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Hampden return great for fans... but Accies will get as big a lift says Owen
QUEEN’S PARK will today make an emotional return to Hampden for the first time since March 2021.
But boss Owen Coyle has warned his players that Hamilton will get just as big a buzz out of playing at the National Stadium.
The Spiders will move into the new lesser Hampden next month and Coyle is thrilled his young side will play their next two matches next door at the ground they sold to the SFA.
Since then Queen’s have had a nomadic existence, playing at Falkirk, Firhill and Stenny – but that didn’t stop them gaining promotion to the Championship, where they are now in the thick of a title fight.
Coyle said: “It’s great to be back in Glasgow and in particular to be back at Hampden, where Queen’s Park have always played, particularly for the fans who have travelled to an away game every week for the past couple of years.
That would test anybody. We don’t have the biggest fanbase but there aren’t many more loyal and they go everywhere with us, so it’s great that they’ll be coming home.
“On the playing side we know it’s a great occasion but we want to do ourselves justice.
“We have to play the game against a Hamilton side whose performances belie their position in the league.
“They should be higher up the table, there’s no doubt about that, and their players will get as much of a lift from playing at Hampden as our lads will.
“Anybody playing at such a fantastic venue gets a lift. We have to keep that in mind.”
Coyle admits he can’t wait for his side to move into their new home. He added: “We’re not far away now. The stand is in and it looks brilliant and there’s scope for increasing capacity with a stand behind the goal if required.
“The dressing rooms are finished and the pitch is state of the art. It’s beautiful.
“We’ve got two home games at Hampden then away fixtures for the rest of december.
On January 2 we host Partick Thistle and everybody is trying their very best to make it in time for that one, although a lot of things can happen in the next month, so we don’t know yet for sure. But we can’t wait to put our roots back down at lesser Hampden.”
Former Queen’s Park captain Michael doyle, now at Hamilton, scored the opener in the Spiders’ 3-0 win over Stranraer the last time they played at the National Stadium.
And the right-back would love nothing more than to score against them today.
Doyle said: “It was a nice feeling to be one of the last Queen’s Park players to score at Hampden because at that stage it looked like they wouldn’t be playing there again.
“I’m looking forward to going back there and it would be nice to get a goal as well.
“It would be great to say I’ve scored the last two times I’ve played there. I hope on Saturday there are no other Queen’s Park scorers and we can get a couple of goals.”