV companies wouldn't insist on the spectacle of a rocking stadium rather than the 'stray frozen peas rattling around on a washboard' syndrome of a less than half full Hampden is beyond me. As for the SFA having insisted something for years? Since when has the SFA insisting anything been a good thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 This match should be played in Edinburgh...to suggest that Easter Road isn't every bit as neutral a venue as Hampden in a match between Motherwell and Aberdeen sums this MJC character up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welldaft Posted March 19, 2018 Author Share Posted March 19, 2018 1 hour ago, tarapoa said: Why is a venue 10-15 miles from Fir Park "the most neutral you can get". Motherwell could demand half the tickets for Easter Road, which is still much nearer the 350,000 people in North Lanarkshire than it is the 225,000 people in Aberdeen. Why the TV companies wouldn't insist on the spectacle of a rocking stadium rather than the 'stray frozen peas rattling around on a washboard' syndrome of a less than half full Hampden is beyond me. As for the SFA having insisted something for years? Since when has the SFA insisting anything been a good thing? Which of the 350,000 - more than 300,000 probably support the Old firm ! I would rather have it at Easter Rd. A full house and much better atmosphere. Still I guess the point I made earlier in this thread is that every top flight side will play at Easter Rd or Tynecastle 2 to 3 times a season and may only play at Hampden once every few years (barring old firm, Aberdeen etc). Plus for the players it is more of a occasion to play at Hampden Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 2 hours ago, ONeils40yarder said: This match should be played in Edinburgh...to suggest that Easter Road isn't every bit as neutral a venue as Hampden in a match between Motherwell and Aberdeen sums this MJC character up. So you would prefer to have three full Easter Road stands of Aberdeen fans to our one then? That wouldn't give Aberdeen a huge advantage and make it like a home game for them? No?? Anyway this is a pointless discussion. The game is being played at Hampden, rightly so in my opinion, and there is nothing that you, me or anyone else can do about it other than suck it up and deal with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 2 hours ago, welldaft said: Still I guess the point I made earlier in this thread is that every top flight side will play at Easter Rd or Tynecastle 2 to 3 times a season and may only play at Hampden once every few years (barring old firm, Aberdeen etc). Plus for the players it is more of a occasion to play at Hampden Park. Playing at Hampden is special and trips there don't come around often enough for us. Who knows when our next one will be after this? I can't imagine anyone singing "We're all going to Easter-Road, We're all going to Easter-Road na na na na - na na na na" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunty Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 9 hours ago, MJC said: and as I've said before, moving this tie to Easter Road or Tynecastle would give Aberdeen a crowd advantage as in a smaller, compact stadium, their larger support would make it like a home game. So therefore your argument is "we've got a small support, so therefore the game needs to be played in a big stadium to erode the atmosphere as much as possible?" I for one would be arguing for a 50/50 split anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 On 19/03/2018 at 13:44, Swello said: Seeing a Dunfermline supporter reminded me that the "other" semi in 1991 between Utd and St Johnstone was played at East End - so there is obviously no tradition that semi's are always played at Hampden. My first semi-final following Saints. East End Park was rammed. (Photos belong to @PauloPerth) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 East End in that form was one of my favourite grounds - I never experienced it full watching 'Well but it was a decent atmosphere even with 6 or 7k in there - but it's a great historical example of how a semi can be done (decent travel for both sets of fans, appropriate size) if don't have a urge to use Hampden for everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 15 hours ago, Dunty said: So therefore your argument is "we've got a small support, so therefore the game needs to be played in a big stadium to erode the atmosphere as much as possible?" Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ONeils40yarder Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Thats a ridiculous argument I'm afraid...I'd imagine we'll take 6/7,000, I'd far rather that 6 or 7000 was at Easter Road creating a racket, than playing it at Hampden park where the atmosphere will be completely lost. We've got to try and make our game look attractive to investors...35,000 empty seats at Hampden in a National Cup semi-final wont do that, but a close on full house and a cracking atmosphere at Easter Road might do. As you say though, the match will be played at Hampden as the SFA are fucking clueless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJC Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 33 minutes ago, ONeils40yarder said: Thats a ridiculous argument I'm afraid...I'd imagine we'll take 6/7,000, I'd far rather that 6 or 7000 was at Easter Road creating a racket, than playing it at Hampden park where the atmosphere will be completely lost. We've got to try and make our game look attractive to investors...35,000 empty seats at Hampden in a National Cup semi-final wont do that, but a close on full house and a cracking atmosphere at Easter Road might do. As you say though, the match will be played at Hampden as the SFA are fucking clueless Your entitled to your opinion but that's how I see it. I am admittedly looking at this from our own perspective and not Aberdeen's and the fact that they have a bigger support and will shift more tickets would have given them an advantage at Easter Road or Tynecastle. I see your point about the atmosphere and selling the Scottish game and they are valid concerns, but frankly all I am interested in here is our chances of progressing to the final and if we beat Aberdeen at Hampden then I won't give two fucks how good or bad the atmosphere was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 The only argument that I would put forward in favour of Hampden is that of familiarity. If we upset the odds and beat Aberdeen, the final would be our 5th game there this season in all competitions and I think that would go some way to negate the players being overawed or affected by playing there in the final, which is usually a bit of an advantage to Rangers and Celtic.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desp Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 MJC is bang on when he says it's getting played at Hampden and no moaning will change that. However, when did the Semi-Final become such a big deal? It's nothing more than an opportunity to get to a Final. The Final is the showpiece event, the game which all players should be aiming for above all else. We shouldn't be celebrating getting to a Semi-Final and opening the doors to Hampden for it and pretending it's got prestige. Pick a neutral venue. Split the tickets so that said venue can be as full as possible, and make it a game to sell to advertisers and broadcasters. A 2/3rds empty Hampden does nothing to promote our game. The only time, IMO, a semi should be at Hampden is Rangers v Celtic (because there's no other viable neutral venue). Rangers v A.N Other = Celtic Park. Celtic v A.N Other = Ibrox. All other games should be played at Tynecastle/Easter Road/Fir Park/McDiarmid Park (depending on who is playing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarapoa Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Playing at Hampden is special and trips there don't come around often enough for us. Who knows when our next one will be after this? A. Really? Is it? Queens Park play thereB. If it is special, keep it special by leaving it for the clubs good enough to reach the final.Semi-finals always used to be played elsewhere and they were all the better for that fact, as was the novelty of making it to Hampden for the final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillips455 Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Well it appears to be at Hampden. Tickets go on sale next monday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swello Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 It's totally right (IMO) that Well Society and Season Ticket holders get first shot at the tickets - so it's good PR and the right precedent for the rare occasion when there is a ticket scramble but the idea that this approach is needed for this game is quite amusing when our combined Society and Season ticket numbers (and the overlap between them) is probably less than 4k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Grimes Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Favourite semi in recent years was the LC semi at Tynecastle against Saints Saturday, 3pm, not on TV Entire stadium blind drunk Scenes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dons_1988 Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 5 tickets bought for this today. £12 on booking & delivery fees taking the piss though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.