Could Ibrox closure be spirit of Rangers’ 55 all over again? | OneFootball

Ibrox Noise would like to offer an alternative take on the stadium fiasco, with Rangers now under threat of being unable to play on the Govan turf for the borderline foreseeable future.

As things stand, we certainly will miss August at Ibrox, and all bets are off thereafter as to when the fans will safely be allowed back into Edmiston Drive in Glasgow’s South West.

But there is one (sad) and slightly curious bonus:

Is there a small chance that not playing at Ibrox, so, not under the pressure of the home crowd, could have the same impact as 55?

There is no getting away from the fact that Steven Gerrard’s Rangers thrived during the COVID season of no crowds, and there was no coincidence that a huge number of the players, who hadn’t shone like that before, and haven’t since (Connor, we’re looking at you), played the seasons of their lives.

With no fans baying for blood.

While playing at an alternative stadium isn’t lacking crowds, the pure pressure of the Govan lights, the demand-filled stands, the angry home crowds when things aren’t going well…

There’s no denying the club and the fans were toxic last season, and it didn’t exactly help in the pursuit of success.

We can’t help wondering if not playing at Ibrox, playing at a neutral venue like Hampden, may, sadly, actually benefit the players.

Ibrox is a very, very unforgiving arena, and can we say hand on heart we believe we have or will have a Rangers-level squad after this window which can handle the harsh crowds?

Steven Gerrard’s Rangers couldn’t, and then shone when there weren’t any fans at all.

We wonder how different things will be playing at a neutral venue even with thousands of Rangers fans still in attendance.

Might be worth noting.

But of course, it’s sad to even have this mindset – Rangers players are supposed to be able to handle Ibrox and the demands of the fans.

Pity you have to go back to Walter for the last time a Rangers regime actually could.