The above beautiful mosaic shows the contrast between the first days of the stadium on this site and today's stadium. The Old Pavilion from the 1920's is displayed alongside the facade of the Main Stand, which in 2006 was renamed the Bill Struth Stand, in memory of The Rangers greatest ever manager. The players depicted are Willie Waddell who played, managed and directed the club and Davie Cooper who was a boyhood supporter and a great Rangers player in the 1970's and 80's. Sadly neither are with us any longer.
Ibrox Stadium today has over 24,000 square feet of office space, an exhibition suite, hospitality and catering function suites, restaurants, executive boxes and employees over 500 staff on match days which includes many former Rangers players.
The ground has changed beyond all recognition in 100 years but particularly in the last 30 years. The time was right for change.
Spectator safety was of paramount importance. The atmosphere at big games is still excellent but with better conditions for all. The days of flying bottles and soaking wet terraces are long gone.
Thankfully the Club lovingly preserved the Edmiston Drive façade and it is still a mark of the The Rangers' mystique as a club, an organisation and as a symbol of Scottish and British football.
On the 30th anniversary of the 1971 Ibrox Disaster a Memorial was unveiled to all the people who had died at Ibrox. A religious service was held at the corner of Edmiston Drive and the Copland Road Stand and many relatives of the dead attended. The focal point of the Memorial is a larger than actual-size bronze statue of John Greig, ( The Rangers Captain in 1971 and voted The Greatest Ranger ) mounted on a red-brick base. Mounted on the base are plates with the names of the dead from the three occasions of tragedy.
It had been said previously that the new Stadium itself was a fitting memorial to the dead but the statue seems to be a more fitting tribute and has been met with greater approval from the relatives of the dead.
Ibrox is the only Scottish club ground to have been awarded UEFA Grade 5 Listing. One day if the Scottish Football Authorities co-operate the stadium will be awarded a major European Final, which will be a just reward to the memory of Mr Waddell and the other great men of vision who The Rangers have been blessed with through the years.
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