Where does Thursday rank in our biggest ever games at Ibrox? Is it the biggest?

[luckywhitefeather]

Surely the first leg of a two leg European Cup Winners Cup Final in 1961 ranks as the biggest game at Ibrox? Either that or the European Cup semi final in 1960?

Now that does raise a good question

A semi final second leg in European cup vs Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 at Ibrox, with prospect of the final in Glasgow at Hampden!
Imagine being at that final!

I’d say that’s bigger than Thursday , although could say the result in first game v eintracht meant we were already out, but still , the top European competition and chance

Looking at club history in the 90s, last game league wins to make 9 in a row, would smith have been kept as manager if Aberdeen had got the draw? Huge matches, course of history.

Although given the context now, It does feel like the biggest game in my lifetime (the next biggest games always do perhaps! , as someone else in this thread has posted, I can’t remember the home gsme against fiorintina, never missed a game that season, but couldn’t tell you anything about that game, but remember the away euro games / Florence

 

[Chris the Bandito]

CSKA was bigger than Marseille in 92/93.

Cska is underrated because we didn’t get through.

But what sticks in my mind from that night is how nervy everything was including the atmosphere.

My biggest worry for Thursday is that the occasion actually dampens the atmosphere- especially if we don’t get a braga start. Lots of talk on here about how great the atmosphere will be v leipzig but I remember that game and Marseilles as the only 2 games I ever started songs at Ibrox.

If we go down all guns blazing fair enough but it’d be horrible afterwards to think we didn’t give the team every chance by backing them 100% from the first to the last kick

 

[Tagsbear]

Biggest game the vast majority of the stadium will have been to.

 

[Tagsbear]

CSKA was bigger than Marseille in 92/93.

Not really, it was out of our hands going into that game, the big game was the Velodrome.

 

[VGM]

Not really, it was out of our hands going into that game, the big games was the Velodrome.

Read the thread title

 

[Square it!]

The biggest single match ever at Ibrox.

Not if your my age.
I was there to see an iconic RB score an early goal.
Same again please Tav.

 

[Sir Know it All]

Just out of interest, what is it that makes this one bigger than Fiorentina game.

 

[Terry Monroe 8&1/4]

For me as a 12 year old v bayern in 1972, nothing comes close.

Same as me I stood in the Derry and we sang our hearts out it'll never leave me

 

[Brick_Top]

Just out of interest, what is it that makes this one bigger than Fiorentina game.

It’s now essentially a one off match to go through to the final.

2008 wasn’t quite the same situation because it was the first leg so it wasn’t the all or nothing scenario we have this week.

 

[Beezty]

Champions league teams dropping into the tournament, the set up doesn't favour us right from the qualifiers through to the KO stages. Even the winners of the group stages play one game less to progress from there.

I was born in 74, can remember 1992 well where we were 1 game away from the CL final had things gone our way. At that time we had the financial clout to sign anyone really so was a leveler as such.

Factor in the mis-match in finances, the fkn banter years and the fact these tournaments are set up to favour the main TV eyeballs I'd say this probably is the biggest game at Ibrox since we beat Bayern in 1972.

Should we actually win it, it will also eclipse '72 and this team will be revered like no other.

 

[MYR_93]

Just out of interest, what is it that makes this one bigger than Fiorentina game.

Fiorentina was a bit of an unknown leading up to it with it being a first leg. General consensus at the time was that they weren’t great but we absolutely had to keep a clean sheet.

Difference about this week is we know the task at hand, winning the match gets us to a final. In front of our own fans.

 

[Rangersda]

Newcastle in 1969, Bayern in 72 i remember as massive games when I was young. Thursdays game will be up there with Bayern if we win.

These were my 2 also. Hopefully we can do it on Thursday and let the younger generations of bears experience what we did.

 

[SATM33k]

Bigger than Fiorentina because it is the second leg this time

Said similar in another thread. I don’t recall the atmosphere at Fiorentina first leg being that great, could’ve been a combination of nerves but I think Thursday is going to be an atmosphere that we’ll be talking about for years to come.

 

[Johansen]

Certainly the biggest in my lifetime, (been going regularly since 1998) and probably only Fiorentina in the 1961 European Cup Winners Cup Final would be bigger.

Our semi finals against Bayern in 1972 and Slavia Prague in 1967 would be of similar standing, even though the crowds then would've been much bigger.

We are more than capable of beating this mob on Thursday and it'll be interesting to see what sort of team Red Bull field tonight against B.M.

On Sky Sport Mix channel at 19.30, for those that are interested.

Slavia Sofia was who we beat in the 1967 semi final, mate. Sorry for being pedantic ,

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

Beating Bayern 2-0 in the return leg of the ECWC semi final in 72 would obviously be up there given we went on to win it.

Beat Marseille at Ibrox in 92/93 and we were in a CL final.

We had a couple of last day league wins at Ibrox during 9iar without which 9iar never happens.

In recent times the Legia game was also massive despite it only being a qualifier. Fail to win that and last seasons league win and this seasons Euro run don’t happen. It was a massively significant game in terms of where we are now as a club.

So what say you? Does Thursday eclipse them all in terms of a one off occasion and achievement should we prevail?

I never started going to Ibrox until 1997 so it certainly feels like the biggest in my time attending.

For me, it’s the biggest match in the stadium since that Bayern match in 1972 BT.

Given how the game’s changed over 5 decades, I’d argue it would be a bigger achievement to get in this final, albeit that season we did beat the cup winners from Germany, Italy, France & Portugal, as well as Russia of course in the final.

 

[Div1872]

Massive game on Thursday

If we progress the place will go absolutely mental

Players have done superb to get us to this stage and we just need to take our chances and score

Defence keeping a clean sheet will be vital too

If we can get through to the final it will be amazing

Winning the final will be orgasmic

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

Bayern was and always will be the biggest by far.

After the beggars had won a European trophy under BJK, it was imperative we did likewise, the pressure on Rangers to deliver was incessant every year thereafter, it took 5 long years for that one to be finally put to bed.

It was massive as you say for the club B, and for the reason you say.

But given the way cash is so vital nowadays I’d suggest that this is every bit as important.

 

[Mason Boyne]

Up there with Bayern in 1972.

 

[Grigo Yossarian]

Surely the first leg of a two leg European Cup Winners Cup Final in 1961 ranks as the biggest game at Ibrox? Either that or the European Cup semi final in 1960?

Very good point.

The fact that so few of us were there is probably why it’s hardly mentioned, but it should be.

 

[Highway Star]

Slavia Sofia was who we beat in the 1967 semi final, mate. Sorry for being pedantic ,

Edited mate, cheers.

 

[Highway Star]

Now that does raise a good question

A semi final second leg in European cup vs Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960 at Ibrox, with prospect of the final in Glasgow at Hampden!
Imagine being at that final!

I’d say that’s bigger than Thursday , although could say the result in first game v eintracht meant we were already out, but still , the top European competition and chance

Looking at club history in the 90s, last game league wins to make 9 in a row, would smith have been kept as manager if Aberdeen had got the draw? Huge matches, course of history.

Although given the context now, It does feel like the biggest game in my lifetime (the next biggest games always do perhaps! , as someone else in this thread has posted, I can’t remember the home gsme against fiorintina, never missed a game that season, but couldn’t tell you anything about that game, but remember the away euro games / Florence

The Fiorentina game in 1961 is undoubtedly the biggest ever game at Ibrox imo.

It was a European final after all.

 

[Barrymoped]

10 years after 2012 adds to it. If we have 2 European finals either side of that event it's incredible. It's possibly bigger than 72 due to the financial disparity nowadays between the Scottish league and the Europeans.

I agree with this completely

 

[muttley]

The Juventus game at Ibrox in 1978 still is the biggest for me. I thought we had a great chance of winning the tourney after defeating Juve and PSV.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

I think because of the journey from where we were 10 years ago, this is the biggest game in our history.
The fact that the tournaments have been bastardised that much in the favour of the so called 'big' teams, dropping from the CL into the Europa etc makes it incredibly hard for a team with our piss poor financial rewards to progress.
Which ties in with me being bold in saying if we win the damn thing, it will triumph our 72 CWC win, for a variety of reasons, the number of games we've had to play, the financial rewards, the qualification for the CL.

So no pressure then.

 

[Zwingli'sSausages]

It's the biggest ever imo. With the huge gulf in finances, 2012 and all that followed, it's remarkable that we are where we are. European competitions were easier to win in the past with a much more level playing field, less games, etc. We are punching well above our weight now.


If we were to win the Europa... fcuk me that is one hell of a story/journey. Roy of the Rovers stuff to go from the lowest division, to winning the premier league, to winning the Europa, in 10 years!!!

Massive, massive game on Thursday. I'm an emotional mess, confident one minute, feeling sick the next.

 

[eeboh]

Not really, it was out of our hands going into that game, the big game was the Velodrome.

Correct, never felt Bruges would take anything from the French and when word came through they had scored early Ibrox become very deflated.

 

[luckywhitefeather]

The Fiorentina game in 1961 is undoubtedly the biggest ever game at Ibrox imo.

It was a European final after all.

You are correct, apologies, given it was the final, albeit over two legs, out biggest home match would then be:

Rangers v Fiorentina, 17th May 1961
European Cup Winners Cup Final 1st leg. Ibrox Stadium

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960–61_European_Cup_Winners%27_Cup

 

[Alan_Morton]

It's huge. I'd say its the biggest game since we faced Bayern in 72.

Last home game in 92/93 it wasnt in our hands

I think it tops Bayern, I in no way want to downplay that night and what we went on to achieve but the dynamics now of European football make it much harder for Scottish teams to get in this position.

 

[Lizzie1981]

Beating Bayern 2-0 in the return leg of the ECWC semi final in 72 would obviously be up there given we went on to win it.

Beat Marseille at Ibrox in 92/93 and we were in a CL final.

We had a couple of last day league wins at Ibrox during 9iar without which 9iar never happens.

In recent times the Legia game was also massive despite it only being a qualifier. Fail to win that and last seasons league win and this seasons Euro run don’t happen. It was a massively significant game in terms of where we are now as a club.

So what say you? Does Thursday eclipse them all in terms of a one off occasion and achievement should we prevail?

I never started going to Ibrox until 1997 so it certainly feels like the biggest in my time attending.

Its certainly up there mate..

 

[Lizzie1981]

I think it tops Bayern, I in no way want to downplay that night and what we went on to achieve but the dynamics now of European football make it much harder for Scottish teams to get in this position.

Good reply mate. Your correct about the dynamics now it much harder..

 

[govanfront85]

Far bigger than Legia or Marseille. I was a toddler in 92/93 but wasn't the Marseille game at Ibrox early on in the group stage campaign?

Game one

 

[two2tango]

For me as a 12 year old v bayern in 1972, nothing comes close.

Let’s hope for the same result

 

[55isAlive]

No doubt at all imo its the Biggest ever at Ibrox due to the financial rewards and what it will do for the club on so many levels

 

[JRei8790]

CSKA was bigger than Marseille in 92/93.

If we beat Marseille away we would have made the final , I appreciate this thread is home games but that's the biggest game I've saw Rangers play

 

[Arkansasgerstill]

It’s a home second leg in a European semi-final. Can we get much bigger unless we host a final and get to the final?

The first response nails it. On the field it is absolutely level with Bayern in 1972, the semi-final of the secondary European competition, all be it with a smaller crowd. Off the field, i.e. Financially, it is now significantly bigger than we could ever have dreamed of 50 years ago due to the disparity between Scottish funding and everyone else. This is an unbelievable achievement to get this far.

 

[Baloo72]

Been going to Ibrox since '77
This will be the biggest game I've ever been to

 

[Texas ranger]

If you had lived during their unbearable 9 in a row and their European success you wouldn’t think it was bigger. If we had lost they might have felt less pressure to beat Inter later that night

I did live through it.

 

[Coisty09]

Bayern in 72 was the biggest - and the best.
We basically outplayed the Germany national team that was to go on and win the World Cup two years later.