With their club taking a vow of silence over the closure of Ibrox even their Gullible & Deluded are dismissing the claim that the stadium will re-open in September.
That line has been fed to the mainstream and passed on but again it seems like the real story is emerging on social media and across message boards.
There hasn’t been a meaningful question raised or answered since the June 20 statement that due to a ‘rogue Asian supplier’ Ibrox won’t be ready for the start of the 24/25 season.
Neil Doncaster is looking to apply flexibility to the SPFL fixture list with Celtic given an 11th August visit to Easter Road which frees up Murrayfield to host the ‘home’ match with Motherwell the previous day for Phil Clement’s side.
Since the announcement that Ibrox won’t be ready there has been a couple of pictures of the ‘reconstruction work’ with a drone sent up showing that very little work is going on with large chunks torn out of the Copland Road Stand.
The timeline for the re-opening of the stadium is critical, it is two very different matters to be renting another venue for one month or for three or four.
Many fans have been expressing their concern and anger online, significantly July 1 was the date that the second instalment was taken on Season Ticket payments. Any fan that cancels is now writing off a sizeable sum of money.
Rather than read the messaging from the likes of Barry Ferguson a look through Follow Follow will give bears the information that they are seeking with nothing officially escaping from inside Ibrox.
Re-opening Ibrox against Celtic on January 2 would help deflect to an extent away from the botched rebuilding job, whether it is Phil Clement or a new manager in charge it can be framed as a massive boost after usiing Hampden and Murrayfield in the first half of the season.
That scenario seems feasible with the SFA likely to boot Queens Park into Lesser Hampden to help out their newest senior member, founded in 2012 by Charles Green with the help of Stewart Regan, Neil Doncaster and leading SPL clubs.
Even with the SFA working round the clock it is difficult to see a new pitch being installed in time for the opening SPFL ‘home’ match on August 10 against Motherwell with Third Round Champions League qualifiers being played on the midweek dates either side of that.
Group stage matches all have to be played at the same venue but that can be different from the qualifier/s.
The Hampden timeline has been set to have the pitch ready for Scotland’s Nations League qualifier against Poland on September 5, if that is achieved the UEFA group stage matches, four in the Champions League or Europa League could then be played at the home of the SFA.
Outwith the South Stand the seats at Hampden are significantly inferior to those at Ibrox, bears that have paid a 10% increase on Season Tickets averaging £800 are going to find themselves relocated to the thousands of seats behind either goal.
The North Stand at Hampden has a good number of decent viewing areas but doesn’t compare favourably with the Govan/Sandy Jardine Stand at Ibrox.
All those problems and more are to be solved by the Ibrox board, with CEO James Bisgrove scarpering after the Scottish Cup Final with Chairman John Bennett adding Executive to his title rather than employ a replacement.
If Ibrox remains closed until January it will result in a massive downturn in matchday income, notably from hospitality while a rental fee is paid out for each match at Hampden and Murrayfield.
Already that likelihood seems to be impacting on Phil Clement’s war-chest, since the closure was announced only Connor Barron and Liam Kelly have signed up for the Revolution! under the Belgian.
Other signings involving transfer fees seem to have been put on hold as the reality of a massive loss in income becomes reality- while disadvantaged Season Ticket holders look forlornly for compensation.
CLICK HERE for Ibrox closure announcement.
CLICK HERE for Keevins performs incredible u-turn on Rodgers as he accuses Celtic fans.
CLICK HERE for I believe the asbestos rumours are genuine- ITK Ibrox fan with fearful news.
Why the media blackout?
The elephant in the room: If this is just a material Supply issue then why did Sevco sack someone over it?
We can all presume it was Cosgrove until we are told differently.
Another court day for Der Sevco soon? Unfair Dismissal.— SzpilmansbigcanofGherkins (@Snoutpaper77) July 1, 2024
