hearts semi final - easter road

[InvernessCT19]

who's all going to semi final at easter road ??

[Donview]

I'd like to know the criteria for selecting a ' Nuetral Venue'..........and why not Hampden if it has to be in the central belt.

The club should be making noises about this, great for Jambos fans but another difficult, expensive winter jolly for the Highlanders once again.

[PaderbornCaley]

It would be a ‘difficult expensive winter jolly‘ at Hampden as well!

[Yngwie]

who's all going to semi final at easter road ??

A more sensible question would be who's NOT going.

[Big G]

From what I can gather the cost of hiring Hampden for the SFL is very high and it is only cost effective if 30,000 plus attend. Unless it is a special match (Killie v. Ayr or Hibs v Hearts)any games without the OF it is more cost effective to use a ground outwith Hampden. With Hearts drawing crowds in excess of 11,000 for league games and more going to a cup semi-final Easter Road is the only possible venue crowd wise IMHO

Edited November 8, 2012 by Big G

[+MrCaleyjag]

Do we really care that much about where we play it, surely the fact that we are in it should be enough for all. No matter where it was held the SFA were on a hiding to nothing - Edinburgh and some moan about travel which by the way is the same distance if not slightly closer than Glasgow and Hampden, Perth or Dundee and there won't be enough tickets available and some would miss out. From Inverness the trip south at that time of year is still going to be bad!!

Let's focus on being in the semi-final rather than picking negatives with where it is being played

Oh by the way Caleyjag and I will be there to answer the original question.

[Joonya]

I certainly think Easter Road has taken the shine of the Semi Final.

If one Semi is at Hampden, the other should be too. If not, then BOTH semi-finals should be played away from Hampden.

[Big G]

Just a rumour at this time but BBC (who have the rights to show one game per round) are trying to negotiate for the Celtic v St Mirren game for Sunday 27th with a 14:00 kick off thus leaving us for Saturday with no live coverage. As I say only a rumour but it comes from the same source that told me about the C*unty cup game 24hrs before it was announced

[PaderbornCaley]

At least poor Hearts can save some money by not hiring a team bus.

[Donview]

A 'Nuetral Venue' for me would be somewhere like Pittodrie. Equal travel for both sets of fans and capable of housing 22,000

[+MrCaleyjag]

A 'Nuetral Venue' for me would be somewhere like Pittodrie. Equal travel for both sets of fans and capable of housing 22,000

It's a dump!!! The ground I mean plus you'll freeze your doggies off in January, and it's not equal travel either - it's roughly 40-45 miles further from Edinburgh to Aberdeen as it is from Inverness to Aberdeen.

[Charles Bannerman]

Pittodrie. Equal travel for both sets of fans

You mean including your good self?!

[CaleyT]

Might get a bye to the final then!!!

[The Mantis]

A 'Nuetral Venue' for me would be somewhere like Pittodrie. Equal travel for both sets of fans and capable of housing 22,000

It's a dump!!! The ground I mean plus you'll freeze your doggies off in January, and it's not equal travel either - it's roughly 40-45 miles further from Edinburgh to Aberdeen as it is from Inverness to Aberdeen.

Aye but the A96 probably takes longer. Certainly fairer than 3 miles v 170 miles anyway........

[ICTPaisley]

I'd prefere Pittodrie too for the fans from Inverness, It just seems like too much of an advantage for the Hearts fans having it at Easter Road.

Inverness to Aberdeen - 104 Miles - 2 Hours 46 Mins

Edinburgh to Aberdeen - 127 Miles - 2 Hours 57 Mins

Going by google maps the difference in travel is only 11 minutes for each travelling support. Sounds alot fairer to me.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Am I alone in feeling that Easter Road is the best option. The crowd and the atmosphere at Hampden would be crapp. Hearts were always be going to take the bigger support and there will a far bigger crowd and atmosphere at Easter Road. I suspect that we will be allocated the "away end" and seats in the adjoining stand. Hope that we can get a wee singing section booked though. Perth is too small and Dundee grounds are not really that atmospheric. Pittodrie may be equidistant but it will not attract many to the seashore at that time of years. Then add the fact that we can enjoy a pint in the Hibee bars in Leith and we could get some crack cocaine and even a prostitute with relative ease.

[12th Man]

Its a pain that its on the East side of Edinburgh and we may be out numbered 3 or 4 to one but we all know that when you have to endure a 3 hour + trip your ready to shout yer head off by the time you get there,

I can even see the home baking posse pacing the bus and punching the backs of seats in preparation for this one.

[12th Man]

Or perhaps we choose an evenly full Dunfermline with 12.5k, instead of an outnumbered Easter road with 20.25k,

Seeing as the SFA? the police, the ground and staff take a cut (add vandalism to the bill aswell, 3 weeks after the Edinburgh derby) and each of the 4 clubs get 25% of whats left, how much is the extra revenue worth to us to have it in Edinburgh, 3 miles from the Hearts ground.

For us Dunfermline 2.5 h, east side of Edinburgh on a Saturday 3.5 h

Edited November 8, 2012 by 12th Man

[InvernessCT19]

i think easter road is a great stadium, but why is no one going ???

[old caley girl]

i think easter road is a great stadium, but why is no one going ???

I'm going! I would be there wherever it was tbh. This is history!

[Donview]

Pittodrie. Equal travel for both sets of fans

You mean including your good self?!

You've rumbled me Charles !!

Anyway I've reconsidered, Johndo's summary makes Leith a much more attractive proposition ;-)

[jaggy]

I would go to Hampden, Easter Road, pittosrie or anywhere else to watch ICT beat Hearts. Hearts might not be in a position to function by that stage, so Hampden here we come.

[+DoofersDad]

Am I alone in feeling that Easter Road is the best option.

No. The SFA think that as well.

And it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't for much the same reasons.

[Huisdean]

Am I alone in feeling that Easter Road is the best option. The crowd and the atmosphere at Hampden would be crapp. Hearts were always be going to take the bigger support and there will a far bigger crowd and atmosphere at Easter Road. I suspect that we will be allocated the "away end" and seats in the adjoining stand. Hope that we can get a wee singing section booked though. Perth is too small and Dundee grounds are not really that atmospheric. Pittodrie may be equidistant but it will not attract many to the seashore at that time of years. Then add the fact that we can enjoy a pint in the Hibee bars in Leith and we could get some crack cocaine and even a prostitute with relative ease.

IHE is right, Easter Road is a much better venue than Hampden which would be nowhere near full and devoid of atmosphere. Only other option would be Pittodrie which I would prefer if only as both teams then have to travel (but doesn't have the additional benefits Johndo suggests, well [perhaps one of them!)

[Hiro]

I'll be there +1. I would hope that they release the kick off times/day fairly quickly as I need to get fights booked.