Ibrox trial could be stage one for Rangers Old Firm ticket scenario.
The allotment of tickets for Old Firm derbies has been a topic of much discussion in recent seasons, and Rangers’ latest initiative may signal a shift in that direction. Rangers supporters were offered tickets to Ibrox for the first derby, but Celtic chose to play stupid and deny them admission to Parkhead, exposing the impotent entity that is the SPFL.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but does Rangers’ growing season ticket holder base make it more difficult to raise the Old Firm allowance?
Is there an Old Firm allocation experiment under way by Rangers?
The club announced today that away fans will be moving for some games in an attempt to get more home fans into the ground and make better use of the seats that are available.
Writing on the official website, the trial, starting against Livingston was explained:
“The trial’s objective is to maximise the number of Rangers supporters within Ibrox Stadium and to help further amplify the match day atmosphere in support of the team.
“Traditionally, away supporters at Ibrox are located within the Govan West Corner, and this will remain the case for clubs who take up a larger number of tickets made available to them.
“However, with some visiting clubs only using a small proportion of tickets, Rangers will, for this match, welcome Livingston’s supporters in the Club Deck, thus allowing Rangers to make the Govan West Corner available to our own supporters and therefore increase the number of Rangers fans within the stadium.”
The structure of the Club Deck is unique in terms of how it is accessed via the imposing staircases either side of the main stand which, theoretically, makes it an option for redevelopment.
With a capacity of around 51,000, Rangers have to allocate 2,500 tickets (5%) in UEFA competitions, so the provision has to be there for that number.
If, as planned, the capacity increases, so too will this number.
As with the relocation of the Union Bears and the works to the Copland Road stand, there would probably have to be Rangers fans moved, but how realistic would it be to see Celtic fans in the Club Deck for Old Firm derbies? As with any trial, you start low and gradually get bigger. It might, or it might not, be feasible.
Plenty of teams in the Premier League stick away fans up in the clouds and Rangers might be considering something similar. The stairway could be designated specifically for away fans and the concourse could also be modified and segregated, same with the seating area.
Put it this way, on paper, there will appear to be more chance of a European allocation for Old Firm derbies if Rangers consider this type of change.
Although a lot of money has been spent on Ibrox recently, it doesn’t seem like the grand dame of Scottish football is done getting spoilt just yet. Fabio Silva, a striker on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, has already joined Rangers.
However, Philippe Clement is still eager to leave his mark on this Rangers team, so more additions may be coming. Rangers have been thinking about signing FC Twente star Gijs Smal, whose contract expires at the end of the current campaign. Let us examine Smal’s career and potential fit at Rangers. The new director of football, Nils Koppen, will be familiar with Smal from his time in Dutch football.
Gijs Smal, the story so far
Smal started out in the ranks of Volendam after previously spending time with AFC ’34 and hometown club SV De Rijp. Smal racked up 63 appearances for Volendam’s second team and eventually made a big impact in the first team, bagging nine goals in 69 appearances.
The 26-year-old saw his contract expire in 2020 and he decided to join Dutch rivals Twente.
The hype around Smal really built last season as he racked up 10 assists in 34 Eredivisie appearances.
Smal ended up staying at Twente despite mounting interest over the summer but started this season with a calf injury and has struggled to recapture his top form.
The Dutchman is yet to record a single assist this season and there may be concerns that last season’s displays were a flash in the pan rather than an indication of his future output.
Gijs Smal, what they say
“I particularly enjoy Smal. He is hardly mentioned, but the ease with which he plays football… I really think he could take a step higher,” – Dutch pundit Marciano Vink. “He is a very talented player. It will be quite an achievement to keep such a boy at FC Twente,” – Dutch pundit Pierre Vermeulen.
“Smal has undergone incredible development at Twente. He went from Volendam to FC Twente on a transfer-free basis. I thought it was a nice step for him, but I played with him and thought I’ll just have to see.”
“I knew he had quality, but I had not thought in advance that he would develop into one of the better left backs in the Eredivisie. With the ball and in passing, there is no better back in the Netherlands. He has performed incredibly.
“I understand that he wants to take a step. I can also imagine that there is interest in him. He is a very interesting player who is always fit and can hold his own defensively. He is an extra weapon on the ball for the team,” – Former Volendam teammate Kees Kwakman.
Gijs Smal to Rangers analysis
Rangers may need to land at least one let back this year with Borna Barisic out of contract and Ridvan Yilmaz attracting interest from elsewhere. Smal certainly appeals given his contract situation, and he could be a bargain addition this month or a free transfer signing in the summer.
As he approaches the last six months of his contract, Smal shows no signs of signing new terms and is starting to act more like a contract rebel. The Dutchman has lots of energy remaining in him as he is only 26 years old, and his incredible season the previous year demonstrated his attacking prowess.
We are worried since Smal’s poor performance this season appears to be a result of his injury-plagued start to the campaign. Rangers might want to wait until the summer to commit to this, even if it means missing out.
Rangers could be better off waiting to see if Smal can recover before the summer, even though he might require some time to get back to his best.
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