Stan Holloway the Ibrox commissionaire

mdingwall

mdingwall

Administrator
From the Hamilton programme 17 Jan 1987

Stan was the face of Ibrox for many years for those of us of a certain age. An old-school reminder of standards.

An initial gruff exterior - needed to keep the orders of urchins and autograph hunters in line - broke once you got to know him.

There is a great story - which may be apocrophyl - that Gordon Smith turned up one match day without a pass and Stan wouldn't let him in.

Gordon said "but I'm a player!"

The answer came back - "For what team?!" :D

 
Programme is wrong, in that wee Stan was born in Kingston upon Hull :)

What a guy: he was father in law to someone from Charleston Bowling Club in Paisley who was my Uncle's colleague and mate and through that connection, my brother and I got tickets for numerous games when there were none to be had.

I lived in Blackpool at the time and he thought it was great that we 'came up all that way' for every home game.

One time at a game against the Yahoos I realised in a panic my alphabetical season ticket voucher was AWOL - when I pitched up Stan told me to hang about inside the main door, and a few mins after kick off took us through the back into the East Enclosure.

He also got my bro and I into the player's lounge after a 1-1 Sunday OF draw in March 1996 and we met Jack Charlton, who was there on his own before the players came in.

He was RoI manager at the time and we were asking him if he was there to see anyone: 'nah lads just here for the game'.

Nice friendly guy and when Gazza came in, he made a bee-line for us to speak to him. Russ and I just left them to it and stood there trying not to be starstruck at being in the same room as Brian Laudrup....

Memorable day.

Russ is 6'6", I'm 6'4" and we were leaving just in front of Gascoigne, Sheryl and the babes in arms. Gazza was chirping away 'now lads, let's behave ourselves on the way out' etc etc and as soon as we walked out the flashbulbs went off and half a dozen hacks were all over them like a rash.

Brought home to me what his life must have been like, that was about two hours after the game had ended.
 
On my first trip to Ibrox, not a game on just a summer holiday's stroll from the Drum to see "it", as a 10 year old my cousin and I got chased from the entrance by a commissionaire. After walking round the ground wowing at it all we thought we'd walk in the door just to see inside. After a few steps into the grand hall woweeing at what we saw, a quick "hoi you 2" and we were off with a gloved hand making a grab for us like something out of a cartoon.
 
Was about 14 and my ma had let me come over for a game from belfast with my older cousin and his mates the first season of the souness revolution. We were playing the tims the next day in the league cup final beat them 2-1 if i recall.think we had to meet a guy in one of the local clubs and thought we'd go up and get a few photos at the ground,one of the guys opened the front door to walk in and was stopped by i believe to be this gentleman who quickly told us where to go! One of the boys apologised and hearing the accents said come in boys and wait in a side room,10 minutes later aling came a small lady who took us quickly to the changing rooms and took our photos under her majesty on the wall.unfortunately i never got a copy of the photos but the memory is still like it was just yesterday WATP
 
Stez64 said:
Off topic...
I'm sure we went top of the league that day against Hamilton and went on to win the league
Click to expand...
We did go top but were back in second until the end of Feb.
We also won "twice" that day as the Hamilton match was a re-arranged fixture. We were supposed to play at Dens park but loads of games were off due to snow. So we won at home and the pools panel decided Dundee v Rangers was an away win!!
 
Stan was the manager of British Plant Hire (Clark St Paisley) when I knew him, nice man, next time I seen him on the door at Ibrox.
 
GBOY said:
We did indeed and that bassa of a ref Waddell sent off Roberts and Durrant.
It wouldn’t be the last time he would try to phuck us over.
Nothing ever changes really.
Click to expand...
Waddell was a right lady's front bottom, the game at the piggery where he sent iff 3 off of ours was a disgrace.
 
GBOY said:
We did indeed and that bassa of a ref Waddell sent off Roberts and Durrant.
It wouldn’t be the last time he would try to phuck us over.
Nothing ever changes really.
Click to expand...

Remember this well as a youngster the chant of " Waddell, Waddell GTF " was one of a few occasions my auld man didn't mind me swearing.

Remember being tapped on the head and told " you sing it son " .
 
Can remember passing by Ibrox everyday and seeing this wonderfully dressed man standing at the entrance of the main door in all weathers and was the first point of contact with every visitor to Ibrox,never knew him personally but no doubt a wonderful man.
 
GBOY said:
We did indeed and that bassa of a ref Waddell sent off Roberts and Durrant.
It wouldn’t be the last time he would try to phuck us over.
Nothing ever changes really.
Click to expand...

Was just going to post similar, still remember the cheating of Albert Craig during that game to get them sent off and Waddell was very happy to assist
 
JMC2728 said:
You might have also delivered to my home in Stonefield Drive ?
Click to expand...

No I didn’t do that far along, Lochfield was split in to 2 my mate Charlie probably did though. I started Neilston Rd, Lochfield Rd, Stonefield Avenue, right up to the top (my home ec teacher lived in the last house) that hill was a killer, back down, Lochfield Crescent (Stan’s Street) Crags Rd, Colinslee Ave, Crags Cres, Huntly Terrace, Hillside Rd, Chapelhill Rd and home. Morning and afternoon as it was Lochfield and nearly all the old yins wanted a Paisley Express. Was 30 years ago but I could still recite every house, most names and the paper.

My gran used to live straight opposite the primary school so stopped in every morning for tea and toast with banana or chocolate digestives.
 
Great wee Man used to run me home on a Saturday night to Paisley after being the last to leave the players lounge .
After all it was free drink so why would you leave early
And was a Member of Charleston Bowling Club and Jock Wallace used to pop in and see him
 
Stan was a great man. I recall once, must have been in the 1980s I suppose, I was back home from Germany and a mate from Leeds had come up to visit me in Scotland. I took him into Glasgow and we went for a look outside Ibrox. Got to the front door and I gave it a knock - as you do ha ha - and out pops Stan. I asked if there were any Stadium tours on the go and he said 'sorry, no, not today'. When I explained I'd travelled from Germany and my mate from Leeds he simply said 'in you come'. He explained he couldn't give us a full tour but he took us up to the Trophy Room for a look around and then a quick visit to the Dressing Rooms. It was to be another 30 years or so before I got to go a proper Stadium Tour.:eek:
 
mdingwall said:
Any more pics or memories of Stan?
Click to expand...
I was one of those urchins that used to hang around outside Ibrox during the school holidays getting autographs.

It must have been the summer of 1990 because I think I picked up the Man Utd friendly tickets for me & my mates and was waiting for players when another urchin notices a door into the West Enclosure was open....

3 or 4 or us trooped in and were just looking around an empty Ibrox, bar some players running round the ash track. I had a camera and have a picture of Walters & Hateley over behind the Broomloan End goal.
Next thing this booming voice came over telling us to scram and Stan Holloway, in his blazer and flashes was charging towards us B-D.

Out we went and that door was firmly shut behind us.
 
Ubik said:
he woudl carry out the trophy along with my Uncle Peter Jacobs who sadly is no longer with us but worked the front door of Ibrox for decades.
Click to expand...
I loved Peter. He was a cracking guy. Very dry sense of humour, grumpy looking get at times but he was a really great guy.

I used to get chased from the front desk because I would take his papers and read them while people would be coming in, sometimes the high ups would appear and I would be there in my dirty work clothes hanging around making the place look terrible!!
Cracking guy. Another who set standards at the club and maintained them.
 
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Bearwood Bear said:
Programme is wrong, in that wee Stan was born in Kingston upon Hull :)

What a guy: he was father in law to someone from Charleston Bowling Club in Paisley who was my Uncle's colleague and mate and through that connection, my brother and I got tickets for numerous games when there were none to be had.

I lived in Blackpool at the time and he thought it was great that we 'came up all that way' for every home game.

One time at a game against the Yahoos I realised in a panic my alphabetical season ticket voucher was AWOL - when I pitched up Stan told me to hang about inside the main door, and a few mins after kick off took us through the back into the East Enclosure.

He also got my bro and I into the player's lounge after a 1-1 Sunday OF draw in March 1996 and we met Jack Charlton, who was there on his own before the players came in.

He was RoI manager at the time and we were asking him if he was there to see anyone: 'nah lads just here for the game'.

Nice friendly guy and when Gazza came in, he made a bee-line for us to speak to him. Russ and I just left them to it and stood there trying not to be starstruck at being in the same room as Brian Laudrup....

Memorable day.

Russ is 6'6", I'm 6'4" and we were leaving just in front of Gascoigne, Sheryl and the babes in arms. Gazza was chirping away 'now lads, let's behave ourselves on the way out' etc etc and as soon as we walked out the flashbulbs went off and half a dozen hacks were all over them like a rash.

Brought home to me what his life must have been like, that was about two hours after the game had ended.
Click to expand...
BB, I think we may have the same contact in common, the son in law was a good friend of my old man if it's who I think you mean (and probably a friend of your uncle if they drank in the same circles; as in Clarks and a bit further back in time the Clachan (Paisley one). The guy passed away a few years ago now sadly.
Stan was a great help for tickets as was this chap from the bowling club.
 
bristolbear_06 said:
BB, I think we may have the same contact in common, the son in law was a good friend of my old man if it's who I think you mean (and probably a friend of your uncle if they drank in the same circles; as in Clarks and a bit further back in time the Clachan (Paisley one). The guy passed away a few years ago now sadly.
Stan was a great help for tickets as was this chap from the bowling club.
Click to expand...

Aye, John Fleming, worked in Rolls Royce and IIRC related to Bomber?

Charleston BC was his and my Uncle's place.
 
when the club deck was in construction everyone and there granny used the front door, he would go mad to clear the decks then every day the fire alarm would go off, he would go mad trying to get people out
 
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