Cup Final victory parade fans face ground ban

FANS thronging the streets for the Scottish Cup final victory parade will be barred from celebrations inside Easter Road or Tynecastle over crowd control fears at the gate, it has emerged.

A ticket-only party will be held at the home of the winning team the day after the final following an open-top bus tour of the city, but it is “unlikely” supporters lining the route will also be allowed inside their stadium for “safety reasons”.

The decision was taken at a summit involving both clubs, Lothian and Borders Police and the council after concerns were raised about previous crowd problems in 2006 when the Hearts victory parade reached Tynecastle following their last cup final win over Gretna.

It also emerged that the clubs will be responsible for planning their own parade route, from the traditional starting point at City Chambers to their respective stadiums.

A source said: “There was an issue before with people wanting to see the cup during the parade and then running down to the stadium to see it again, which led to some crowd problems outside Tynecastle. The clubs will now say either buy tickets for the stadium or go and watch the parade, but it’s unlikely fans can do both.”

Following the parade summit, Lord Provost George Grubb said: “Both clubs will submit applications for the winning team’s victory parade to take place on the Sunday after the match.

“The team will travel in an open-top bus from the City Chambers, through the city to the relevant stadium where fans will be able to take part in a ticketed celebration event. Those wishing to attend are advised to make their way to the stadium in good time ahead of the bus as gates will be closed for safety reasons before its arrival.

“Irrespective of who wins the cup, this will be a fantastic day for the Capital and for the people of Edinburgh. We ask everyone to act responsibly to ensure this historic day can be enjoyed by all.”

Steven Kilgour, secretary of the Federation of Hearts Supporters Clubs, said the crowd control measures “were the safest and most sensible thing to do”.

He said: “People were trying to rush the stadium after the bus went along Gorgie Road a few years ago.

“The demand for this game is far bigger and people have the choice to watch the parade or to go into the stadium.”

Mike Riley, chairman of Hibs Supporters Association, echoed this view. He said: “Safety is paramount for all supporters and people have the option to watch the parade on the street or inside the stadium.”