This is a historic moment for Queen’s Park, and for Scottish football, as ownership of the National Stadium transfers from the club to the Scottish FA. While there is a touch of sadness this means we won’t be playing our home games at Hampden much longer, there is a huge amount of pride over the part Queen’s Park and Hampden have played in the history of the game.
There is the pride in our forefathers for having the foresight to build, what was for a time, the largest sporting stadium in the world. There is the pride that the stadium the club built, owned and developed for more than 117 years should have become such a footballing icon hosting 6 European Finals – including arguably the greatest game in the history of the European Cup when Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt thrilled the sporting world in 1960.
Even to this day, Hampden still holds European attendance records for international and club fixtures. In recent years rugby union, boxing, American football and music concerts from some of the world’s biggest acts have been staged at the stadium.
As we hand over the keys to the Scottish FA, we look forward to seeing the stadium continue to develop and take our national game to even greater heights. And as the club enters a new era, we look forward to carving out more memories in our new home just across the road.
Queen’s Park President, Gerry Crawley, said “It was a difficult period for the club to conclude what was a complex transaction. The sale of the stadium brings mixed feelings.
We are pleased the historical home of Scottish football is staying at Hampden. Although we won’t be playing our games at The National Stadium much longer, there is excitement the outcome gives the club a solid footing to move forward from our new base at a redeveloped Lesser Hampden.
Work has already started, and we aim to have it complete by spring next year. The facility will have around 1,700 covered seats with a new East Stand, and a redeveloped West Stand. There is scope to increase capacity if required.
The stadium we are building now might not be as big as the one we created back in 1903, but everybody connected with Queen’s Park Football Club is determined it will become a launching pad for an exciting new period in our long and distinguished history”.
Notes: Hampden milestones include the following:
European Finals:
1960 UEFA European Cup final – Real Madrid CF 7-3 Eintracht Frankfurt
1962 UEFA European Cup Winners’ Cup – Atletico Madrid 1-1 AC Fiorentina
1966 UEFA European Cup Winners’ Cup – BV Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Liverpool (after extra time)
1976 UEFA European Cup final – Bayern Munich 1-0 AS St-Etienne
2002 UEFA Champions’ League final – Real Madrid CF 2-1 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
2007 UEFA Cup final – RCD Espanyol 2-2 Sevilla FC (Sevilla won 3-1 on penalties)
Hampden Debuts by Notable Former Queen’s Park Players:
RS McColl May 1894 v Celtic
Sir Alex Ferguson November 1958 v Alloa Athletic
Andy Roxburgh September 1961 v East Stirlingshire
Eddie Hunter May 1965 v Celtic
Barry Douglas August 2008 v Stranraer
Lawrence Shankland May 2012 v Elgin City
Andrew Robertson August 2012 v Partick Thistle
Queen’s Park Success
Since “the Third Hampden” was opened in 1903, Queen’s Park won Scottish league championships in 1923, 1956, 1981 and 2000 and the Scottish Amateur Cup on 12 occasions, most recently in 2009.
Stadium Records:
1937 the first all ticket Scotland match attracted an attendance of 149,415 – the British record for any match. Scotland defeated England 3-1.
1937 Scottish Cup Final, a crowd of 146,433- a European record for a club match – saw Celtic beat Aberdeen 2-1.
1960 European Cup final Real Madrid against Eintracht Frankfurt attracted the highest ever attendance for a European Cup final – 127,621.
1970 European Cup semi-final Celtic and Leeds United was watched by 136,505, the highest for any European competition game.
Scottish Attendance Records Set at Hampden:
Scottish Cup 147,365 Celtic v Aberdeen 1937
League Cup 107,609 Celtic v Rangers 1965
Southern League Cup 135,000 Aberdeen v Rangers 1946
Junior Cup 77,650 Petershill v Irvine Meadow 1951
Challenge Cup 48,133 Rangers v Peterhead 2016
Queen’s Park FC record attendance 95,722 v Rangers 1930