Lesser Hampden/City Stadium

20^th March 1999

Queens Park 2-1 Cowdenbeath

Look at an aerial view (or Google Earth view) of Hampden Park and you may see a small relatively undeveloped football ground just to the west of the main stadium.  

This is Lesser Hampden.  Just after the Great War Clincart Farm lay on the site, and in 1923 the land was purchased by Queens Park with a view to developing a ground for the club’s youth and reserve sides to play on.  Rather wonderfully, the club chose to retain the old farm buildings and convert them into a pavilion and dressing rooms; facilities which stand to this day.

On two occasions – once during the 1970s and again during the 1990s, Lesser Hampden was used by Queens Park to play Scottish League matches whilst development of it’s big brother was being undertaken.  And it was during the latter period I visited whilst the Spiders were hosting Craig Levein’s Cowdenbeath.

In a fairly one-sided affair Kevin FINLAYSON and Jim BROWN had the hosts two up within the hour.  It took until 10 minutes from the end for Cowdenbeath to start to wake up and, although Ally HAMILTON pulled one back with four minutes remaining, they never looked like pinching an undeserved point.    

This shed served as the club shop whilst at Lesser Hampden.

The original Clincart Farm buildings, converted to pavilion and dressing rooms.

Quite the prettiest steward I saw during my travels,
even with the look of unutterable boredom on her face.



Lesser Hampden, Glasgow.

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Queens Park 1-0 Edinburgh City

8th September 2024

The phrase "little to chose between the sides" is often used as a euphemism for "Both sides were Rubbish", and for the first half this afternoon the latter was certainly true with misplaced passes and wayward hoofs up-field being the order of the day for both teams.  I can recall just two incidents of note during the first period: a fine stop by Edinburgh 'keeper Mark Weir from Dom Thomas, and then a shot from visiting sub Kodi McKinstry which just whizzed past the post.

Queens Park improved significantly after the break, and Edinburgh had Weir to thank for keeping them in the match for as long as they were.  He made a pair of superb second-half stops, and also saved a late penalty from Spiders' sub Josh Hinds.  

But, I have to say he did not look too clever for the goal which eventually won this tie - Jack TURNER's long range drive on the hour.  I do not know if Weir was unsighted, or if the shot took a deflection (or even both), but he just seemed rooted to the spot as the ball passed him at a moderate pace.  I can recall talking to a keeper in the juniors once who told me always dived even if the ball was already past him.  It just "saved me looking a bit of a lemon", he said.  Which Weir did a bit, today, I have to say.

The City Stadium - Queens Park's new home - although for the present,
as a Scottish Championship side, they are still using Hampden Park.

The City Stadium, with it's big brother in the background.

There were a number of free vantage points for cheapskates to enjoy the football.
Out your flat window...

...on the hill...

...or from your back yard.

As can plainly be seen from the pics from the two matches above, Lesser Hampden enjoyed an extensive refurb during 2022 which saw, (amongst much else) the old Clincart Farm buildings demolished.  There had been suggestions that these were the the oldest existing football stadium building in the world.  Not that such an honour saved the structure from the developers (booo!!)

I had hoped to recreate my pix from my 1999 visit, but the spot from which I took those images a quarter of a century ago now lies beneath new new changing rooms.  And, in any case, that side of the stadium is not currently accessible by Joe Public, as the only seating enclosure has been erected on the Hampden Park side.  

I was however able to recreate pix taken in 2021 a few months prior to the redevelopment.

The old Clincart Farm buildings in 2021...

...demolished to make way for the wee directors' box stand.

Lesser Hampden from the steps outside Hampden Park in 2021...

...same view (such as it is) in 2024.