United request rejected

Dundee United’s request to move their Scottish Cup semi-final away from Ibrox has been rejected by the Scottish Football Association.

The Tangerines are unhappy that Rangers would be given a massive advantage should they prove victorious in their quarter-final replay with Albion Rovers next week.

“If it is to be Rangers, then we are not happy with the fact that it is not a neutral venue,” United chairman Stephen Thompson told BBC Scotland. “A semi-final or final should be at a neutral venue. We wanted to play the match at Celtic Park but that was flatly denied.”

“The clubs were informed of the venue just after the first round of the cup, due to Hampden Park being out of commission because of the Commonwealth Games,” an SFA spokesperson responded. “There were no issues raised then at that early stage.”