Ibrox Park (1887–1899) facts for kids
 Ibrox Park
Location in Glasgow council area
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| Location | Ibrox, Scotland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 55°51′12″N 4°18′24″W / 55.8533°N 4.3068°W |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1887 |
| Opened | 20 August 1887 |
| Closed | 9 December 1899 |
| Demolished | 1899 |
| Tenants | |
| Rangers F.C. (1887–99) | |
Ibrox Park was a famous football stadium in Ibrox, Scotland. It was the first home stadium for the Rangers football team. They played there from 1887 until 1899. After that, they moved to a new stadium right next door, which is now called Ibrox Stadium.
This historic stadium hosted the Scottish Cup Final four times. It also welcomed the Scottish national team for three international matches.
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The First Ibrox Stadium
Before Ibrox Park, Rangers played at Kinning Park. That stadium could hold 20,000 fans. But it couldn't be made any bigger. So, the club looked for a new place to build a stadium further west.
The new spot in Ibrox was a bit outside the city back then. However, it had great ways to get there, like the nearby Ibrox railway station. Rangers signed a ten-year agreement for the land. Fred Braby & Co. built the stadium.
Building the New Ground
A stand with 1,200 seats was built on the north side of the pitch. This stand had no roof. Next to it was a small building called a pavilion. The other three sides of the pitch had terraced areas for standing fans. There was also a running track around the football field.
The stadium officially opened on 20 August 1887. The first game was a friendly match against Preston North End.
Hosting Big Matches
Later, a new grandstand was added on the south side of the pitch. After this, Ibrox Park became a popular place for important games.
It hosted three international matches for the Scottish national team:
- In 1889, Scotland beat Ireland 7–0.
- In 1892, Scotland lost 1–4 to England.
- In 1897, Scotland won 5–1 against Ireland.
The stadium also hosted the 1890 Scottish Cup final. This match, and its replay, was between Queen's Park and Vale of Leven.
Rangers in the League
Rangers were playing at Ibrox Park when they joined the new Scottish Football League. This was for the 1890–91 season. The first league game at Ibrox Park was on 18 August 1890. Rangers won 5–2 against Hearts. About 4,000 fans watched this game.
Ibrox Park was chosen to host the 1892 Scottish Cup Final. This final was between Celtic and Queen's Park. However, the stadium was not big enough for the 30,000 people who came.
There were more problems when Ibrox hosted the international game against England three weeks later. A stand collapsed, and sadly, two people died.
The 1893 Cup Final was also at Ibrox. Again, it was between Celtic and Queen's Park. But there were problems with the pitch, so the game had to be played again.
The stadium hosted the Cup Final for the fourth and last time in 1895. This match was between St Bernard's and Renton.
Moving to a New Stadium
By 1892, the new Celtic Park had opened and was a top football venue in Glasgow. Rangers then decided to build a brand new stadium. They leased land right next to Ibrox Park. This new stadium opened in December 1899.
The second Ibrox Park, now known as Ibrox Stadium, was built west of the original site. It even covered some of the old ground. The eastern part of the old site was used for houses.
Rangers played their last league game at the original Ibrox Park on 9 December 1899. They won 6–1 against Kilmarnock. About 5,000 fans were there. The new Ibrox wasn't ready for the next game on 16 December. So, that match against St Mirren was played at Partick Thistle's Meadowside stadium instead.
Athletics at Ibrox Park
Ibrox Park wasn't just for football. On Saturday, 22 June 1895, it hosted the thirteenth annual Scottish Amateur Athletic Championships.
At this time, there was a big disagreement in Scottish athletics. Some people wanted to allow professional cycling races at amateur athletics events, and others did not. This led to two different groups holding their own championships.
In 1895, both championships happened on the same day in Glasgow. The public showed what they thought by how many people attended. Over 6,000 fans went to the championships held at Hampden Park. There, Robert Langlands became the first Scottish athlete to run 880 yards in under two minutes. Meanwhile, barely 1,000 people watched the event at Ibrox Park.
