JAMES BISGROVE hopes Rangers are now weeks rather than months away from welcoming supporters back into Ibrox as he outlined the improvements made to enhance the supporter experience on a matchday.

Steven Gerrard's side have made a stunning start to the season in the Premiership and Europa League but the Light Blue legions have been denied the chance to cheer on the Gers this term.

Supporters have given their financial backing to their club through season ticket sales and RangersTV subscriptions but no date has yet been set by the Government that would allow supporters to return to Ibrox.

Bisgrove addressed shareholders at the Rangers AGM on Tuesday and the Commercial and Marketing Director is eager to see fans back in grounds across the country when it is safe to do so.

Bisgrove said: "Although this season has begun so successfully, everyone at the club has a strong sense that something is missing at Ibrox with the loyal Rangers fan base unable to attend fixtures as we sit here today.

"The fact that we sold out our season ticket and hospitality seats for the third consecutive year, in the knowledge that at least some games would be played behind closed doors was nothing short of remarkable and the club continues to be humbled by this level of support.

"We are committed to ensuring Ibrox is ready for supporters, as soon as it is deemed safe to welcome fans back to the stadium and are encouraged by recent developments in England.

"We continue to lobby the football authorities and the Scottish Government, whilst being respectful of the ongoing challenges of COVID. We remain optimistic that we are now weeks away from having supporters back at Ibrox rather than months.

"In the meantime, we can say with conviction that our RTV experience for season ticket holders has been elevated to a level comparable to any major broadcaster as we sought to bring our season ticket holders as close to the live match day experience as possible.

"Thanks to our worldwide fan base, subscription levels are at a record high and we are committed to providing excellent content on a daily basis, alongside substantial improvements in the technology offering, with a new app being launch this December.

"We’ve worked hard to provide a best-in-class broadcast experience to supporters who are unable to attend Ibrox, highlighted by the pundit teams we have welcomed, such as Graeme Souness, Walter Smith, Ally McCoist, Neil McCann and Alex Rae, to name a few, working alongside top broadcast industry pro’s like Emma Dodds and Clive Tyldesley."

Rangers have completed a series of upgrades on and off the park at Ibrox and Auchenhowie in recent months as the board continue to invest in the club at all levels.

And Bisgrove hopes supporters will enjoy a different and enhanced experience when they do get to take their seats once again in the coming months.

He said: "We will also continue to make advancements to the stadium technology which I view as important in the modernisation of our infrastructure and ensuring our digital transformation strategy is fully integrated across all supporter touch points.

"The new WIFI technology, allowing us to enjoy a ‘connected stadia’, has been completed and is fully functioning and ready for supporters’ return.

"The EPOS contactless payment systems have also been installed throughout Ibrox, with thanks to our partnership with Sporting Pay, and the imminent new mid-tier LED advertising systems will also elevate the match day experience. We will continue our commitment to ensuring Ibrox Stadium is recognized as a leading European venue.

"Edmiston House will take us to a new level in terms of fan engagement. The potential it will provide for a match day fan zone, the club museum, state of the art events and concerts space are all incredibly exciting assets for us to look forward to and will allow us to deliver firmly on our committed to increasing fan experience, both on match days at Ibrox and through our digital platforms."