RANGERS are poised to sell-out Ibrox for the second leg of their SPFL Premiership Play-off quarter-final with Queen of the South on Sunday after being inundated with supporters buying tickets.

 

The Glasgow club had sold over 36,000 briefs - which fans are being charged just £5 for as the result of a dispute with the SPFL - for the game at the close of business last night.

Over 3,000 tickets were bought yesterday and officials at the promotion hopefuls are confident every available seat inside the 51,000-capacity stadium will be taken before the end of the week.

A Rangers spokesperson said: "Thousands of supporters have taken advantage of the reduced ticket prices since the deal was announced last Thursday.

"Given the rate the tickets are being sold at - online, on our ticket hotline and at the stadium ticket office - we are certain the game on Sunday will be 51,000 sell-out."

Rangers have only attracted over 40,000 supporters to Ibrox on two occasions this season - in the Championship games against Hearts back in August and last month.

Widespread disaffection at the running of the club by the former board resulted in many season ticket holders refusing to buy season tickets last summer.

Attendances for Rangers league games dropped below the 20,000 mark for the first time in over 30 years in December.

Stuart McCall, the interim manager, is optimistic the turnout will increase his side's prospects of progressing to the semi-final against Hibs.

He said: "By charging a fiver, hopefully we will see a packed stadium on Sunday. That will be great and will help our chances."

Rangers had hoped to allow their 24,000 season ticket holders into the play-off matches for free as a goodwill gesture for their backing during the 2014/15 campaign.

They then intended to charge their other fans £20, £15 and £5 to attend any home games in the end-of-season series.

However, the SPFL , who bank 50 per cent of the takings from all of the play-off games due to a controversial levy, rejected the plan.

The decision could, if Rangers progress to the final, end up costing the governing body several hundred thousand pounds as a result of the £5 ticket price.

Meanwhile, James Fowler, the Queen of the South manager, has insisted he wants his players to experience a packed Ibrox in the second leg of the play-off quarter-final.

Queen, who are trailing 2-1 following the first leg at Palmerston Park on Saturday, have been allocated 935 tickets.

The former Kilmarnock player, though, is confident his charges will be inspired by playing in front of such a large turnout.

He said: "I don't think they will be intimidated by Ibrox, speaking to them after Saturday's game, they're looking forward to it.

"Hopefully it is a full house and the place is jumping. It will be great experience for the boys if it's a full house and I'm sure we'll have a big Queens support as well.

"They'll be vocal and hopefully we can put in a performance and give them something to cheer about.

"I was pleased overall that the boys showed they were not overawed by the occasion on Saturday and hopefully we can put in a performance and get a result at Ibrox."