Remembering The 66
RANGERS will remember those who died in the 1971 Ibrox Disaster tomorrow with a short wreath-laying ceremony outside the stadium.
Manager Ally McCoist, club legend Sandy Jardine and club directors will take part in the event at the John Greig statue on Edmiston Drive at 2pm.
Jardine will place the wreath at the foot of the statue on behalf of the Light Blues before a minute’s silence is observed.
Tomorrow it will be 43 years since 66 Gers supporters tragically died when there was a crush on Stairway 13 at Ibrox Stadium after a derby match against Celtic.
The incident happened in the moments after the game had finished 1-1, following two goals in the final two minutes from the visitors’ Jimmy Johnstone then home player Colin Stein.
As a crowd of 80,000 fans filtered out on to the surrounding streets, many fell coming down stairs on a passageway at the Copland Road end of the ground.
Steel barriers crumpled under the weight of so many people and the consequences were horrifying.
It was the biggest single loss of life at a Scottish football match and it remains the darkest incident in the Light Blues 141-year history.
The Ibrox Disaster affected many families in Glasgow and beyond at the time and continues to impact on them to this day.
Gers supporters have worked tirelessly to ensure those who passed on are never forgotten through various tributes and memorials.
With Rangers’ next home match not until January 11, there will also be a minute’s silence ahead of tomorrow’s away League One fixture at Airdrieonians.
The club asked the Diamonds if it would be possible to do that given how long it will be until Gers play at Ibrox again and they very kindly agreed to the request.
Jardine said: “We are extremely grateful to Airdrieonians Football Club for agreeing to the minute’s silence before tomorrow’s game.
“Rangers’ next home match against East Fife won’t be for another nine days and we thought it would be too long after the anniversary to do it at Ibrox.
“We felt it was more appropriate given the team is playing this evening that it happened here and we thank everyone at Airdrie for respecting our wishes and joining our tribute.”
http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/5904-remembering-the-66