THE possibility of Hibs and Hearts sharing a
new multi-purpose stadium today received backing from
both halves of the Edinburgh football divide.
Steve Cardownie, the Edinburgh City councillor with
responsibility for recreation, has claimed that the clubs
have held informal discussions on co-habitation and says
the council are now waiting for an invitation to talk.
After the furore which surrounded Wallace Mercer’s
attempted merger of the two clubs over a decade ago, the
issue of sharing a stadium is one both clubs would handle
with understandable sensitivity.
But from Cardownie’s comments, it would appear the
idea of a municipal facility is being seriously
considered, with the council themselves facing the
distinct possibility of having to refurbish and possibly
even replace the ageing Meadowbank Stadium.
With Hearts requiring a move from Tynecastle by 2010 due
to UEFA regulations, chief executive Chris Robinson has
gone public on his desire to uproot to a new location.
And in an exclusive interview with the Evening News last
month he admitted a ground-share with Hibs was not out of
the question.
Speaking then, he said: "That could never be ruled
out as it is a sensible proposition.
"Clearly Tynecastle has a very limited shelf life
despite the fact the bulk of the ground was built in the
mid-late 1990s.
"We have been hurt by the UEFA regulations over the
size of our pitch and also the fact we need to generate
more revenue from more purpose-built facilities.
"But we also have to recognise the level of
development which has taken place at Easter Road and all
those factors would need to be considered by all
concerned."
Although Hibs have invested heavily in the redevelopment
of Easter Road, the money which could be gleaned from the
sale of the land would go a long way towards battling the
club’s mounting debts.
Fans on both sides objected vehemently to Mercer’s
proposals, but time has healed those old wounds and there
are signs that so long as the separate identities of both
Hearts and Hibs are maintained then ground-share might
well prove acceptable to supporters.
Stuart Crowther, editor of Hibs.net, described the idea
as ‘fabulous’.
He said: "We have a shared problem between the two
clubs and the answer is there if they just talk to each
other.
"A shared stadium is a fabulous idea and would solve
all sorts of problems.
"The combined debt of the two clubs is somewhere in
the region of £30 million and there’s no way they
are ever going to pay that back in their current
positions.
"Ten years ago, maybe even as recently as five, I
would have said there was no chance of the fans agreeing
to this but I now see a growing sense of reality among
the supporters.
"There will always be a few traditionalists who will
object but most of us are pretty realistic - the only way
we are going to progress and move forward is to look at
an idea like this."
Robin Beith, vice-chairman of the federation of Hearts
supporters clubs, echoed Crowther’s thoughts,
saying: "I think we are 40 years too late with this
idea.
"When it became clear that the 1970 Commonwealth
Games were coming to Edinburgh it would have been the
ideal time for a shared municipal stadium.
"It works on the continent and I don’t see why
it wouldn‘t work here as well.
"The likes of Inter and AC Milan share a ground and
if it‘s good enough for them it should be good
enough for us.
"For all the work done at Tynecastle it has become a
millstone round the club’s neck.
"And if it’s true that there is a UEFA ruling
stating the stadium is unfit for European competition
then something will have to be done."
Crowther believes Hibs owner Sir Tom Farmer holds the key
to the issue.
As disclosed in these pages recently, Farmer has poured
£2m into the club’s coffers over the past year, and
is the man with the ultimate say at Easter Road.
Crowther continued: "Sir Tom Farmer is the key to
this. At the end of the day if he decides this is a good
idea then it will happen.
"I think the idea has been put out there to test the
water and if the reaction is positive, which I believe it
is, then there’s a good chance it will happen.
"This is a far better idea than the one Wallace
Mercer came up with - it preserves the identity of both
clubs but provides a way of cutting costs.
"The fact Hibs have invested in Easter Road over the
past few years is not such a big issue because the value
of the land is probably more important.
"Hearts have also spent money on Tynecastle but
times have changed and the clubs have to look at a new
way forward.
"It’s not all good - but there are solutions to
the bad points if you look hard enough.
"The obvious problems would surround those occasions
when the two clubs are meant to be at home, for instance
with regard to Scottish Cup ties.
"There would also be occasions when the council
might want to use it for athletics which would throw up
an additional problem.
"The issue of over-use would be there but with good
management it could be feasible.
"Sir Tom Farmer has to talk to Chris Robinson and
the council also have to go in with good faith.
"They need to identify and set the costings and come
up with a workable plan.
"For me, it’s the only way forward."
Beith‘s main concern surrounds the possibility that
the ground may double as an athletics venue, robbing it
of some of its atmosphere.
He added: "We want to play in a football stadium,
not an athletics stadium. I don’t have a problem
sharing with Hibs but having a big running track round
the pitch would take away a lot of the atmosphere.
"I would reluctantly accept an athletics stadium if
that’s all that was on offer, but it’s
important to try and retain the feel of a proper football
ground.
"If you look at Glasgow, Celtic Park and Ibrox are
fantastic football stadiums while Hampden - the one with
the big running track - is not.
"If it had to be used for athletics then maybe they
could look at the idea of a retractable pitch to
accommodate a track, but doubtless that would cost a lot
of money.
"I wouldn’t want us to play in a stadium owned
by Hibs but with the council on board it would be
different.
"It could be used for other things like rock
concerts as well which would bring in additional
revenue."
Both clubs kept their cards close to their chests when
contacted this week.
But Hibs spokesman David Forsyth left the door open for
formal talks when he said: "There’s been no
official meetings between the two clubs to discuss this
issue.
"We have a stadium at Easter Road which complies
with all the UEFA regulations.
"Nevertheless we would always be happy to sit down
with the council and discuss any proposals they might
have."
A Hearts spokesman said: "The reports are pure
speculation. Both Chris Robinson and Rod Petrie (Hibs’
managing director) meet on regular occasions to discuss
many football issues
