HAMPDEN is about to become a political football.

Councillor Archie Graham has kicked it off with a motion at the council calling on the city’s leaders to open talks with the Scottish Government about ensuring it remains the home of Scottish football.

The political powers that be will most likely say Hampden it is a matter for the SFA and Queen’s Park FC to decide, but Glasgow needs Hampden and football needs Hampden.

Hampden has been at the centre of football in Scotland for more than 100 years, but just because it has always been the case doesn’t mean it should always be so for ever in the future.

However the alternatives being considered by the SFA bosses don’t stack up for the good of the game.

International matches and cup finals mean cash. Cash that others want a slice of.

The Scottish Rugby Union have a fantastic stadium for the oval ball game.

No-one can deny for Rugby internationals it is an electric atmosphere. If a national stadium is good enough for rugby then it should be the same for football.

Why would the SFA want to pay cash, cash form Scottish football supporters, to the governing body of another sport for the use of their stadium.

As a football supporter I do not want a single penny of my ticket money or any other spending going to the SRU to develop their game and its talent. Rugby fans are more than capable of doing that themselves.

It would also make football the poor relation. Run by a governing body that is wither incapable or unwilling to maintain a national stadium of its own that it has to pay others to use theirs.

The other idea is either to use Celtic Park or Ibrox for the big matches.

Again it comes down to cash.

Celtic would love to host the internationals and cup finals and semi-finals.

It would bring in more money to the club and help it in its quest to bridge the growing financial gulf between the Scottish Champion and the big clubs in England and Europe.

But what of the growing gulf between Celtic and the rest of Scottish football.

Most football fans do not support Celtic. So why should they pay for tickets and add to the financial might of one club.

The same argument goes for the other half of the Old Firm.

Most Scottish football fans do not support Rangers so why give them a financial boost to allow them to catch Celtic and for both to stride away from the rest in the game.

The SFA seem to be wanting others to foot the bill to renew the lease for using Hampden.

They say it will cost millions to stay there. Will it not cost millions to go and rent somewhere else on an ad-hoc basis?

The SFA would also be giving up huge sponsorship and corporate cash raising opportunities.

If Hampden needs upgrading, and let’s face it every stadium does, then why has the SFA not been planning for that day?

Fans should be asking the SFA ‘what’s the Hampden?’