Announcement - 16th January 2022
On 13th June 2021, the world's biggest open-air football museum was opened in Glasgow, by The Hampden Collection. Football's Square Mile is the cradle of modern football, where the Scotch Professors founded the modern passing and running game of football. These Scots traversed the globe and showed the locals how to play the beautiful game, which is now played or watched by 3.5 billion people around the world today.
On the 9th July 2021, The Hampden Collection and Glasgow Football Tour teamed up for their inaugural '3 Hampden Walking Tour', which covers the centre of this footballing heritage site. Over the summer, there were 9 Tours, with 126 people taking in the story of the Scotch Professors and how Scotland taught the world to play football.
In a covid impacted world, social distancing was the key driver for doing the walking tour. Lindsay Hamilton, Founder of the Glasgow Football Tour, commented, "In this unprecedented time, we were looking for a pivot. I started with virtual tours showing people from around the world 3rd Hampden, and then Graeme Brown came along with this genius idea bringing people on a unique footballing journey in the world's first open-air football museum."
The walking tour has had rave reviews over the summer, with so many flabbergasted by the story they have never heard. Graeme Brown, Founder of the Hampden Collection, explains, 'At the start of the tour, we ask a simple question, "Who invented football?" The majority reply, "Scotland". The second question we ask, "If you asked 99.999999% of the world's population, what would they reply?" They all replied, “England".'
Our walking tour is correcting footballing history one person at a time, and we are hugely excited about telling everyone about this footballing heritage in this pocket of Glasgow and The Hampden Collection's campaign to make Football's Square Mile a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This tour has been hugely successful, with many asking whether it is returning in 2022. Lindsay explains, "There's been a huge media buzz surrounding my 'wee business' and lots of interest from football folk over social media, phone and email. It's been a different class and gets better every tour. We cannot wait to restart the walking tours in the Spring."
Graeme explains, 'The football tour is there to explain how Football's Square Mile needs to be recognised by the world and the wonderful community within it. Therefore when we teamed up with Glasgow Football Tour we decided a share of the proceeds should go to a community cause. The 2021 tours had a charitable cause in mind, with a share of the proceeds donated to Hampden Bowling Club. The Tours exceeded all expectations, and we have donated £400 towards a community project close to our hearts."
Ian Lewis, President of Hampden Bowling Club, said, "This donation from the Hampden Collection is fabulous, which we will put to good use in purchasing a defibrillator available for Hampden Bowlers, Kingsley Rose Gardeners and visitors. The 3 Hampden Walking Tour adds an extra dimension to our community and brings the history of this area to life. We thank them gratefully for the donation."
On St Andrew's Day 2022, Scotland celebrates the creation of international football in its biggest city. We want everyone to understand the importance of St Andrew's Day 1872 and its 150th anniversary coming up, #SCOENG1872.
The best way to celebrate this amazing legacy is to walk around Football's Square Mile and learn the story of the Scottish Football pioneers, who made sure St Andrew's Day is the most important day in world football.
The 3 Hampden Walking Tours restart on 7th April 2022 with tours available throughout the summer, and more information on booking and times is available on our website: https://glasgowfootballtour.com/walking-tour
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