Hamilton Academical has set out its intention to relocate to Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld amid plans to develop a new home, as relegation from the Scottish Championship was confirmed following failure of an appeal against a 15-point deduction.
What was a dramatic day for the South Lanarkshire club began with an announcement concerning its stadium situation. Hamilton has played at New Douglas Park since the stadium opened in 2001, but disputes over the terms of its tenancy led to the club’s decision yesterday (Thursday).
New Douglas Park is currently owned by HAFC Stadium Limited, whose director is former Hamilton owner Colin McGowan. Hamilton has said it cannot accept the terms of a proposal put forward by HAFC to continue playing at the venue.
Hamilton chairman, Jock Brown, said: “The proposal cannot be accepted on the terms stated. In the first instance the balance in respect of the funds accruing between the parties over the past twenty-two months is substantially in favour of the club, so any postponement of settlement of the appropriate balance is inappropriate. The club is not indebted to the owner.
“Second, the terms of the only new draft lease provided so far are unacceptable. Third, the club’s experience of being tenants over the past twenty-two months has been thoroughly unsatisfactory.
“It is correct that the club has been trying to purchase the company which owns the stadium (the seller’s preferred way of completing the transaction) over a period in excess of a year. The necessary funds are available.
“However, the seller has failed for a period of several months to produce the due diligence information routinely sought in a transaction of this kind and has made it clear that necessary warranties will not be forthcoming. In such circumstances any purchase would be irresponsible and has thus been rendered unachievable.
“At the eleventh hour a new proposal was made by the seller involving the purchase of the stadium as a property asset, but the board has made the decision to reject this proposal on the same basis as the original one, namely that acceptance of the terms involved would not be in the best interests of the club.”
In the hours following this statement, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) confirmed the dismissal of Hamilton’s appeal against charges against the club made by the Scottish Professional Football League for multiple breaches of SPFL rules.
The charges, including “provision of incorrect information regarding stadium ownership in the club’s season 2024-25 membership criteria submission”, took Hamilton to the bottom of the Championship when they were imposed last month, with the 15-point deduction now being upheld.
Following promotion from League One last season, Hamilton is now set to return there in 2025-26, and seemingly at a new home. Brown added: “Arrangements are now being made to relocate the club from the start of next season to Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld, with the long-term aim of building a new stadium in Hamilton.
“Discussions with South Lanarkshire Council have started in order to identify a suitable location. The board is now carefully considering several innovative options around fan engagement and season ticket support relating to the relocation.”
Broadwood Stadium is the former home of Clyde FC. In August 2022, the League Two club terminated a lease deal for Broadwood Stadium and entered into a ground-sharing deal with Hamilton for New Douglas Park.
On Wednesday, Clyde announced that it will continue to play home matches in Hamilton for the coming season. A club statement added: “On April 3, we announced that we did not have sufficient clarity as to the intentions of our host club to confirm that our tenure at New Douglas Park would continue beyond the current season.
“As the circumstances were entirely beyond our control, the SPFL agreed a period of grace beyond the registration deadline in order to achieve a solution. Although we are no clearer on the circumstances which precipitated the uncertainty in the first place, we have notified the SPFL that we are, nonetheless, in a position to commit to New Douglas Park for the foreseeable future.”
