‘Rangers fans will make key 49ers demand’ with takeover ‘90% done’
Rangers fans have been told by former chairman Dave King that the club’s 49ers Enterprises takeover could be complete by mid-June.
King told talkSPORT (7 May) that he believes there is a 90% probability of the deal going ahead at Ibrox and also suggested the agreement is close to being finalised.
49ers Enterprises also own Leeds and have set out a plan to expand their Elland Road stadium in recent days following their return to the Premier League.
Ibrox is in need of development with the capacity currently standing at 51,700 and lagging behind rivals Celtic.
Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed he expects Rangers fans will be green with envy at Leeds’ plans to expand.
Rangers fans will demand Ibrox expansion, says Wyness
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness claimed Rangers fans will urge the 49ers to invest in their ageing stadium once they arrive.
Rangers posted a record-breaking revenue last season after their turnover increased from £83.8million in 2022-23 to £88.3million for the 2023-24 campaign.
| Stadium (Club) | Capacity |
| Celtic Park (Celtic) | 60,411 |
| Ibrox Stadium (Rangers) | 50,817 |
| Pittodrie Stadium (Aberdeen) | 20,866 |
| Easter Road (Hibernian) | 20,421 |
| Tynecastle Park (Hearts) | 19,852 |
Wyness claimed a stadium expansion would let the Gers maximise their revenue with broadcast payouts limited in Scotland.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Looking at Ibrox, they could probably fill the corners in and get 4,500 more seats at each end.
“I know there has been talk of lowering the pitch in the past, but that’s a very expensive way to do things.
“I don’t know what the feasibility of that is.
“When I looked at Rangers’ season ticket waiting list, it surprised me. It’s only around 10,000, as I understand it. That surprises me, I expected it to be around 20-30,000.
“While there should be demand for 10,000 extra seats, it may well be right on the edge.
“Ibrox is a great, traditional ground and it has a great feel on big nights. Hopefully any expansion wouldn’t detract from that atmosphere.
“I think the Rangers fans will be looking at Elland Road and their almost 20,000 extra seats.
“They’ll be urging the 49ers to do it when they come in, I’m sure.
“Rangers have got to maximise their revenue.”
Gerrard in pole position to get Rangers job
Meanwhile, Football Insider has revealed (3 May) that Steven Gerrard is now the leading candidate for the Rangers managerial role over other candidates.
Prospective new owners 49ers Enterprises are expected to play a key role in the decision-making process once their takeover is completed.
Gerrard previously won the Scottish Premiership title at Ibrox in 2021 before leaving for Aston Villa later that year.
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