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| Full name | Rangers Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Gers, Teddy Bears, Light Blues | ||
| Founded | 1873 | ||
| Ground | Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Capacity | 50,411 | ||
| Chairman |  David Murray | ||
| Manager | Alex McLeish | ||
| League | Scottish Premier League | ||
| 2005-2006 | Scottish Premier League, 3rd | ||
| |||
Rangers Football Club is a football club from Glasgow, Scotland, which plays in the Scottish Premier League. In 2003 Rangers became the first club in the world to win 50 domestic league titles and increased their tally to 51 on 22 May, 2005, when they won the SPL again.
Rangers have won 107 trophies in total, more than any other football club. The club's home is the UEFA five-star, all-seated Ibrox Stadium in south west Glasgow, which has a capacity of 50,411.
Rangers players today are multi-national, although the club has traditionally been identified with the Protestant community of Glasgow. For most of its history, Rangers have enjoyed a fierce rivalry with cross-town opponents Celtic F.C.
The club's correct name is simply Rangers F.C. although it is sometimes incorrectly called Glasgow Rangers. This frequently happens with English commentators seeking to distinguish between them and other similarly-named clubs, particularly Queens Park Rangers F.C.
The club is nicknamed The Teddy Bears, from the rhyming slang for Gers (short for Rangers), and the fans are known to each other as Bluenoses or Bears.
History
Main article: History of Rangers F.C.The Old Firm and sectarianism
The term sectarian refers to a group who belongs to a religious and cultural sect, and display contempt, hatred or dislike of all others, not belonging to their sect.
In the context of Scottish football, sectarianism is beyond the control of any individual club - it is a much wider issue, rooted in social, cultural, historical and religious circumstances. Nevertheless, both Rangers and Celtic accept that they have a problem with sectarianism and sectarian violence. Both clubs admit that a proportion of their supporters have been, and continue to be, guilty of perpetuating sectarian and partisan beliefs as well as cultural intolerance.
In recent times, both Rangers and Celtic have taken measures to combat sectarianism. Working alongside the Scottish Parliament, church groups, schools and community organisations, the Old Firm has clamped down on sectarian songs, inflammatory flag-waving, and troublesome supporters, using increased levels of policing and surveillance.
Under Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish's four-and-a-half-year spell at Ibrox was a turbulent one, coming as it did after the wastefulness of the Advocaat era. McLeish never enjoyed access to the funds his predecessors had been given, and his managership was marked by wildly-fluctuating fortunes, in part caused by forced asset stripping of his best players due to the spectre of debt from Advocaat's spending. However, even when this is taken into account, when given cash to spend, McLeish generally wasted it on a succession of unknown foreigners who proved huge failures at the club.
His appointment in December 2001 (see ]) was met with a lukewarm reaction amongst many Rangers supporters.
Some viewed it as symptomatic of the downsizing of the club's ambitions, while others saw in McLeish a manager whose mixed fortunes at Hibernian F.C. and Motherwell F.C. left him ill-equipped to cope with the demands of managing a high-profile club like Rangers.
A few, remembering McLeish's days as centre-half colossus in Alex Ferguson's successful Aberdeen side of the early 1980s, questioned whether someone lacking any obvious Rangers allegiance could revitalise a club faced, for the first time in decades, with a concerted challenge from a seemingly rejuvenated Celtic F.C.
Such concerns were quickly allayed, however, as McLeish's Rangers began to display a spirit that had been sorely lacking in Advocaat's final seasons. Cup successes in McLeish's first half-season, 2001/2, saw a renewed sense of optimism that Rangers could regain the ascendancy claimed fleetingly by Celtic under the managership of Martin O'Neill.
A 3-2 defeat of Celtic in the season's climactic Scottish Cup final (see ]), orchestrated by Barry Ferguson and marked by a dramatic last minute winner, reinforced the view that Rangers could once more gain the pre-eminence enjoyed for almost all of the period since Graeme Souness's appointment as manager in 1986.
His first full season as manager, 2002/3, saw the club fulfil this sense of promise, and featured an astonishingly tense run-in to the league campaign that many thought could never be repeated - until two years later.
Another victory over Celtic F.C., this time in the League Cup (see ]),provided the first leg of the club's latest treble. Rangers' half-century of championships was secured on a dramatic last day of the league season, with victory over Dunfermline denying Celtic the title on goal difference (see ]).
The destination of the title was unknown until the dying seconds of this match as both teams had headed into the game level on points and goal difference. Only a last-minute penalty by Mikel Arteta clinched the win. A somewhat drab and anti-climactic 1-0 victory over Dundee in the Scottish Cup final the following week saw a triumphant finalé to the season (see ]) and a near-flawless start to McLeish's reign, ruined only by a poor showing in Europe, which Rangers exited in the first round to minnows Viktoria Zizkov.
Yet the overall success of McLeish's initial period as manager proved difficult to sustain. The club's parlous financial position, in the wake of the profligacy of the Advocaat era, meant a period of relative austerity.
Wage bills were slashed as the club embarked on an extensive cost-cutting programme in an attempt to stabilise a mushrooming (and unsustainable) debt. Confronted with a squad of well-paid but ageing players largely assembled by Advocaat, McLeish was compelled to rebuild without the luxury of the generous transfer kitty enjoyed by his predecessors over the preceding two decades, and lost from his treble winning team the inspirational but mistake-prone Lorenzo Amoruso, Scottish international winger Neil McCann and, most damagingly of all, club captain Barry Ferguson to Blackburn Rovers F.C.
To replace these players, McLeish was required to rebuild, not through the high-profile and often audacious signings of the Souness, Smith and Advocaat years, but via wheeling and dealing and the selective use of 'Bosman' free transfers.
After a good start to 2003/2004 which saw the team lead the SPL and qualify for the money-spinning Champions League (with another dramatic late goal in Denmark against FC Copenhagen), the loss of Ferguson shortly afterwards led to a dramatic downturn in results and a trophyless campaign. McLeish's Bosman signings of experienced players, such as the Brazilian midfielder Emerson and Norwegian forward Egil Ostenstad have since entered Ibrox folklore as some of the worst players to pull on a Rangers shirt.
Most damagingly of all, however, was the £600,000 signing of Portuguese winger Nuno Capucho. Unlike the other Bosmans that year, not only was a fee paid for this player but he was a signing that McLeish had planned himself, and his ignominous spell at the club started to earn the Ibrox boss a reputation of being unable to identify quality players in the transfer market.
The discontent that had simmered since his arrival at the club surfaced again, with many fans who had never accepted McLeish as one of their own calling for him to go.
The 2004/2005 season started in the same vein, with McLeish making another dreadful signing in Serbian midfielder, Dragan Mladenovic, for £1m. The Serb would manage less than ten games for the club.
On the pitch, the team again fell behind Celtic in the league and exited the Champions League at the qualifying stage. It was rumoured that failure to gain entry into the new UEFA Cup group stage would see McLeish lose his job, but another late goal and a penalty shoot out win over Maritimo of Portugal provided him with a stay of execution.
After this, his fortunes began to turn again. Mladenovic aside, McLeish had made some canny signings in the summer, such as Nacho Novo, plus the Bosmans Dado Pršo, Jean-Alain Boumsong along with teak-tough midfielder and Rangers die-hard Alex Rae. Once these players settled in, the team began to recover ground on O'Neill's ageing Celtic side.
Boumsong, in particular, was a great success but he was to be sold in January 2005, after only six months at the club, to English Premiership side Newcastle United (managed by former boss Graeme Souness) for £8m.
This cash paved the way for more signings, including Thomas Buffel and the return of former captain and prodigal son Barry Ferguson.
Another trophy, the Scottish League Cup, was procured in March 2005 after a 5-1 victory over Motherwell (see ]).
The league, however, appeared to have been lost. Despite catching and overtaking Celtic (two Old Firm wins, including a pivotal 2-0 victory at Parkhead - McLeish's first win there as Ibrox manager) nerves seemed to get the better of Rangers once they had got on top.
A loss to Celtic in the last derby of the season handed a five-point lead to their rivals with only four games of the season remaining, and seemed to end McLeish's hopes of a second league title.
However, the Ibrox team managed to win the league title on the last day of the season. A 3-1 home loss to Hibernian the week after the derby meant only two points separated the sides going into the final game of the season, at which point Rangers needed to win at Hibernian and hope that Celtic would drop points at Fir Park. In perhaps even more dramatic circumstances than two years previously (see ]), Motherwell F.C. overcame a 1-0 deficit with two goals in injury time to defeat the Parkhead side, while Rangers edged out a tight 1-0 win at Easter Road.
For 89 minutes of the match, Rangers thought their rivals were set for the title, and once news broke of Motherwell's late intervention, ecstasy awaited for the Ibrox legions. Even the helicopter that was carrying the league trophy was on its way to Fir Park to present it to Celtic when it had to turn around and fly to Easter Road. McLeish could celebrate his second, and Rangers' 51st, league title.
Season 2005/2006 got off to a bad start, with Rangers only winning six league games out of the first 17, being knocked out of the League Cup by Celtic in the process. The period from October through to early December saw the team embark on the worst run in their history, going ten games without a win.
During this time, however, the club became the first Scottish side to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, yet there was still significant pressure on McLeish from fans due to the club's poor position in the domestic league table. It was widely felt - and publicised - that chairman David Murray would let McLeish go after the European campaign had finished, and a press conference arranged two days after the final group match seemed to confirm this.
However, Murray seemed to undergo a change of heart and stated that McLeish would remain in charge indefinitely (see]), but did concede that domestic results would need to improve. Rumours continued to suggest that this was because his favoured target, Frenchman Paul Le Guen, was unwilling to take charge until the summer.
After this announcement, the team improved briefly, helped by the signing from Kilmarnock of the young Scot and SPL top scorer Kris Boyd. The side strung together a ten-match unbeaten run. Yet, entering the crucial month of February, which was to feature a must-win Old Firm match and the resumption of European football, this evaporated completely.
Rangers lost 3-0 at home to Hibernian F.C. on 4 February, 2006 to go out of the Scottish Cup and end their last realistic hopes of silverware for the season. Protests against McLeish and the chairman who had kept him on followed the game, and four days later they were humbled in a 2-0 defeat at McLeish's old club, Aberdeen F.C.
After signs that supporter unrest was turning on Murray, on 9 February, 2006, two days before the crucial Old Firm match, it was announced that Alex McLeish would leave his position as manager at the end of the 2005-06 season (see ]), and on 11 March, the worst-kept secret in Scottish football was confirmed with the news that former Lyon manager Paul Le Guen would indeed succeed him at the end of the season (see ]).
It was also announced that the Frenchman would be given significant funds with which to strengthen the squad, with Rangers having announced a £48m tie-up with sports retailer JJB Sports.
Paul Le Guen was sought after by clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus and has a good track record. At Lyon he signed Juninho Pernambucano.
Overall, the McLeish era was mixed. Results swung violently from one season to the next, while his record in the transfer market was equally inconsistent: "For every Prso, there were two Capuchos," complain some disgruntled fans.
The lack of money certainly played its part in McLeish's downfall, but there is little evidence, based on the money he did have to spend, that greater sums would have been invested wisely. At a time when Scottish talent was beginning to emerge again, many fans found it puzzling that McLeish failed to make more of an effort to raid markets closer to home, or to develop youth players.
It is worth noting that McLeish obtained seven domestic trophies in four years, equalling the record of his initial Old Firm counterpart Martin O'Neill.
Famous players
Famous present or former players at Ibrox include:
¹ - Player is included in the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame.
² - Player is still currently playing for the club.
Team managers
William Wilton (1899 - 1920)- Bill Struth (1920 - 1954)
- Scott Symon (1954 - 1967)
- David White (1967 - 1969)
- William Waddell (1969 - 1972)
- Jock Wallace (twice) (1972 - 1978) and (1983 - 1986)
- John Greig (1978 - 1983)
- Graeme Souness (1986 - 1991)
- Walter Smith (1991 - 1998)
Dick Advocaat (1998 - 2001)- Alex McLeish (2001 - 2006)
Paul Le Guen (2006 - )
Current squad (season 2005-2006)
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Players out on loan
| 22 | GK | SCO
|
Allan McGregor (on loan to Dunfermline Athletic F.C.) |
| 32 | DF |  NIR
|
Brian McLean (on loan to Motherwell) |
| 38 | MF | SCO
|
Charlie Adam (on loan to St Mirren F.C.) |
| 15 | DF |  GEO
|
Zurab Khizanishvili (on loan to Blackburn Rovers F.C.) |
| 44 | FW | SCO
|
Ross McCormack (on loan to Doncaster Rovers F.C.) |
Transfers, season 2005-06
In:
- Ian Murray - Hibernian Bosman
- Brahim Hemdani - Marseille Bosman
- Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan - Paris Saint Germain Bosman
Federico Nieto - Club Almagro Loan- Julien Rodriguez - Monaco £1m
Sotirios Kyrgiakos - Panathinaikos Free
Francis Jeffers - Charlton Athletic Loan
Filippo Maniero - Torino Free- Olivier Bernard - Southampton Free
- Kris Boyd - Kilmarnock Undisc (reportedly £400,000)
Out:
Bojan Djordjic - Plymouth Argyle Free- Shota Arveladze - AZ Alkmaar Free
Jukka Santala - Partick Thistle Loan
Bajram Fetai - Silkeborg Nominal- Allan McGregor - Dunfermline Athletic Loan
Dragan Mladenovic - Crvena Zvezda - Free- Zurab Khizanishvili - Blackburn Rovers Loan
- Maurice Ross - Sheffield Wednesday Free
- Michael Ball - PSV Eindhoven Free
- Charlie Adam - St Mirren Loan
- Brian McLean - Motherwell Loan
- Filippo Maniero - Released
- Steven Thompson - Cardiff City Undisc (reportedly £250,000)
- Ross McCormack - Doncaster Rovers Loan
- Jukka Santala - FC Nordsjælland Free
- Francis Jeffers - Charlton Athletic Loan Expired
- Scott Agnew - Hamilton Academical
Non-playing staff
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Club records
Record home attendance: 118,567 .v. Celtic, January, 1939
Record victory: 13-0 .v. Possilpark, Scottish Cup, October, 1877
Record league victory: 10-0 .v. Hibernian, December, 1898
Record defeat: 2-10 .v. Airdrieonians, 1886
Record league defeat: 0-6 Dumbarton, May, 1892
Record appearances: John Greig, 755, 1960-1978
Record league appearances: Sandy Archibald, 513, 1917-1934
Record Scottish Cup appearances: Alec Smith, 74
Record league cup appearances: John Greig, 121
Record European appearances: John Greig, 64
Record goalscorer: Ally McCoist, 355 goals, 1983-1998
Most goals in one season: Sam English, 44 goals, 1931/1932
Most league goals: Ally McCoist, 251 goals
Most Scottish Cup goals: Jimmy Fleming, 44 goals
Most League Cup goals: Ally McCoist, 54 goals
Most European goals: Ally McCoist, 21 goals
Most capped player: Frank De Boer, 112 caps for The Netherlands
Highest transfer fee received: Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, £8.5m, Arsenal, 2001
Highest transfer fee paid: Tore André Flo, £12.5m, Chelsea, 2000
Greatest team
The following team was voted as the greatest-ever Rangers team at an awards ceremony in 1999. Thousands of Rangers fans voted.
Andy Goram (Goalkeeper)- John Greig (Defender)
- Sandy Jardine (Defender)
- Richard Gough (Defender)
Terry Butcher (Defender)- Jim Baxter (Midfielder)
- Davie Cooper (Midfielder)
- Paul Gascoigne (Midfielder)
- Ally McCoist (Striker)
- Mark Hateley (Striker)
- Brian Laudrup (Midfielder)
Honours
Rangers have the all-time worldwide lead for domestic league championships, racking up their 51st (excluding unofficial wartime leagues) title in 2005.
They also share the all-time worldwide lead for domestic doubles with Northern Ireland club Linfield F.C., with 17 as of 2004-05, and hold the record for domestic trebles, with seven so far.
Rangers won their 100th major trophy in 2000, the first club in the world to reach that milestone.
Major honours
- European Cup Winners Cup Champions (1): 1972
- Scottish League Champions (51): 1891, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005
- Scottish Cup Winners (31): 1894, 1897, 1898, 1903, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1953, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003
- Scottish League Cup Winners (24): 1946, 1948, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2005
Other honours
- Emergency War League (1): 1940
- Southern League (6): 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946
- Milk Cup (3): (Premier) 1984, 1992; (Junior) 1985
- Drybrough Cup (1): 1979
- Tennents' Sixes (2): 1984, 1989
- Glasgow Cup (44): 1893, 1894, 1897, 1898, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1918, 1919, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1969, 1971, 1975*, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987
*1975 trophy shared with Celtic after 2-2 draw - Glasgow Merchants and Charity Cup (32): 1878-79, 1896-97, 1899-1900, 1903-04, 1905-06, 1906-07, 1908-09, 1910-11, 1918-19, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1924-25, 1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1933-34, 1938-39, 1939-40, 1940-41, 1941-42, 1943-44, 1944-45, 1945-46, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1950-51, 1954-55, 1956-57, 1959-60
- Glasgow League (2): 1895/96, 1897/98
External links
- Official website
- Planet Rangers
- Fan Site
- Fan Site
- Fan Site
- Team Selector
- BBC Sport Rangers portal
- Glasgow Rangers FC page
- North American Rangers Supporters Association page
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