The history of Ibrox

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The history of Ibrox
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 22: A general view outside the stadium prior to the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Aberdeen at Ibrox Stadium on November 22, 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Ibrox Stadium is an impressive sight and a well-loved place for all Rangers fans. Since the opening in 1899, however, the stadium has had a dramatic history.

The Ibrox Stadium hosts thousands of people in the audience each year, eager to watch their favourite team face the opponents. It’s safe to say that interest in football gather people from all across Scotland and beyond, whether you’re watching the sport just for fun or like to bet on the winning team, using betting sites and online casinos such as those on Spinsify UK.

It all started with a win

Ibrox Stadium is today a famous landmark for Glasgow, and the venue has a long history. Let’s start at the official opening of the new Ibrox Park, as the stadium was called back then, which took place in 1899. On the 30th of December that same year, Rangers played their first match in it. It started out with a win for the home side, 3-1 against Heart of Midlothian F.C.

The stadium kept the name Ibrox Park until 1997, when the new Ibrox Stadium became official. Sadly, it turned out the original design would end in tragic consequences, resulting in the stadium being rebuilt and renovated several times in order to solve the safety problems.

The two major disasters at Ibrox Stadium

In April 1902, Ibrox Park hosted a big match between Scotland and England. Approximately 68 000 people attended the game, which was a significantly larger audience than any match that had previously taken place in the stadium during the three years since its opening. Around 30 minutes into the match, a wooden stand collapsed, and hundreds of supporters fell a long way to the ground. 25 people died because of the accident and more than 500 people were reported as injured.

After the tragedy, changes were made to the construction in order to improve safety and make sure no such accident could happen again. However, some decades later, another major problem would turn up. Concerns started to rise in the 1960s about one of the stairways in the arena. This staircase caused two deaths and several injuries in the 1960s, but despite that, there weren’t enough improvements made to prevent the big disaster in 1971.

Changes to the football stadium

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard of the 1971 Ibrox disaster. 66 people lost their lives, making it one of the most tragic days in the history of football. It was Saturday the 2nd of January 1971 when Rangers played against Celtic, with more than 80 000 people in the audience. As people were leaving the arena, it became too crowded in the stairway and the tragedy was unavoidable.

After the disaster, major changes were made to the Ibrox ground. The entire stadium was redeveloped, and Ibrox was awarded with UEFA five-star status. Today, the football stadium has a capacity of just over 50 000 and has been the home venue for the Scotland national football team 18 times, and Rangers fans can attend guided stadium tours.

It’s clear that Ibrox Stadium has a history of both happy and tragic moments. After all this time, it remains an iconic landmark with its red brick façade and as a venue where Rangers fans can come together.

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