The Rangers AGM

dh1963 said:
I totally get there is a fair number of regular Ibrox supporters who want a safe standing section, and ideally I hope it can happen so that their wishes are catered for. To be honest, no idea where it should be, how big it should be, how it impacts current season holders who would potentially lose their seat, or away allocations for Cup ties. As a principle I have no problem with it, as always the devil will be in the detail. And nobody seems to have that detail as things are right now.

But while I know about the survey results, there's a world of difference between agreeing it would be a good thing, and having it as a top priority. For example if the question was phrased like this, would 80% still put it at the top?

"Rangers have limited resources to carry out improvements to Ibrox stadium and to improve the match day experience. Please rank these potential improvements in order of priority for you.

A safe standing section
A modern disabled supporter facility
Upgraded toilets in all areas
Upgraded and improved catering in all areas
Increasing stadium capacity
A matchday fan zone"

Not saying safe standing isn't a good thing, but where should it be against other potential spends at a time the club financial position is well known?
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Are they doing anything about any of that? Thats the bigger question.
 
Didn’t realise your were sitting in front of me Mark :cool: Sure I’ve got the back of your head in one of my pictures haha.

Very positive AGM, Ross Wilson and James Bisgrove stood out especially. Both big assets to the club IMO.

Great to hear £7.5 million has been covered already and that we don’t have to sell players in January.

Wilson deals with the players every day and says there is no lack of effort involved, also sounds like Goldson is away if he doesn’t accept a contract within our “model”.

Would have been more questions but James Blair had to cut the questions from the floor down to one each as they were running out of time.

So much time wasted on that stupid “Everyone anyone” unvaccinated question. The groan around the room summed everyone’s feelings up.

Definitely get the impression they are not interested in safe standing, and after other things raised like the disabled facilities etc there won’t be any discussion on it anytime soon.
 
Riquelme said:
People are obviously going to be a bit more selfish and shout louder about things that will directly impact them. Hence the bigger discussion for safe standing.

The disabled access not many will know much about. I certainly don’t. But I do know that its been mentioned at every AGM for 3/4/5 years now. Nothing but lip service paid to it.

Another poor show.
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Does anyone know how many seats the club would lose if they increase disabled access?
 
Might be a daft question but if the demand for safe standing is so high why aren't more folk in the BF standing throughout games like BF1 and parts of BF2? If the demand is from folk in other areas of the Stadium I'm sure the Union Bears regularly invite folk to register an interest for a transfer to their area of the Stadium.

Personally I support a safe standing area but I think the level of support for it gets skewed on here and the Board, of course, have to be cognisant of the wishes of the wider support.

As one of the 'oldies' on here can I also say that simply having folk standing rather than seated isn't the cure-all for poor atmosphere. I've been in Ibrox long before seating was ever thought of for anyone but the 'snobs' in the Main Stand :) and I can assure you the atmosphere wasn't all that the misty-eyed memories of some on here portray. Fantastic on its day, as it is now, but poor to average on many other occasions.
 
coopsleftboot said:
Lived in Germany for 10 years, been to BMG, Schalke, Dortmund, Bayern, Hannover and a few smaller grounds. Germany is hyped up to more than it is because they have safe standing areas and you're allowed to buy a beer. Outside there's occasionally fanzones, selling beers, bratwurst, burgers, pommes and the like. It's really not that different from going to the pub for a beer and picking up something from the burger van. Fanzones are often a fair walk from the stadium.

Safe standing might be good for some, and if it pays for itself, or is "crowdfunded" then fair enough. It's not like it's critical to the success of Rangers, it's more to satisfy those who feel entitled to a bit more...or annoys them because "they" have it.
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It's not entitlement mate.

Folk care about the atmosphere at home game and this is something even the club admitted today that would help improve it but they stubbornly are doing nothing about it.

That being said, the disabled facilities are clearly more important and should be priority number one but I don't see why both cannot be sorted.
 
Jenny said:
I wish that some posters had the same amount of passion and enthusiasm for better disabled access as they do for safe standing.
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“There’s weans starving in Africa so you can’t complain about your own circumstances” vibes.
 
Valley Bluenose said:
Might be a daft question but if the demand for safe standing is so high why aren't more folk in the BF standing throughout games like BF1 and parts of BF2? If the demand is from folk in other areas of the Stadium I'm sure the Union Bears regularly invite folk to register an interest for a transfer to their area of the Stadium.

Personally I support a safe standing area but I think the level of support for it gets skewed on here and the Board, of course, have to be cognisant of the wishes of the wider support.
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The whole of the Broomloan stands anyway.

Look at our most recent league fixture against Ross County.

Everyone is standing as you can see before the Aribo and Kent goals.

 
I have to say I'm a bit worried at players running down their contracts. We can't afford to let big players walk out for nothing. Look at Arsenal, let players go like Ramsey for no transfer fee. On the flip side panicked by giving gargantuan contracts to a declining Ozil and Aubameang, bad situation to be in.
 
Big Buff said:
It’s their job to run the club properly. If he’s bullshitting us, I want to know.
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I’m sure the million quid, custom built commercial facility we will be opening right next door to the stadium will have something to do with it. Or you expecting to walk into the museum for free?
 
Abacab said:
The whole of the Broomloan stands anyway.

Look at our most recent league fixture against Ross County.

Everyone is standing as you can see before the Aribo and Kent goals.

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Fair point - when we are kicking in that direction. Watching later elements of that video when RC are attacking in the second half most are seated.
 
ronadamus_prime said:
Folk were ripping the pish out of him on Twitter because he said, he was going to go against the Clubs advice and mix with the Legia Warsaw supporters because he always does that on Euro away trips.

To be fair to him, he then posted pics up later of him with a bunch of friendly Legia Warsaw supporters.
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He’s a weirdo. A poisonous individual
 
Super A said:
I really dont think it does.

The reason Im standing is because the guy in front is

And the reason he is, is exactly the same.

In the GF at a normal league game everyone (just about) sits.
Now take a Euro game and its different people and guess what? for a lot of the game we need to stand. See lines 2 and 3 of my post.

We have a significant number of fans say 50 and over in age.
They dont want to stand and the away game situation puts a lot off going.

None that impacts a safe standing area mind you.
While Im against it, I do think it would be a safer option than we currently see at BF1.
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I can't stand for the whole game. Against Livi I had to sit down and rest a few times. I saw no football while sitting. The only reason I stood for most of the game is because I wouldn't have been able to see otherwise. It was the same at Hampden. I think the same is true for many fans. Once someone near the front stands up everyone ends up doing it. I'm not against a safe standing section at Ibrox btw, but I dont think its an issue of concern to most fans.
 
Valley Bluenose said:
They will on safety grounds. I doubt they'd do it just to 'preserve' our safe standing section. Away clubs are entitled to an allocation - just as we would be at Easter Road or Tynecastle. It might be trimmed back a bit at those locations to ease control but if the whole of BF is safe standing where do we put the Away fans? We won't get away with 800 or so for a cup-tie.
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Safe standing wouldn’t be available to away fans when in that stand.
 
It Is Old But Beautiful said:
I’ve been to a few games in Germany and their matchday experiences blow us out the water. Fans here just turn up to the game before kickoff and go straight home. There’s nothing to do before the game or after except go to a pub.
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Stewart Robertson said that the current stadium shop would be made into a Sports Bar for fans on match days.So along with the facilities in Edmiston House there would be more capacity for folk who want somewhere to go for food and drink pre match.
 
Well that was a nice courteous AGM apart from the vaccine passport guy at the start and the angry chap telling Robertson he should be out of a job because a few folk got banned for the city centre incident.:p

Disappointed at the response to safe standing.Don’t think that’ll be happening anytime soon.

Thought David Graham spoke well and our trophy was looking resplendent.:))

https://twitter.com/x/status/1465664671189454849
 
Abacab said:
Disagree with your point.

Anything from a business point of view is always going to be viewed by the board as a more important issue than safe standing.

It would be a side project if you like, but it means a lot to those who want it. And would transform the matchday experience for a lot of us.

There’s no reason why projects like Safe Standing can’t be delegated and the board can work on the business side.

It happens in every company on the planet. The board give budgets to individual departments to go and do their work.
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The business points directly affect the onfield performances though surely and that's by far the most important thing for me.
A successful playing team matters more than anything x 10.

I've already said that I support safe standing, even though I wouldn't want to be part of it.

I like where I sit at Ibrox, but I do prefer to stand at every away game, so I get the attraction for it for some.

I hope safe standing happens for those that have fought hard for it, even though it wouldn't make the slightest difference to me personally.

I did support it in our RSC survey though and good luck to you and whoever else wants it to happen.
 
Andrew webb said:
I thought Ross Wilson was excellent today
I asked about update on. Lyon away tickets at end to Stewart Robertson
No new information unfortunately
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A team from Rangers away over to Lyon to do usual recce and Lyon police still not signed off the release of tickets was the chat.
 
Firstly, I believe that we are in safe hands with the current board.
However, for SR to convey the impression that safe standing is not an immediate priority (which really means that it's not a priority at all) is pretty poor IMO.
It's not something I would ever use but for a lot of our younger supporters it is a priority. They will be with Rangers when Castore and other commercial partners are long gone.
The Rangers support are Rangers. The money provided by supporters dwarfs other sources of income. The board's priorities should reflect that.
I sometimes get the feeling that the board view the Rangers support as something they just have to put up with.
 
Safe standing is the no. 1 priority for lots of our fans in BF. Could someone explain the difference between Celtics safe standing area and our fans who stand anyway ? I understand the barrier concept, but has their been any accidents amongst our fans? Are we not getting standing anyway, just not official permanent safe standing ?
 
mck1872 said:
Safe standing is never going to happen is it?
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No, it's been obvious for years.
Valley Bluenose said:
Only problem I can see having it in the Broomloan is if we get a big cup-tie and the Away team want the full allocation to which they are entitled - Hearts, Hibs, Dhims etc. As things stand, they'd, potentially, get the safe standing area as part of that.
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Do the seats not lock down as well as up?
 
LizzyDrippin said:
Put them in the worst possible location

Put them in BF1
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Which, if folk on here get the entire BF safe standing, means the Away fans get a safe standing area. I'm talking about a cup-tie where the Away club are entitled to a few thousand tickets and not the 'normal' 800. In that scenario, just BF1 wouldn't cut it (though I agree for 'normal' games I'd have Away fans there rather than in the corner).

Seems to me that for the least disruption to Rangers fans through relocating them to cater for a safe standing area that the simplest start point - it could expand later - would be the current Away corner. There's 800-1000 seats in there that the UB could relocate to without any existing season ticket holders having to move.
 
iaatpies said:
On the matter of safe standing, how do we make it pay? Presumably season tickets would be cheaper for standing sections. Then there's the capital cost of installing rail seating that could be converted to all seating sections for European games.

Not sure how it's even remotely financially viable right now.
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The toilets arent "remotely financially viable right now".
 
sheddensbear said:
Safe standing is the no. 1 priority for lots of our fans in BF. Could someone explain the difference between Celtics safe standing area and our fans who stand anyway ? I understand the barrier concept, but has their been any accidents amongst our fans? Are we not getting standing anyway, just not official permanent safe standing ?
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The scum have plenty of space, they don’t sell out their season tickets. Easy for them to move fans around etc? May be a point.
 
Blue As said:
Stewart Robertson said that the current stadium shop would be made into a Sports Bar for fans on match days.So along with the facilities in Edmiston House there would be more capacity for folk who want somewhere to go for food and drink pre match.
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'Sports bar or other facility' was what Mark reported I think. I'm still convinced it will be a bar/cafe/restaurant - but as part of a 'new' hospitality area rather than a walk-up bar for punters. Much more income to be made from hospitality.
 
With safe standing are you still allocated a space or is it like the free for all in BF1 or away games where UB take over and crowd out the people who should be in that area.

What I am really asking is would we be returning to terracing first come first served rules. My concern being UB taking over BF 2,3 and 4 and ordinary punters wanting to be part of safe standing being forced to the wings.
 
Valley Bluenose said:
Only problem I can see having it in the Broomloan is if we get a big cup-tie and the Away team want the full allocation to which they are entitled - Hearts, Hibs, Dhims etc. As things stand, they'd, potentially, get the safe standing area as part of that.
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Just fold the barriers, Put the seats back.
 
MrStruth said:
Other club have managed it...
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Other clubs don’t have the issue of away fans potentially been placed there due to cup game requirements. We currently give them the corner but a cup game could see them given the full broomie.

It would need to be transferred to the Copland for it to work around that but then you have the issue of everyone who sits there. They ain’t gonna go ah it ok just shift me.

I would love for it but I see to many hurdles atm.
 
Valley Bluenose said:
Might be a daft question but if the demand for safe standing is so high why aren't more folk in the BF standing throughout games like BF1 and parts of BF2? If the demand is from folk in other areas of the Stadium I'm sure the Union Bears regularly invite folk to register an interest for a transfer to their area of the Stadium.

Personally I support a safe standing area but I think the level of support for it gets skewed on here and the Board, of course, have to be cognisant of the wishes of the wider support.

As one of the 'oldies' on here can I also say that simply having folk standing rather than seated isn't the cure-all for poor atmosphere. I've been in Ibrox long before seating was ever thought of for anyone but the 'snobs' in the Main Stand :) and I can assure you the atmosphere wasn't all that the misty-eyed memories of some on here portray. Fantastic on its day, as it is now, but poor to average on many other occasions.
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It isnt just standing that makes the difference. Its like minded people getting together to stand and sing.
 
Valley Bluenose said:
'Sports bar or other facility' was what Mark reported I think. I'm still convinced it will be a bar/cafe/restaurant - but as part of a 'new' hospitality area rather than a walk-up bar for punters. Much more income to be made from hospitality.
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That isn’t what Robertson said.
He said he was aware people were around the stadium from around 12 o’clock on match days and didn’t have many options of where to go.
He said it would be along the lines of a sports bar which would provide somewhere for folk to go prematch along with the new facilities at Edmiston House.
 
Rupert Pupkin said:
I have to say I'm a bit worried at players running down their contracts. We can't afford to let big players walk out for nothing. Look at Arsenal, let players go like Ramsey for no transfer fee. On the flip side panicked by giving gargantuan contracts to a declining Ozil and Aubameang, bad situation to be in.
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The vast majority that are out of contract have little to no resale value as I can see.

The likes of McGregor, Davis and Arfield, should they choose not to retire would be amenable to renewing contracts with us before looking elsewhere.

Whilst Goldson is the only situation that doesn’t appear to be resolved to our benefit, he’s not irreplaceable and for what we’ve paid for him has been overall good value.
 
Theyve obviously done the numbers and safe standing is clearly not going to be profitable. Id love it to come back. Id definitely look to move to a safe standing section if it came in, but...

We ask these guys to protect the club and make the tough decisions and i feel thats what they are doing. We are just off the back of another horrendous set of losses. Its been over a decade since we made a profit. Its my opinion the custodians of our club wish to normalise our finances before they look at what is essentially a vanity project. Patience is required on this issue.

Very positive AGM on the whole though. Very happy with the direction and leadership of the club.
 
Dylanbear said:
Just fold the barriers, Put the seats back.
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Somebody asked earlier if the seats locked down (as opposed to up). I've no idea. In truth, its a moot point because in the circumstances I describe the Away fans would stand anyway LOL.

First - and easiest - step to this is moving BF1 to the current Away corner and getting Away fans in BF1 (where they used to be anyway, so its do-able) or elsewhere. No disruption of asking any existing ST holder to relocate, other than those from BF1 of course.
 
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