CALLUM Davidson has suggested that Rangers’ temporary move to Hampden will be beneficial for the whole of Scottish football - and expressed hope it will help the Glasgow club to secure qualification for the Champions League group stages this season.
Championship side Queen’s Park, where the former St Johnstone manager is now in charge, had been set to host their home league matches at the world-famous Mount Florida venue once again this season after the new pitch which was laid in the summer had bedded in.
However, they agreed to remain at The City Stadium, formerly Lesser Hampden, for the foreseeable future following talks with the SFA and SPFL last month so that Rangers, whose redevelopment of the Copland Stand at Ibrox has been held up, can play there.
Ex-Scotland internationalist Davidson stressed that Queen’s Park had been happy to accommodate Rangers – who had considered moving through to Murrayfield in Edinburgh - and outlined the reasons the ambitious second tier outfit came to the rescue in their city counterparts’ hour of need.
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“I think it is brilliant that we could help,” he said yesterday at the launch of a new gambling harm prevention programme that is being delivered to players, staff and supporters at all 42 senior clubs as part of the new SPFL title sponsorship deal with William Hill.
“Obviously, we want to help the big clubs, we want to help Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen. But we want to help any club really. Fortunately, we are in a position at Queen’s Park where we can do so.
“Football is quite fragile on the money side and hopefully Rangers can get full houses when they come here for European games and what have you. It is much better for Scottish football if that is the case, far better than them travelling 30 or 40 miles away to get a game.
“I am delighted that Queen’s Park and the people behind the scenes here have managed to help Rangers. If it had been Celtic we would have done exactly the same thing.”
“Anything we can do to help Scottish football, even scheduling matches, we should. Look at other countries. They schedule their games to help their clubs in Europe. I think that is something we should have a look at in Scotland.
“Even the clubs which are in Europe just now. How can we help them prepare for games better and qualify? Because if you have got Scottish teams in Europe it is great for the country, it is great for the league, it is great for attracting players to Scotland and supporters from other countries as well. It has a huge knock-on effect.
“You see the money that the Scottish Open and British Open golf tournaments have brought in to Scotland this summer. It is the same thing if you have big clubs coming to play Rangers, Celtic and Hearts in Europe and Kilmarnock at St Mirren if they get through to the group stages. The more people who come to Scotland the better it is for the country as a whole.”
Rangers chairman John Bennett this week confessed the Glasgow giants, who will play in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round away next week, might not be able to move back to Ibrox at the end of September.
Davidson’s main priority this season will be helping Queen’s Park, who have agreed to switch their second league game against Livingston from Saturday, August 10, to Friday, August 9, so that Rangers can play Motherwell at Hampden, launch a challenge for the Championship title and a place in the Premiership.
However, the former Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Preston North End player, who led St Johnstone to a League Cup and Scottish Cup double back in the 2020/21 campaign, is certain that his team can flourish if they have to remain at The City Stadium in the coming weeks.
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“I don’t think it will matter,” he said. “It’s only affected my schedule really. I don’t think I have seen a better football pitch, even when I played down in England, than the one we have at The City Stadium.
“We are working hard to get some temporary stands. Getting Queen’s Park into the Premiership is the ultimate ambition here. We will go back to playing at Hampden eventually and will have some big games there and that will help us.
“But we were always going to play the first couple of league games at The City Stadium because of the regeneration of the grass at Hampden and then go back to Hampden. I don’t really mind where we play as long as the pitch is good. We are pretty spoiled. We have got two fantastic surfaces, great facilities. We are very lucky.”
“We need to build on that as a club. But the two teams that have come up, Falkirk and Hamilton, are good teams with good supports. But it will be enjoyable.”
Davidson turned down the chance to manage Premiership side Dundee this time last year after the Dens Park club had won the Championship – but he has no regrets about his decision and is looking forward to the future with Queen’s Park.
“You look back and think, ‘Was it right?’,” he said. “But it was right at the time. I stick by that. I am delighted to be here just now. I want to be successful wherever I go. I go back to Scottish football, I want to try and help and improve Scottish football and I feel this is a great place and a great opportunity to do so.
“I saw the infrastructure and what they are trying to do with all the young players. It might take a few years, but hopefully I will soon have players coming through from the academy. That is the way the club are going to go.”
