The Hampden Park pitch could be set to be ripped up and re-turfed - less than a year after �100,000 was spent on a new playing surface.

Last April, a new pitch was put in place at Scotland's national stadium before the Scottish Cup and Champions League finals.

But the grass has deteriorated badly over the winter and may have to be given a facelift in time for the CIS Insurance Cup final on 16 March.

National Stadium manager David Kells told The Daily Record: "We know the whole pitch can be resurfaced and playable within five days.

"We are confident the pitch will come back and, if not, we will replace the surface again."

The pitch, which is used for home games by Third Division amateurs Queen's Park, looked particularly poor during Tuesday night's CIS Insurance Cup semi-final between Rangers and Hearts.

And it will be used again on Thursday night for the other semi-final, between Celtic and Dundee United.

Hampden is also home to American Football side the Scottish Claymores and will host this year's World Bowl final.

Rangers manager Alex McLeish said on Tuesday: "The players did say there was not a lot of grass and the pitch was soft in certain areas."

Last season saw Hampden come in for heavy criticism when the CIS Cup final and Scottish Cup semi finals were played on a disgraceful patchy surface.