The ground gradually evolved during the interim years and by 1971 consisted of a huge bowl shaped stadium large enough to hold the massive crowds that an Old Firm match always attracted. The capacity was at one time just short of 150,000, making it the largest club ground in the UK.
The ill fated staircase had already seen incidents in 1961, 1967, and 1969 but no one could have anticipated the size of the tragedy that would change football in Glasgow forever.
The events on that tragic afternoon, at the end of a game that had been played in a largely good natured atmosphere, would change Ibrox, and the future of football stadium design.
The huge volume of people leaving the ground before the end could only listen when in the 89th minute the Celtic end went wild with delight. International winger Jimmy Johnstone had scored to put the visitors 1-0 up.
With the goal coming so late in the game Celtic, and many Rangers supporters, must have thought that the match had taken its final twist. However almost directly from the kick off Rangers attacked and striker Colin Stein dramatically equalised. There was no time left in which to restart the match and it ended 1-1.
Many people left the ground totally unaware of the horror that was developing on Stairway 13. Several theories have been offered over the years regarding what happened. The most common is that some of the surge of Rangers supporters who either left early with the score at 0-0, or headed for the stairs when Celtic scored, turned to try and get back in when they heard the roar that greeted Rangers’ equaliser.
The official enquiry revealed that it was more likely that someone lost their footing and 
the crowd behind, unable to stop or even see the steps below, fell in one horrible mass of bodies.
The players had returned to their dressing rooms totally unaware of what had happened. The Rangers team were busy celebrating Stein’s last gasp equaliser when the news of an ongoing tragedy broke.
Sixty six fans were destined never to return home. Current day Rangers manager Walter Smith witnessed the tragedy as did the visiting, former Rangers defender, Sir Alex Ferguson, and former Scotland manager Andy Roxburgh. The emergency services were overwhelmed by the enormity of the incident but worked tirelessly trying to separate the injured from the pile of bodies.
As the death toll rose the full horror was gradually revealed. Five schoolboys from the village of Markinch in Fife were among the dead. The collective shock cut across the Old Firm divide. These events went beyond tribal rivalry, beyond partisan feelings, and effected all parts of, not only Glasgow, but of football the world over.
Article comments
1 - Iain
To absent friends
Lest we forget...
2 - Ally Brown
I'm a season ticket holder at Ibrox (and a very infrequent writer for Blogcritics!), and I wanted to say this is a very good piece Jeff.