Rangers 'aspiring' to be back at Ibrox after international break, says John Bennett

Rangers chairman John Bennett says the club are “aspiring” to be back playing home games at Ibrox after the international break in September.

The club’s chief did, however, say the situation could change with the Light Blues set to play fixtures at Hampden Park when the season begins this weekend.

Rangers reached an agreement with the SFA for the use of the national stadium for matches in August while construction work on the Copland Stand at Ibrox was delayed.

Bennett claimed all three shipping consignments are due to arrive in Glasgow by the third week of August, and put a caveated timeline of after the September break as a potential return point to Ibrox.

Rangers are due to play Hibs on September 28, which could be the first game back.

He told Rangers TV: “I want to apologise again on behalf of this club for the uncertainty this has caused our fans.

“I can assure the fans that the people in this club are working tirelessly to get this done. We need to finish this job. We will finish this job.

“What we are dealing with here is a materials delay, mid-shipment. We’re not alone, it is happening globally.

“Our situation is that we have three consignments on three vessels making their way to Glasgow. Vessel number one has arrived – it is in Glasgow and we await two and three.

“With vessels two and three, I have been straining to get certainty and its the one thing we crave. I can’t give it and it’s an understatement to say that is frustrating. It’s more than that.

“With delivery number two, as things stand, subject to further slippage and it frustrates me to have to caveat it that way – is scheduled to arrive in Glasgow on the second week of August.

“Shipment number three is scheduled to arrive in the third week of August. That’s when we can get begin to think about timelines.

“It is an aspiration at this stage. It is still uncertain.

“When I think about timelines, clearly after the September international break. We can aspire for that to be at the end of September. It is an aspiration.

“It could slip beyond that.”