Hearts make a stand

Nial Briggs
Sunday July 23, 2006
The Observer

Hearts' decision to stage their first Champions League game at the home of Scottish rugby looks to have backfired, with ticket sales of 20,000 meaning that the stadium will be less than half-full for Wednesday's second-round qualifying tie.

Hearts are hosting the match against Bosnian champions Siroki Brijeg away from Tynecastle, which has a capacity of 17,420, because their pitch does not comply with Uefa's Champions League standards and they are attempting to capitalise on extra revenue to be gained at Murrayfield, which can hold 67,500.

A crowd of more than 18,000 watched Hearts' 2-0 defeat of Champions League qualifiers Osasuna in a friendly at Murrayfield on Wednesday, a match organised to prepare players for the crucial tie. A windfall of £6m could go the Tynecastle club's way if they progress to the group stage.

Derek Watson, the secretary at the Hearts Supporters' Trust, is confident that the decision to change venues will be vindicated. 'There was a good crowd at the friendly and I think most will go to the qualifier against Siroki,' he said. 'Bearing Hearts make a stand in mind that a lot of people won't pay to go to friendly matches then I think we can get around 25,000 for the first leg. That's the target we have to aim for and I'm confident that we can achieve it.'

Hearts manager Valdas Ivanauskas compares Murrayfield with the Scottish national football stadium at Hampden Park, where Hearts lifted the Scottish Cup in May, taking almost 40,000 supporters to the game and the fact that Hearts are unlikely to fill Murrayfield does not concern him. 'I think it will be a good atmosphere, the pitch is great and hopefully there will be a lot of supporters,' he said.

'It will be hard, but we know we have a big chance to go to the next round. For smaller clubs, it is a very big game so we know they will make it hard for us.' The news comes despite the Tynecastle club having set ticket prices at competitive prices of £12 for adults and £6 for concessions and using the marketing initiative of emailing 35,000 Scottish rugby fans in attempting to fill the stadium.

Hearts used Murrayfield for three Uefa Cup group matches in 2004-05, without filling half of the stadium's capacity against Braga, Schalke or Ferencvaros.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer