chilledbear 16 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 ALLY McCOIST has no issue with the SFA hosting the Scottish Cup final at Parkhead – but admits he’s ‘baffled’ by the choice of Easter Road as the Ramsdens Cup final venue. It was announced yesterday the last game in the country’s main knockout competition will be staged at Celtic’s home ground next may, with the semi-finals taking place at Ibrox. And while he feels it might have been worth waiting a little longer before making that call, the Rangers manager is content enough with that decision. He’s less settled with where the Challenge Cup decider will take place given demand for tickets is likely to significant exceed the capability to accommodate. Hibs’ stadium in Leith holds just over 20,000 fans and it could be argued the ground is a size which is reflective of the competition it will host the last tie for. Past figures suggest Gers would easily fill the stands in Leith themselves and McCoist doesn’t see why somewhere bigger couldn’t have been selected. He said: “If the Scottish Cup final can get held at Celtic Park, I’d have thought the Ramsdens Cup final could have been held at Celtic Park too. “That baffles me, to be honest. If I’m the managing director of the sponsors, I’d want it at the biggest venue. “It would have been an opportunity for coverage and revenue. That would have been more sensible to me. “They’ve decided to take the game to Edinburgh and in doing that, I would have given it to the club (Hearts) that needs the money. “I’d have given the final to a team that’s in administration and tried to help them out that way but for whatever reason the game’s at Easter Road. “We are fine about that and I don’t have a problem with it at all. For the reasons I’ve given, it’s maybe a strange decision but we’re not going to moan about it. “We’re delighted to be in a cup final and we’ll go to Edinburgh but I can understand why our fans aren’t happy about it. “I’m on their side. I want as many Rangers supporters wanting us in that cup final as humanly possible. “We’ve got 36,000 season ticket holders and I don’t think there’s any doubt we could fill wherever with our supporters.” McCoist admits he wasn’t consulted on the Ramsdens match venue, which will host that game on April 6, when it is fair to think he might have been. He’s more at ease with the Scottish Cup climax happening at Parkhead, even if he thinks it would have been worth seeing how far the Old Firm went in the tournament first. McCoist added: “There are arguments for and against it. A similar argument would be that if we were lucky enough to get to the semi-finals, we’d have a home tie. “I can understand if people aren’t happy with it and I’d certainly be happier with it if I was Neil Lennon and Peter (Lawwell). “One thing I would say is at least we know where we are. A marker has been put down and the rules have been made so we can get on with it. “Possibly it would have been better to wait and for me that would probably have been more sensible. “If ourselves or Celtic weren’t in the competition, a decision could have been made in terms of taking a home advantage away. At the same time, we are where we are.” Copyright 2013. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to http://www.rangers.co.uk http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/5431-a-baffling-decision 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunslinger 3,366 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 hmmmm a full easter rd looks better than a half full torbett towers. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54andcounting 0 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 In reality the mhanky mob are streets ahead of the competition in this country, even Rangers, and for the association to give them the chance to win the cup on home soil is an absolute kick in the teeth for every single non scum fan. The powers that be up here are a joke - Sporting integrity? Give me a break. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Tynecastle would have made more sense from various points of view. Capacity is a couple of thousand less than Easter Road, but helping out Hearts with some stadium rental cash would have been the sensible option. There's also the logistics aspect and what's closer/easier to get to for fans. No doubt it's just a coincidence that the pawnbroker sponsor with it's Glasgow HQ at the Forge and green & gold company colours have chosen Hibernian's green stadium instead of the maroon one with the Archibald Leitch main stand. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,239 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Well, whether we're in there or not, Ibrox is to host both semi-finals, so from a club's point, we can hardly complain. And I'll think about finals at the Scumhut when it becomes a distinct possibility. Right now I think of Ibrox on Friday ... and me being away for work. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,254 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 the cynic in me says they didn't want a Ramsdens Cup Final with a bigger attendance than the LC final.............. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
compo 6,122 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 good day out in Edinburgh might even get chips and sauce 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
54andcounting 0 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 good day out in Edinburgh might even get chibbed and sauce Sorted that for you compo 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gribz 743 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 From a Rangers point of view I don't agree that Tynecastle would have been the more sensible venue purely to assist Hearts. They made their own bed and its not up to others to assist them when we have been kicked left right and centre. I am actually surprised the fat cats didn't put it to Tynecastle to help them though. But RE the Scottish Cup Ally has just repeated what everyone has been saying yesterday - wait until the draw is made then select Ibrox or Parkhead for the semi's and final. But Petrie must be rubbing his hands...Ramsden Cup final with Rangers plus 2 league cup semi finals one which includes Hearts who will bring a big crowd. Although I do agree this is the correct venue for the league cup semi's...nothing worse than seeing a quarter filled Hampden. Its the same in England, the FA and league cup semi's should be played at neutral club ground - Villa Park normally and keep Wembley for the final. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,409 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Raith chairman Turnbull Hutton has praised the SPFL's decision to host the Ramsdens Cup final at Easter Road. (Record) 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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