Leeann Dempster plays down SRU-Easter Road deal

Leeann Dempster said headlines suggesting a 'close deal' were a long way off. Picture: Greg Macvean

Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster has distanced herself from comments by SRU chief executive Mark Dodson who claimed Edinburgh Rugby were close to a deal to play at Easter Road.

Dodson said talks had taken place between the two parties, leading to hopes that an agreement could be reached for Edinburgh to play “a couple of home games” at the football ground.

However, in an interview with the Edinburgh Evening News, Dempster insisted her counterpart at the SRU had overstated the current state of play, revealing it is a conversation which has taken place on a number of occasions but, as yet, they are no closer to any agreement.

She said: “It’s not a potential partnership, it’s a potential to discuss, if you know what I mean. The truth, I think, is that there have been discussions between the club and SRU that have run over a number of years. There have been a number of headlines that we are about to [reach an agreement], but that’s not the case. We have just started, literally, a general discussion about possibilities.”

Edinburgh currently play at the 67,800-capacity BT Murrayfield Stadium.