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Ibrox Stadium
(Rangers)
Address: 150 Edmiston Drive,
Ibrox,
Glasgow,
Scotland,
G51 2XD
Capacity: 50,817 (All-Seater)
One of the most historically innovative football stadiums anywhere in Europe.
Taking its name from the area of Glasgow it is located in, the Ibrox site has been home to Rangers Football Club since 1899.
Rangers were formed in 1872 and for their first few years played on public pitches across Glasgow, moving to a regular home at Burnbank in 1875 and then at the Clydesdale Cricket Ground in Kinning Park the following year. Rangers would remain here until February 1887 when the landlords hinted that they wished to develop the site.
After spending the remainder of the 1886-87 season at Third Lanark’s Cathkin Park, the Gers moved to the Ibrox area, playing on a site that is to the east of where the current stadium lies. The ground lasted 12 years, playing host to three Scotland international matches and a Scottish Cup Final in that time, but Rangers opted to construct a brand-new stadium on the Ibrox site that is in use today.
Originally known as Ibrox Park until it changed to its current name in 1997, the ground looked very different to what it does today. There was an oval track around the pitch, with a pavilion and stand along one side. Terracing designed by famous Scottish architect Archibald Leitch was formed to help Ibrox compete with Celtic Park and Hampden Park elsewhere in Glasgow for Scottish Cup Finals and Scotland International games.
Disaster occurred at Ibrox however on 5th April 1902. During a game between Scotland and England where more than 68,000 were in attendance, one section of the terracing collapsed shortly after kick-off. Around 125 people fell through the open gap and landed 50 feet below, with 25 of them losing their lives. 517 other people suffered injuries, some due to being crushed in the panic that the collapse caused.
Rangers removed the wooden terraces soon after, and wooden structures of that size are no longer trusted.
1902 was unfortunately not the only year to see a disaster at Ibrox. During an Old Firm game between Rangers and Celtic on 2nd January 1971, 66 people died and more than 200 people were injured during a crush as supporters tried to leave the stadium.
The disaster led to a major redevelopment of Ibrox into a modern, safe stadium. Plans were developed and modelled around the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Germany. The old bowl-shaped terracing was to be replaced by three all-seater structures, with just the Main Stand remaining from the previous form of Ibrox Park. Rangers were seen to be taking a big risk with this redevelopment plan, with work estimated to cost £6 million in a time when clubs really couldn’t afford that amount of money to be spent over such a short period.
The new Ibrox opened in September 1981 with a capacity of 44,000. Attendances were initially low, but grew in line with David Holmes’ arrival at Rangers as chairman and the domestic success that followed.
Computerised ticketing, zonal public address systems and closed-circuit television monitoring were all added which made Ibrox one of the most innovative stadiums around.
Work on Ibrox’s Main Stand was completed during the early 1990s, and the stadium became fully all-seater in 1994 so as to comply with the Taylor Report and UEFA’s own regulations.
Since then, additional rows of seating have been added, the space between the stands has been filled, and the Ibrox Park name was changed to Ibrox Stadium following renovation work in 1997.
Location and Getting There
Ibrox Stadium is located in the Ibrox area, around 2.5 miles west of Glasgow City Centre. The River Clyde is around 0.6 miles away to the north, Bellahouston Park is around 0.8 miles away to the south, and Pollok House is around one mile further south from there.
There are a limited number of parking spaces around Ibrox Stadium’s immediate vicinity.
Finding street parking within close distance should not be too difficult though, with an industrial estate in Govan to the north and residential estates in Craigton and Bellahouston to the southwest and south respectively.
The majority coming by train will arrive in Glasgow via Glasgow Central, which is served by ScotRail, Avanti West Coast, Caledonian Sleeper, CrossCountry, LNER and Transpennine Express.
The recommendation from here is to take the ScotRail service between Patrick and Newtown which stops at Dalmarnock, a station that is roughly 15 minutes southwest of Ibrox Stadium. You can alternatively walk from Glasgow Central to the stadium, which takes around 45-50 minutes.
Taxis are also available.
The majority coming by train will arrive in Glasgow via Glasgow Central, which is served by ScotRail, Avanti West Coast, Caledonian Sleeper, CrossCountry, LNER and Transpennine Express. The station is near to the City Centre, and it would take you around 45-50 minutes to walk to Ibrox Stadium from here.
Instead of walking, you can head along Argyle Street to St. Enoch Underground Station and take the Inner Circle Subway line. This route loops around central Glasgow and has a stop in Ibrox that is a short distance northeast of the stadium.
Alternatively, there is a bus stop on Union Street outside Glasgow Central Station. The 9A simpliCITY bus service runs from here and stops outside Merrick Gardens on Paisley Road West (A761). It is a short walk north to Ibrox Stadium from here.
Taxi services should also be available, though these could cost a good amount given the distance the stadium is from the station.
Outside the Stadium
If you’re coming from the Ibrox Underground Station, you will likely first approach the stadium’s northeast corner.
Its exterior is dominated by large blue panels and a blue and red mural which shows Rangers’ major honours.
The lower part of this northeast corner protrudes a long way outwards, and inside here is the Rangers Store.
Continuing round in a clockwise direction from the northeast corner brings you to the East Stand. It is known as the Copland Road Stand after the street that runs out beyond its vicinity.
The exterior is dominated by brickwork, with concrete and corrugated iron up at the top and rows of glass windows running along it. The upper parts also contain large images of significant club achievements and iconic players.
Part of the brick exterior protrudes outwards in the middle, and the whole stand hangs over a walkway that passes underneath.
Turnstiles for the Copland Road Stand are along this walkway, with a few also in place to the left of the Rangers Store.
There are a few rows of car parking spaces immediately out beyond the Copland Road Stand’s exterior. The Ibrox Stadium Fan Zone is out beyond these car parking spaces, next to a large brick building.
The southeast corner of Ibrox Stadium houses large blue gates, and continuing round from here brings you to the Main Stand which is named after Bill Struth.
Born in Edinburgh on 16th June 1875, Struth moved to Glasgow in 1908, became assistant manager at Rangers in 1914, and then succeeded William Wilton as manager in 1920. He would be at the helm of the Rangers team for the next 34 years, winning 18 Scottish League Titles, 10 Scottish Cups, and two Scottish League Cups. Struth joined the club’s board of directors whilst still manager in 1947, and after stepping down from his managerial role became vice chairman in 1954.
Struth passed away on 21st September 1956 at the age of 81 and is buried in Craigton Cemetery which overlooks Ibrox Stadium.
The exterior of the Bill Struth Main Stand is very grand in design, consisting mostly of brickwork and large glass windows with corrugated iron and blue cantilever in place right at the top. In truth, if it wasn’t for the turnstiles and entry gates along the base, it would look more like the outside of a train station than a football stadium. This red brick façade was designed by Scottish architect Archibald Leitch is considered a Category B listed building.
At either end of the Bill Struth Main Stand is the Rangers’ Club Crest depicted in a blue and hold mosaic, whilst next to each of these is a brick and glass stair tower that leads to the third tier inside.
Turnstiles for the Bill Struth Main Stand are spread along the base of the brick façade and stair towers at either end.
Out beyond the exterior, on the other side of Edmiston Drive (A8) is a large 3G pitch.
You can find a statue outside the stair tower in the stadium’s southeast corner.
It depicts John Greig, a defender who spent his entire career with Rangers, playing over 750 times for the club between 1961 and 1978. He would also manage the Gers between 1978 and 1983 and spent time as a director. Greig’s list of honours as player and manager includes five Scottish League Titles, eight Scottish Cups, six Scottish League Cups, and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.
The statue at Ibrox Stadium however is part of a memorial commemorating those who lost their lives during the Ibrox Stadium disaster in 1971. John Greig was captain of the club at the time, and the statue depicts him posed in a moment of reflection.
The southwest corner of Ibrox Stadium houses large blue gates, and continuing round from here brings you to the West Stand. It is known as the Broomloan Road Stand after the street out beyond it.
The exterior is very similar to the Copland Road Stand opposite, consisting mostly of brickwork with concrete and corrugated iron up at the top and rows of glass windows running along it. The upper parts also contains a banner with the letters RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB EST. 1872 displayed across it, as well as several significant players from the club’s history.
Part of the brick exterior protrudes outwards in the middle, and the whole stand hangs over a walkway that passes underneath.
Turnstiles for the Broomloan Road Stand are along this walkway, with a few also in place by the stadium’s northwest corner.
There are a few rows of car parking spaces immediately out beyond the Broomloan Road Stand’s exterior.
The stadium’s northwest corner has a brickwork base with large white panels higher up and corrugated iron up at the top. Blue and white cantilever is also in place to provide support to this corner.
You can find Away Turnstiles on the base of the northwest corner, and out on the other side of the road is the Rangers Ticket Centre.
The North Stand at Ibrox Stadium was originally known as the Govan Stand but since July 2014 has been named after Sandy Jardine.
Born in Edinburgh on 31st December 1948, William “Sandy” Pullar Jardine was a right-back who played more than 670 times for Rangers between 1966 and 1982. During his time with the Gers, he won three Scottish League Titles, five Scottish Cups, five Scottish League Cups, and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972.
Capped 38 times by Scotland, Jardine passed away on 24th April 2014 at the age of 65.
The exterior of the Sandy Jardine Stand is split into sections. There are three brick towers protruding up and outwards, with the space either side of each taken by rows of dark grey corrugated iron and glass windows.
The central brick tower, known as Argyle House, has its Main Entrance based next to it, accessible by either a ramp or a small staircase. These lead to executive boxes, a hospitality area, and office space. The Entrance to Bar 72 is on the other side of the central brick tower.
The stand as a whole hangs over a walkway that passes underneath. Turnstiles for the Sandy Jardine Stand are along this walkway, with a few also in place at either end by the stadium’s northwest corner and the Rangers Store.
There are car parking spaces outside the Sandy Jardine Stand’s exterior, and part of the perimeter wall is decorated with large Rangers advertising boards.
Inside the Stadium
The stadium’s northeast corner has a single tier of blue seating down at the front, with the back wall behind housing a large electronic screen on it.
The view from within this northeast corner is perfectly clear, and the seating blocks are well protected by the connected Sandy Jardine and Copland Road Stands.
The Copland Road Stand is split into two similarly sized tiers of entirely blue seating. There is an electronic screen attached to the wall at the front of the upper tier which can best be seen by those at the opposite end of the stadium.
Your view from anywhere inside the Copland Road Stand is perfectly clear.
One end of the stand is well protected by the connected northeast corner. The other end has a large windshield in place, but this does not provide protection to the front rows in the lower tier, with just a small wall in place to offer protection instead. The brick stair tower in the stadium’s southeast corner can help with protection from the elements here though.
The Bill Struth Main Stand is split into three tiers of entirely blue seating.
The bottom tier is the shallowest and known as the Enclosure. This is split into an east section and a west section, which is divided from one another by the stadium’s retractable tunnel. The dugouts can be found right down at the front of the Enclosure, and the changing rooms are housed inside the stand.
The middle tier hangs slightly over the back of the bottom tier. Its front wall is one of the last remaining examples of Archibald Leitch’s criss-cross detailing. This middle tier is split into a front and rear section, with the an executive seating block marked out in the centre by a small wall that rings around it.
The top tier is known as the Club Deck and is the steepest of the three, hanging some way over the middle tier below. The area holding the matchday camera hangs on the wall at the front of this tier.
Your view from most of the Enclosure is perfectly clear, though there are supporting pillars coming down from the middle tier. You may well have a restricted view therefore if you are sat towards the back of the Enclosure. The roof overhead should not cause restriction to your view though.
Views from the front section of the middle tier are perfectly clear. There are supporting pillars coming down from the top tier, and these are likely to restrict your view slightly if you are sat in the rear section of this tier. With the pillars well-spaced out however, there will be seats in the rear section that do have unrestricted views of the action. The roof overhead should not cause any restriction your view at all.
The entire top tier offers perfectly clear views from any seats inside, as there are no supporting pillars coming down from the Main Stand’s roof.
The combination of windshields and the brick stair towers that lead to the Club Deck provide good protection from the sides. It is only the very front rows of the Enclosure that are not fully protected from the sides.
The Broomloan Road Stand is a carbon-copy of the Copland Road Stand opposite.
It is split into two similarly sized tiers of entirely blue seating. There is an electronic screen attached to the wall at the front of the upper tier which can best be seen by those at the opposite end of the stadium.
Your view from anywhere inside the Broomloan Road Stand is perfectly clear.
One end of the stand is well protected by the connected northwest corner. The other end has a large windshield in place, but this does not provide protection to the front rows in the lower tier, with just a small wall in place to offer protection instead. The brick stair tower in the stadium’s southwest corner can help with protection from the elements here though.
The stadium’s northwest corner has a single tier of blue seating down at the front, with the back wall behind housing a large electronic screen on it.
The view from within this northeast corner is perfectly clear, and the seating blocks are well protected by the connected Broomloan Road and Sandy Jardine Stands.
The Sandy Jardine Stand consists of two similarly sized tiers of entirely blue seating, with the upper tier hanging slightly over the lower tier beneath. The Bar 72 seats are in place along the very front of the upper tier, with the wall in front of these holding a digital clock that can best be seen by those at the opposite end of the stadium. Executive boxes and hospitality suites are in place behind the very back row.
Your view from anywhere inside the Sandy Jardine Stand is perfectly clear, and the stand is well protected from the sides by the connected northwest and northeast corners.
Away Fans
The location of away fans at Ibrox Stadium depends on the allocation.
Smaller crowds are typically housed in the northwest corner between the Broomloan Road Stand and Sandy Jardine Stand. This is a single tier of blue seating which has a large electronic screen on the back wall behind it. Rows of stewards are used to segregate this away section from any home supporters based nearby.
Views from here are perfectly clear from any seat with good protection by the stadium being enclosed on this side.
The away section can be made larger by adding in adjacent blocks in the lower tier of the Broomloan Road Stand to the west. These also offer perfectly clear views from any seat inside.
These aren’t likely to be made available for away crowds on a matchday though unless the very biggest of away supports are expected, such as Old Firm games or European Nights.
Matchday Pubs
Pubs available to supporters on a matchday include*:
-The Ark Glasgow (North Frederick Street, G1 2BS) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located near to Glasgow Queens Street Station)
-The Beer House (69 Gordon Street, G1 3SL) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located very close to Glasgow Central Station)
-The Counting House (2 St Vincent Place, G1 2DH) (A JD Wetherspoon Pub, Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located near Glasgow Queen Street Station)
-The District Bar (252 Paisley Road West, G51 1BS) (Home Supporters Only)
-The Edward G. Wylie (107-109 Bothwell Street, G2 6TS) (A JD Wetherspoon Pub, Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located near Glasgow Central Station)
-The Horseshoe Bar (17-19 Drury Street, G2 5AE) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located near to Glasgow Central Station)
-The Kensington Bar (408 Paisley Road West, G51 1BE) (Typically Home Supporters Only) (Located east of Ibrox Stadium)
-Louden Tavern Ibrox (111 Copland Road, G51 2SL) (Home Supporters Only) (Located northeast of Ibrox Stadium)
-The Old Toll Bar (1-3 Paisley Road West, G51 1LF) (Home Supporters Only)
-The Pot Still (154 Hope Street, G2 2TH) (Typically Home and Away Supporters) (Located near Glasgow Central Station and Buchanan Street Underground Station)
-The Viceroy Bar (22 Paisley Road West, G51 1LB) (Home Supporters Only)
*Pubs within close range of Ibrox Stadium are typically for home supporters only. The recommendation is to find a drink around Glasgow City Centre before making your way to the match.
Overview
Ibrox Stadium is full of history. It has a lived a life few other football grounds will, with moments of tragedy and growth that have not only contributed to what it is in place today, but has also influenced the design of stadiums elsewhere.
The modern-day ground has excellent quality views across its connected western, northern and eastern sides. Though its Main Stand to the south offers the lowest quality views, it remains a piece of historical football architecture with its brick façade outside a Category B listed building.
The third-largest football stadium in Scotland is a venue you simply must come and visit at some point.
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