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TalkSPORT host Alan Brazil has credited Rangers manager Steven Gerrard with the rise in crowd attendance at Scottish football matches this season, writing in his Sunday Post column.
What’s he said?
It was announced last week that attendances in Scotland have increased for the fourth successive season, with almost 4.5m passing through the gates across 2018/19.
Scottish football may not be able to boast the highest quality of player, but the drama and excitement it produces punches well above its weight and the arrival of Liverpool legend Gerrard as Rangers manager has certainly added to that.
Brazil reckons that if Rangers can continue their improvement and challenge Celtic consistently again next term that crowds will only go up again.
Writing in The Sunday Post, the 59-year-old said:
“Let’s be honest, the biggest attraction for fans in any country is a competitive league. We’re not quite there yet in Scotland.
“But there is no doubt that Rangers’ resurgence under Steven Gerrard has helped the average attendances go up. An even stronger Rangers next season will make them rise further.
“There’s no doubt about that. If Gerrard can build a team that starts strong and maintains a challenge throughout the season, fans will pay attention.”
The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…
The Gerrard effect
The former Liverpool captain is one of the biggest names in modern British football so undoubtedly he’s been something of a box office draw this season, especially when it comes to interest in Rangers, but it might be overstating it a bit to suggest he has increased average attendances across the country.
What Brazil gets spot on is that competitiveness increases eyeballs on the product.
Gerrard arriving at Ibrox added a very intriguing narrative to the Scottish Premiership last season and after Celtic’s derby defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in Decemeber, more people were talking about the game in Scotland than in years prior.
Ultimately a genuine title challenge did not emerge, but there’s no doubt neutrals in the football world would be engaged if they managed to sustain one next season.
Gerrard’s legacy
The Rangers manager won’t care about being a big name in Scotland and he won’t care about creating more of a buzz around Scottish football.
The only thing he has his eye on is silverware. If he leaves Rangers without success he’ll just be another failed legend who has come up north and found Scottish football much tougher than he expected.
If the Rangers boss’ legacy is bringing more crowds to matches in Scotland then everyone will know he has failed.
Next season is a massive one for him personally and for his project at Ibrox. It’s time to deliver on the hype.