Just like the annual autumn search for a new manager, plans are underway, again, to increase the capacity of Ibrox.
It has been a long term source of pain that Celtic Park holds an additional 10,000 seats.
Fans of both Ibrox clubs hang onto any fictitious claims no matter how far fetched. They even claimed as recently as 12 months ago to be the world’s most successful club!
In 1998 Fergus McCann completed the redevelopment of Celtic Park, taking capacity to 60,000. The largest football stadium in Glasgow, in Scotland.
THIRD BEST
A year later the redevelopment of Hampden Park took capacity to 52,000. Suddenly Ibrox was the third biggest stadium in the city!
Down the years there has been constant plans to increase the capacity of Ibrox.
No longer the biggest in Scotland it is only recently that some bears have realised that 10,000 seats provides Celtic with a clear financial advantage.
For the last 13 years of his reign as owner Dave Murray had to live with being dwarfed by Celtic.
DIGGING
He tried everything to increase the capacity. In the early nineties he added the Club Deck on top of the Listed Building of the Main Stand. Later he squeezed 1,000 seats into two corners below the big screens. Still it was well short of Celtic’s capacity.
Every year or two the subject crops up. There is always a new twist or development that makes it possible. Then it disappears.
The botched job on the Copland Stand in the summer of 2024 shows how well these types of projects are managed.
Last week with the management circus in full flow the Fan Advisory Board were granted an audience.
They were given a stadium moonbeam, it had a sort of familiar feel to it.
(8/8) Stadium Plans
Discussion around campus plans including in the short term increasing maintenance and general tidy up of stadium and stadium footprint. Also expansion of bars that would be available to supporters. Longer term plans around stadium expansion with the preferred…
— Rangers FC Fan Advisory Board (@Rangers_FAB) October 21, 2025
Ibrox Campus Masterplan Greig Mailer provided a detailed update on the Ibrox Stadium and Campus Masterplan project.
The club is finalising the appointment of a consultancy to deliver a feasibility and design study covering:
- Stadium infrastructure, accessibility and maintenance.
- Capacity analysis and future expansion options.
- Matchday fan experience improvements.
- Long – term use of Edmiston House, G51 and office spaces.
- Hospitality, retail and commercial opportunities.
- Parking, transport links and campus flow.
- Heritage preservation and commemoration.
The Fan Advisory Board tweeted:
Discussion around campus plans including in the short term increasing maintenance and general tidy up of stadium and stadium footprint. Also expansion of bars that would be available to supporters. Longer term plans around stadium expansion with the preferred option to drop pitch which would add in roughly 4000 seats. No time scales given and all options still being explored.
An old favourite. With Ibrox already close to the water table from the nearby River Clyde.
Lowering the pitch impacts on sight-lines throughout the stadium. Suddenly the goal-line is no longer visible to some fans in the back sections of the Copland and Broomloan Stands.
The Club Deck is already an issue. Lowering the pitch will take the nearside touchline out of view for even more fans.
The consultants selected for the Stadium Expansion project have an easy task. There are dozens of previous moonbeams to pick up on as every avenue was explored to increase capacity.
MOONBEAMS
Standing out among them all was the 2008 Super Casino plan. That project involved a six star hotel with helipad next to the casino, a retractable roof and roll up pitch to allow superstar concerts to be held.
Alas those plans disappeared with the old club in 2012.
As an alternative New Edmiston House was opened in 2022 to provide a concert venue and bring in income all year round.
Sadly, other than a variety of Tribute Acts and fan media events New Edmiston House is empty most days of the week. It is too small to host either the AGM or the club’s Player of the Year events.
