Our journey from the midland's proved eventful with debris littering the M6 and almost every weather condition possible making it a mission in itself to reach Glasgow. When we did, things didn't exactly improve, Glasgow appears to have been designed by the same chap responsible for creating spaghetti junction with some bizarre one way systems feeding off three different channels of motorway, even the sat nav waved the white flag by the time we caught sight of the hotel.
Having family roots in Glasgow I had heard that it was a warm and welcoming city, warm didn't refer to the weather sadly, if you are visiting Glasgow, bring a jumper! Wandering up to the magnificent shopping centre flowing from Buchanan Galleries down Buchanan street all the way to St Enoch centre has to be one of the best in the U.K with a selection of pubs,eateries and good old chippy's.
Pre-match consisted of a dirt cheap pint accompanying a dish of haggis,bacon,chicken and mash with lashings of pepper sauce, truly the stuff of legend and little wonder that they bless it with a sword, sadly not in wetherspoons. Getting to Ibrox is relatively simple, buses are plentiful from Argyle street, one Ranger's supporter amusingly asked a pedal taxi for a lift, even offering 'petrol money'.
We chose the subway and advice to anybody over 5"5, it's really worth fighting for a seat as the metro system appears to be designed for jockeys, elves and umpa lumpas. Height significantly reduced by the time we jumped out at Ibrox behind the Rangers ultras who were in fine voice for this 'Original Glasgow derby' the stadium stood in front of us.
The ground from the outside is reminiscent of Villa Park and in fact was opened two years after it. Renovation's haven't spoil the stadium in the slightest with the enclosed feel ideal for atmosphere. The triple deck Bill Struth main stand is a listed building and a magnificent structure giving the stadium real character. Inside it gets better, once past the turnstiles which, other than Hereford, are the tightest i've come across. Modern concourse area's serve the usual fare of pies and burgers at a fair price.
We were located in the Govan road upper tier sporting a perfect view on the halfway line, a small following from Queens Park made the journey from across the city totalling the attendance at 49,463 which is now a new world record for a fourth tier match. The sea of blue packed Ibrox as fourth placed Rangers kicked off against, incredibly, the league leaders.
The home side began brightly with Dean Sheils up front drifting wide to try and worry the away side's back four, most of which have been at work this week due to the club being the only amateur side in the Scottish leagues. Queens Park looked dangerous on the break choosing to sit 4-5-1 to soak up the home side's attacks. In a drab first half with only the Rangers ultra's providing any source of entertainment the boys in blue were roundly booed off by the home support, and rightly so.
One entertaining instance you will always find in Scottish football is the moaning fan, and when it comes to moaning at football the Scottish are in a league of their own. One gentleman behind us was on the verge of medical assistance after spouting 'ge' de' fu'in baw!' profusely for the 45. Thankfully McCoist's men woke up after their half time cup of tea with ageing forward Lee McCulloch prodding in Sheils' cross at the far post to send a roar of relief around Ibrox.
Queens Park responded quickly by pouring forward, much to the despair of our friend in the row behind, producing neat one-two's and forcing a save from 'keeper Neil Alexander. Pouring forward inevitably left space at the back and with McCoist introducing young Barrie McKay for the impressive Sheils, it wasn't a popular move. That was until McKay picked the ball up 25 yards out and placed a sublime chip over the Queens Park 'keeper that rattled the bar yet falling kindly for McCulloch to seal the game for 'Gers.
With that Ibrox emptied with the home support satisfied with yet another home win and as quickly as Ibrox emptied the surrounding pubs filled. Leaving Ibrox isn't too bad with plenty of buses running along Paisley Road West heading to the city centre, Argyle street and around central station, plus two subway stations at Ibrox and Cessnock but these do get quite busy.
Our first experience of third division football had been a happy one, in a football-mad city that Glasgow is, containing five teams (Celtic, Rangers, Partick Thistle, Clyde and a little further afield St Mirren) you're more than likely to catch a game or two, many thanks to the friendly people we encountered on our trip, there were many. We shall be back.
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