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Kris Boyd backs Murrayfield as Hampden alternative for Scotland

Kris Boyd celebrates scoring against Hearts at Murrayfield
Image: Kris Boyd celebrates scoring against Hearts at Murrayfield

Kris Boyd has given Murrayfield stadium the thumbs up as an alternative to Hampden Park.

The Scottish Football Association's lease on the national stadium ends in 2020 and the governing body is exploring several options to host its major games.

The Scottish Rugby Union recently revealed it responded to the SFA's invitation to pitch its 67,000-capacity stadium in Edinburgh as an option to replace Hampden Park, which has been home to Scottish football for 114 years.

Boyd, who has won 18 Scotland caps, scored for Kilmarnock in the 2-1 Premiership win over Hearts at Murrayfield on Sunday, the last of four matches the Jambos played there before they return to a refurbished Tynecastle.

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While Scotland prepare to play a challenge match against Holland at Pittodrie on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports, the 34-year-old former Rangers striker revealed he was impressed by what the rugby stadium had to offer.

He said: "It is fantastic. You won't get many better surfaces than that.

"It was a bit of a false environment in terms of the atmosphere because it was not full.

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"Big stadiums when they are full give off something else - for the likes of us when we are coming through here it was never going to be a full house.

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Eric Black was impressed by the quality of Scotland's players during preparations ahead of Thursday's friendly against the Netherlands

"But you can still see when you get a decent crowd in....it would be wonderful to see the national team through here if that is the case going forward because it is an unbelievable stadium - well, it is the biggest in Scotland.

"You want to attract and give the fans the best opportunity to come along and have the best match day experience and you definitely get that there.

A different set of goals at Murrayfield as the stadium prepares to become Hearts' temporary home
Image: Hearts played four games at Murrayfield while Tynecastle was being redeveloped

"Hampden has a lot of history as well, but when you look at the big picture Hampden is starting to get a bit dated.

"Do we want to lose the national team playing in Glasgow? No you don't.

"But we have a fantastic facility in Edinburgh, if it is in the meantime until they sort Hampden, the infrastructure and everything is there.

"It would be silly not to use it. And there are a lot of Scotland fans based in Edinburgh as well but as I said, Hampden is an iconic stadium as well and it will always be.

"So they might have a decision to make soon."

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