Murrayfield offered as FA Cup final venue

The Scottish Rugby Union have offered Murrayfield as a venue for the FA Cup final if the plan to stage the competition in Cardiff fails.  

The Football Association would prefer to use the Millennium Stadium in Wales as the setting for the first FA Cup final during the re-building of Wembley Stadium.

However doubts have been expressed about the quality of the pitch in the Welsh capital, although those concerns are more aligned to the Worthington Cup and the Charity Shield - and what effects the Six Nations and pop concerts respectively will have on the pitch.

But SRU commercial director Phil Anderton insists that the home of Scottish rugby would be prepared to fill the breach if FA chiefs are unhappy with the Welsh stadium.

"Everyone knows we are committed to expanding the number of events at Murrayfield and, in that light, Murrayfield is available in the right circumstances to host the FA Cup final," Anderton told Scotland on Sunday.

"Clearly, we don't want to tread on anybody's toes and we would have to discuss the finer points with the relevant authorities but, given that we have already said we would be receptive to working in tandem with the SFA in their bid for the 2008 European Championships, there is no fundamental reason why we would be averse to co-operating with the FA in their FA Cup deliberations."

The FA themselves have confirmed that Murrayfield would be an ideal venue for the English showpiece if the Millennium Stadium cannot stage the event.

"We have expressed a preference for Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and, on the question of the pitch, we've received various undertakings that the surface will be up to a certain quality," said FA spokesman Nick Barron.

"But we have certainly not ruled out shifting the match to Scotland and that would clearly represent a better option than going to Old Trafford or Highbury - or any other football ground in England.

"The FA Cup final is a major occasion and there are many details to be sorted out with the relevant authorities but we are already aware that Murrayfield successfully staged the Rugby League Challenge Cup final earlier this year.

"We know that it is a magnificent stadium and, given that I have stressed we have not yet reached any decision on this matter, we would definitely not rule out Murrayfield for this season's FA Cup final."