Rangers fans are starting to bed back into Ibrox Stadium with the club’s brief foray to Hampden an increasingly small figure in the season’s rear-view mirror.
But the impact of the switch to the national stadium still sends a ripple through the season, with that failure to qualify for the Champions League a stinging disappointment.
The impact of a new-look Rangers team having to play in a different ground in their first matches in Glasgow is also something which is unquantifiable.
Such was the impact of the redevelopment’s delay, Rangers are also re-considering planned works to renovate the Broomloan due to the need to play elsewhere whilst works are concluded.
But as Rangers fans get back to their seats at Ibrox this season, there is one sizeable change which is catching the eyes, and ears, of supporters.
Whilst the introduction of more state-of-the-art disabled spaces for those supporters most in need is of course welcome, the relocation of the Union Bears is yet to have the desired impact.
Rangers rehouse Union Bears in Copland Stand
As part of the restructuring of Ibrox, Rangers have rehoused the club’s Ultras group the Union Bears to a new singing section in the centre of the Copland Stand.
This is the traditional ‘Rangers end’ and was done so to enhance the atmosphere and bring the UB out of the Broomloan, where they were housed in a corner of the ground.
But since the switch, many Rangers fans believe there has been a tangible impact on the atmosphere at Ibrox, with the UB’s new position impacting the sound inside the stadium.
The relocating of the group also doesn’t appear to have had the same impact on those housed in the Copland than say the family stand of the Broomloan, where visitors might be more inclined to join in.
It’s caught the eye of several Rangers fans online, who have been sharing some early feedback about the move and their thoughts on what’s missing at present.
Rangers fans questions Ibrox relocation
Many Rangers fans have raised issues with the new singing section and the impact it has had on Ibrox Stadium’s atmosphere:
One supporter said that the singing sections are ‘not a priority’ amongst fans and that there is a ‘sense of entitlement’ about the need for the group to be housed somewhere.
Another branded the move a ‘terrible decision’ whilst others pointed to the ‘ill feeling’ the switch garnered due to supporters being moved from their seats to accommodate the move.
Others defended the Union Bears for ‘trying to create an atmosphere’ whilst one fan said the issue is ‘generational’ with many older fans in the Copland Stand.
It’s clear there’s a debate raging about the switch which is still in its infancy at Ibrox.
And with that in mind, we’ll leave you with two tongue-in-cheek Rangers supporters who couldn’t resist cracking wise on the subject.
One said: “They need time to gel, maybe a transfer window or two to add some reinforcements.”
Another added: “I’m sure Clement told us the UB would come good by around October time.”
