Many moons ago, about ten years to be exact, I found myself deep inside the home of Scottish football, Hampden Park as a new venture was about to be launched.
The new project which would eventually be known as the Scottish Football Museum, brought many fans, both young and old, through the doors and into an adventure of pure football nostalgia.
No matter what team you followed, there was something there for everyone.
The old Hampden press-box, the dressing rooms, football shirts, medals and various Other memorabilia for fans to drool over and recall the glory days when football was more a level playing field but unless it was Aberdeen or Dundee United interrupting the flow of the Old Firm, the trophies still would end up at Celtic Park or Ibrox!
I have wonderful memories of my time working at Hampden Park with the Football Museum, normally at the end of every shift I would walk around the Museum stopping at the Aberdeen Cup Winners Cup shirt and medals from Willie Miller as well as looking at the various Old Firm items and Scotland shirts before standing at the famous Hampden roar enclosure.
Working there you met many great work mates and visitors from all over the world as part of our job was to take them on tours and tell them about some of the great moments in the Scottish game and some of our favourite memories from every club as well as our national side.
No matter how many times you would take a tour round the famous old place, you never tired of seeing the kids or adults smile or even shiver with excitement as they made their way through the famous doors at the end of the tunnel and walked towards the presentation area to stand where the captain of the League Cup or Scottish Cup winners would stand.
The Scottish Football Museum has changed over the years but as it reaches its 10th anniversary the one thing that will never change is the magic and the history that surrounds the old place and the stories and tales from many a fan or a match that has ever taken place there.
By way of a celebration the guys at the Scottish Football Museum have come up with a great idea to mark the occasion.
The cost of a ticket to see the first Scotland v England match that took place in 1872 was one shilling (5p), and on the weekend of 9th and 10th July everyone visiting the museum or taking the stadium tour will be charged the same price for entry – 5p! And for their 5p, every visitor will be given as a memento a replica of the original match ticket for the 1872 match.
As part of the stadium tour in the indoor warm-up area there is a machine which registers how many miles per hour you can hit the ball into the goal, and on the weekend of 9th and 10th July there will be a hot-shot competition where the hardest hitters in different children’s age categories will receive a prize.
If you have never visited our national treasure before, then maybe treat yourself and the kids to a visit on one of those days, you won’t be disappointed!
I am sure if you go along to the Scottish Football Museum on the 9th/10th July, one of the helpful and friendly staff will be only too happy to give you a history lesson about a subject we all love, the beautiful game of football.
For more information on the Museum go to their Official Website
