Jambo Den
01-08-2001, 08:00:PM
Financially-constrained Hearts unveiled plans to move away from Tynecastle yesterday, claiming they could build a £25million ground modelled on Sunderland's Stadium of Light at minimal cost to the taxpayer.
The Edinburgh club believe that gives them a head start in the great race for Scottish Executive cash linked to a Euro 2008 bid and are confident they will be ready with a new 30,000 capacity arena near Edinburgh Airport. (plane crashes ahoy!)
But, as they looked to steal a march on their rivals, half the SPL were also announcing plans to complement the SFA bid.
Kilmarnock, both Dundee clubs and city rivals Hibernian(<~~scum) all revealed their ambition to play a part in the Euro 2008 cabaret, joining Aberdeen, who had done likewise 24 hours earlier.
Four grounds already meet UEFA criteria - Hampden, Murrayfield(i live in the shadow of it), Parkhead and Ibrox - and an unseemly dash is now unfolding in pursuit of the £40m carrot dangled by First Minister Henry McLeish to add at least two more. In fact, the race descended almost into farce yesterday as First Division Falkirk, owners of ramshackle Brockville and unable to put together a definitive plan for moving over a five-year period, joined the bidding. Falkirk want funding help for a 10,000 ground at Westfield near the M9 which could rise to 30,000 capacity for the Euro 2008 Finals, with the extra space then reverting to other uses.
'It is a bit like the Tardis. It would be bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside,' said Barbara Sutter of Falkirk Council.
And Inverness Caledonian Thistle refused to give up on a Highland dream as they begged the SFA for an eight-week extension to the deadline, which might count against the First Division outfit.
Soccernet understands Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson a.k.a. Pieman believes up to half of the £25m bill for his club's new ground could be raised with the sale of Tynecastle and the rest by private investment.
'This stadium development would be innovative and is not likely to result in significant costs to either local or national Government,' a Hearts
spokesman said yesterday. Hearts' hand had been forced with the likelihood that the Tynecastle playing surface will fail to meet UEFA requirements in the future.
But Robinson, a member of the SFA Executive Committee, will have to step out of a meeting to discuss the Euro 2008 stadia proposals tomorrow because of a 'dual interest'.
The same will apply to Hibernian chief executive Rod Petrie as the committee is informed of all applications and considers the Inverness plea for extra-time. Kilmarnock's bid looks a red herring given the focus in the west of Scotland already, their statement saying: 'The basis of the proposal is a 30,000-seater stadium developed at Rugby Park.' Celtic wing-back Stephane Mahe, meanwhile, will today become only the second of the six players Craig Levein wanted for his summer revolution. Tynecastle manager Craig Levein has already signed Canadian international Kevin McKenna.
The Edinburgh club believe that gives them a head start in the great race for Scottish Executive cash linked to a Euro 2008 bid and are confident they will be ready with a new 30,000 capacity arena near Edinburgh Airport. (plane crashes ahoy!)
But, as they looked to steal a march on their rivals, half the SPL were also announcing plans to complement the SFA bid.
Kilmarnock, both Dundee clubs and city rivals Hibernian(<~~scum) all revealed their ambition to play a part in the Euro 2008 cabaret, joining Aberdeen, who had done likewise 24 hours earlier.
Four grounds already meet UEFA criteria - Hampden, Murrayfield(i live in the shadow of it), Parkhead and Ibrox - and an unseemly dash is now unfolding in pursuit of the £40m carrot dangled by First Minister Henry McLeish to add at least two more. In fact, the race descended almost into farce yesterday as First Division Falkirk, owners of ramshackle Brockville and unable to put together a definitive plan for moving over a five-year period, joined the bidding. Falkirk want funding help for a 10,000 ground at Westfield near the M9 which could rise to 30,000 capacity for the Euro 2008 Finals, with the extra space then reverting to other uses.
'It is a bit like the Tardis. It would be bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside,' said Barbara Sutter of Falkirk Council.
And Inverness Caledonian Thistle refused to give up on a Highland dream as they begged the SFA for an eight-week extension to the deadline, which might count against the First Division outfit.
Soccernet understands Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson a.k.a. Pieman believes up to half of the £25m bill for his club's new ground could be raised with the sale of Tynecastle and the rest by private investment.
'This stadium development would be innovative and is not likely to result in significant costs to either local or national Government,' a Hearts
spokesman said yesterday. Hearts' hand had been forced with the likelihood that the Tynecastle playing surface will fail to meet UEFA requirements in the future.
But Robinson, a member of the SFA Executive Committee, will have to step out of a meeting to discuss the Euro 2008 stadia proposals tomorrow because of a 'dual interest'.
The same will apply to Hibernian chief executive Rod Petrie as the committee is informed of all applications and considers the Inverness plea for extra-time. Kilmarnock's bid looks a red herring given the focus in the west of Scotland already, their statement saying: 'The basis of the proposal is a 30,000-seater stadium developed at Rugby Park.' Celtic wing-back Stephane Mahe, meanwhile, will today become only the second of the six players Craig Levein wanted for his summer revolution. Tynecastle manager Craig Levein has already signed Canadian international Kevin McKenna.