Rangers Ultras Demand Change After Clash with Board Over Ibrox Celebrations

Rangers Football Club is facing a potential crisis as tensions between the club’s hardcore supporters and its board reach breaking point.

A powerful statement released by the Union Bears, a prominent supporters’ group, has highlighted deepening divisions within the club, threatening to spill over into a civil war of sorts between the fanbase and the boardroom.

The dispute stems from the board’s decision to refuse early entry to the Union Bears ahead of Rangers’ 1-0 victory over Hearts at Ibrox on Sunday. The supporters’ group had planned a Remembrance Day display, honoring those who lost their lives in conflicts.

However, their request to enter the stadium early and set up the display was denied, leaving the fans feeling sidelined and aggrieved.

The Union Bears believe this was a direct response to previous protests they had staged, where they used banners to call for significant change at the club’s upper echelons.

One of the main targets of their criticism was former chairman Douglas Park, whose leadership they have openly challenged in recent months.

The Union Bears have made no secret of their dissatisfaction with the direction in which the club is being steered under the current regime, arguing that a leadership overhaul is necessary for Rangers to return to its former glory.

In their statement, the Union Bears accused the Rangers board of penalizing them for their activism, suggesting that the refusal of early access was not only an act of retaliation but also an attempt to stifle the group’s influence within the club.

They were particularly dismayed by the timing of the incident, coming as it did just days before the 125th anniversary celebrations of Ibrox Stadium.

The ultras group has since pulled the plug on their plans to mark the historic occasion, a symbolic gesture that highlights the seriousness of their discontent.

“The refusal to let us enter the stadium early for our Remembrance Day display is an attack on our right to express ourselves,” the Union Bears’ statement reads.

“We have been outspoken in our calls for change, but we never anticipated that the board would take such punitive action against us. This is more than just about football; it’s about the soul of Rangers.”

The incident has raised questions about the growing rift between the club’s supporters and its leadership. With Rangers’ storied history and passionate fanbase, the fallout from this dispute could have long-lasting consequences for both the club’s internal harmony and its relationship with its loyal followers.

As the club prepares to celebrate Ibrox’s 125th anniversary, the sense of unity that normally defines such occasions is now threatened by the bitter infighting between the ultras and the board.