Scottish quote of the week: Sandy Jardine, former Rangers player

Published on 22/06/2012 11:43

‘Ibrox really is a special place. It’s incredible the bond fans have with parts of the ground. They can remember the day [Jim] Baxter passed from here or there, and from where Gazza [Paul Gascoigne] scored. I remember at training spotting little burnt areas. These were from people who had sneaked in at night and sprinkled the ashes of former fans on the pitch.’

Sandy Jardine, former Rangers and Scotland defender

William ‘Sandy’ Jardine is often considered one of the Ibrox ‘greats.’ The Edinburgh-born right-back spent 17 years in Govan, making 451 appearances and scoring 42 goals in the process, not to mention 38 caps for Scotland and one goal.

Jardine briefly managed Hearts, who he finished his playing career with, but the defender returned to Rangers first in a public relations capacity, and then as sales and marketing manager. He hit the headlines recently after meeting with Rangers supporters groups planning on taking sanctions against other clubs in Scotland. This quote sums up how the staunch Rangers fans view Ibrox - as something of a sanctuary, something more than a football ground. Indeed, the recent crisis enveloping the club has led some fans to fear the loss of Ibrox, perhaps reflecting an understanding that players come and go, but the ground remains the same. A constant, perhaps, in vastly-changing times.