Is this what a future Hampden could look like?

The design of Hampden would raise the capacity to 65,000 and include two 'Kop-style' home ends behind each goal

It's one of the longest-running debates in Scottish football - what to do with the national stadium?

Hampden was redeveloped in the 1990s from a mostly terraced ground to an all-seated arena with a capacity of more than 50,000.

Despite the facelift, for decades supporters have complained about the ground's shortcomings compared to more contemporary stadiums, most notably the distance from the pitch in the East and West stands behind the goals.

That's why the Tartan Army will be excited at images of a proposed new Hampden Park obtained by BBC Scotland.

In 2020, architects Holmes Miller, who were involved with recent upgrades to the stadium as well as Lesser Hampden, were commissioned to come up with a redesign by the Scottish FA.

However, funding for the project at the time was at least partly predicated on an eventually abandoned UK World Cup 2030 bid. It also came just before the Covid-19 pandemic took a financial toll on the world.

Coupled with rising costs and a squeeze on government funding, it is unclear if the grand design will ever become a reality, but it is likely to whet the appetite among fans used to a more traditional experience in Glasgow's south side.

Plans show a new arena within the current footprint, consisting of a partly two-tier bowl design with stands tight to the pitch.

Lesser Hampden can be seen to the west of the proposed new stadium

Computer illustrations have the stadium's facade - similar to that of Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena - illuminated with 'Scotland Bluebell Thistle', while the grounds outside the arena are also changed to reflect the country's coastline.

The design process continued up until last year, with other features of the aspirational concept including:

• A retractable roof so the stadium could be used as an indoor arena in winter

• A steeper terrace

• An increased capacity of 65,000 to make Hampden Scotland's largest football stadium

• A 'Kop'-style stand behind each goal

• The facility to curtain off the top tier if attendances were below 30,000

• A 'translucent external envelope' that could change colour depending on who was playing

• Remodelled elements of the existing main stand being kept

"We were approached by the SFA in 2020 to provide a vision for Hampden - the art of the possible," Holmes Miller project director Ian Cooney told BBC Scotland.

"Our vision was to capture the essence of Hampden - the atmosphere - and wrap a world class stadium around it. Better views, better facilities, a better experience… while retaining the magic.

"The discussions continued with the potential of a World Cup 2030 bid, and Euro 2028 bid - of which we all await the outcome.

"As a football fan and frequent visitor to Hampden throughout my life, it was great to imagine what a new Hampden could be."

Hampden in its current form prior to Saturday's Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 3 June

In 2018, the SFA began a £5m deal to purchase the national stadium from Queen's Park, with chief executive Ian Maxwell declaring it "the start of the journey" to make Hampden "the best it can be".

The ground hosted athletics at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, five games at Euro 2020 and has been included as part of a joint-UK bid to host the European Championship in 2028, which could bring in a portion of funding.

Scotland fans are renowned for having a dream. It may be this design has to remain there for now.