On this day in 1899, Rangers Football Club played their first match at the new Ibrox Stadium, marking a significant moment in the club’s history. The match was an Inter-City League fixture against Hearts, and Rangers emerged victorious with a 3-1 win. This new ground was built to accommodate the growing number of spectators, with an initial capacity of around 40,000, which later expanded significantly. The move to the new Ibrox, located approximately 100 yards from their previous ground, was not just about leaving behind memories of past defeats, such as the 8-1 loss to Preston North End in 1887, but also about embracing the future with a larger venue to host their passionate fans.
30th December 1995
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Fast forward to 1995, and another memorable event took place involving Rangers, this time featuring the charismatic Paul Gascoigne. During a match, the referee accidentally dropped his yellow card, and Gascoigne, known for his playful nature, picked it up and jokingly ‘booked’ the referee. However, the referee did not see the humour in the situation and proceeded to book Gascoigne for real. This incident remains a quirky footnote in the annals of football history, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the sport and its characters.
30th December 2009
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In 2009, a Premier League match between Portsmouth and Arsenal at Fratton Park made history for a different reason. For the first time, a match in the league kicked off without a single English player in the starting line-ups of either team. The squads featured a diverse array of nationalities, including seven players from France, alongside representatives from Iceland, Algeria, Croatia, Ghana, Cameroon, Russia, Bosnia, Belgium, South Africa, Israel, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. However, English players did eventually make an appearance, as each team brought on an English substitute just before the final whistle. This match underscored the increasingly international nature of the Premier League, reflecting the global reach and appeal of English football.