Murrayfield verdict pleases Mackay

Hearts legend Gary Mackay has backed the decision to keep the all-Edinburgh Tennent’s Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.

The Federation of Hearts Supporters Clubs want the club to challenge the Scottish Football Association over its choice not to stage the April 2 game against Hibernian at Murrayfield.

The Tynecastle club made a request for the rugby stadium to be used, while the Scottish Rugby Union offered the 67,800-seater ground as a potential venue.

Hibernian manager Tony Mowbray had questioned the neutrality of Murrayfield, however, citing Hearts’ UEFA Cup games at the ground in 2004 as a possible advantage.

But, after leading the campaign battling against the then Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson’s wish to make a permanent move to Murrayfield in 2004, former Jambos midfielder Mackay believes playing at the rugby stadium would be a backwards step.

Mackay said: “I have said from the outset the semi-final should be played at Hampden Park and I haven’t deviated from that.

“I never thought Murrayfield was a football stadium when we had a daft former chairman trying to take us there and I don’t think it is any more of a football stadium now.”