Glasgow may suffer a minor culture shock when the Rugby World Cup arrives in the autumn. Hampden Park, the birth-place of Scottish soccer, is opening its doors to rugby. Currently in the process of a £63 million millennium facelift, the refurbished ground will have 52,000 seats, two debenture lounges of 500 each, a museum, lecture theatre and media centre.

When it's ready the stadium may be palatial but it will never beat the attendance records established at the historic ground.

In 1937, 149,547 fans watched Scotland play England and the Celtic v Aberdeen Cup final the same year attracted 147,365 inside the ground and a further 20,000 outside. For those who claim that there was no television in those days to affect attendances, the semi-final of the European Cup in 1970 between Celtic and Leeds attracted 136,503 fans.