Rangers vs Berwick Rangers SFLD3 January 13

Notes for Rangers vs Berwick Rangers SFL Division 3 January 13 (Real Time)

Drew with Berwick earlier in the season 1 – 1 at Sheffield Park

Not good

Still better than 1967 when we lost 1 – 0 in Scottish Cup

The recriminations from that fateful and infamous day?

Manager Scott Symon not the same (read Leggo’s book on the man for more detail)

Players never playing for the Rangers again – Jim Forrest and George McLean

Team today 12th January Ibrox Stadium 3pm

Alexander; Hegarty, Perry, Cribari, Wallace; Little, Macleod, Hutton, Templeton Shiels, Sandaza

Subs: Currie, Crawford, Faure, Aird, Naismith

Sticking with Andy Little on the right and Cooper Templeton on the left

Shiels False no 9

Fran Sandaza playing centre forward as his partner

Midfield?

Black suspended

MacLeod steps back into his usual position

Supported with Hutton

And defence as last week’s draw with Elgin City

Well done Ross Perry making it back despite the nose injury

Today’s Officials

Previously posted on the noise coming from Scottish Football websites

Rangers getting favors from SFL /SFA about officials to Rangers Division 3 matches

Today it is Steven McLean yep another one of the country’s best ?

Atleast it is not that dud Stephen O’Reilly

(remember QOS Ibrox in Ramsden Cup for that reference?)

One of Mr McLean’s two assistants – 26 year old Lorraine Clark

The female making history

The first woman to officiate at a Rangers league game.

We did have one though at the ECL game vs Villarreal

Must be a Rangers thing

To the game

Rangers started slowly

5 minutes or so into the game though and they had started to get a grip of it

On 8 minutes a Gabriel Amato type run by Sandaza

Ball breaks to Andy Little on right side of the Berwick box

Little turns

And a scrappy pass come shot evades the “wee rangers” keeper

His 14^th goal of the season

1 – 0 Rangers

Minutes later and only a good save from the Berwick keeper stops it from being 2 – 0

Great pass from Cooper Templeton sets Sandaza down the left

Step over and left foot shot on target

Positive play by the Spaniard

Through the rest of the first half he works his socks off

And is unlucky with another couple of chances

As well as good link up play

Surely his fortune must change for the better soon?

A great run by Cooper Templeton deserves a goal

This time it is Brian Laudrup comparisons I draw

Again though the opposition keeper is up to the effort

The chance goes a begging

Little then takes advantage of good work from Shiels

His shot is dragged agonisingly wide of the keeper’s far end post

Half time it is 1 – nil deja vu from last week? Hope not!

Ironic goal has came from the right side

Cause almost all the danger is coming from Rangers left:

Copper Templeton and Wallace are a real handful

Why no Barrie McKay on the right I ask myself again?

Not on the bench – rested

Some controversial conversation on this wee gem during the week

Why he left  Kilmarnock – medical advice according to manager Kenny Shiels

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/kenny-shiels-says-barrie-mckay-1530358

Never mind Fraser Aird is on the bench for some extra width if we need it

Other points of note in this first 45 minutes

– Cribari again showing positives especially going forward

– Hutton far to slow on the ball

– Team still seem to push for this cross field high ball

(why such a pass is tolerated by coaches to receiving players like Templeton bemuses me)

– MacLeod booking?

Second half

Just settled into the second half

Hutton plays short pass to Sandaza

A pass to Cooper Templeton and ball is crossed in from the left

Andy Little scores his second goal with a beautiful crafted header

This is the type of chance/ goal Rangers should be doing more of

Andy Little despite my reservations does well on the right hand side

good pass to Sandaza and ball is crossed in

Templeton with a Jelavic like (goodness me) finish

9th goal of the season for the entertaining wide man

3 – 0

Played only 8 minutes of this second 45

Berwick look on the ropes as Hegarty is replaced by Faure

Hope no long term injury there to the young Rangers defender?

Just a wee aside

The atmosphere inside a very busy Ibrox is amazing again

Sandaza comes close again on the hr mark

Turn and shot that just goes wide of target

Poor defending and Ross Gray scores on 65 minutes

score now 3 – 1

The way the youngster celebrates his goal you would think the score was closer

Hey Ho

Not laughing now though 3 – 2

Poor play from Faure and then Cribari

Sloppy play

Berwick get a corner

Near post header and it is 4 – 2

Before worry beads take affect Little has scored his third and it is 4 – 2

A low shot from just outside the box nestling past the keeper

Templeton then has a great run and drives a shot just past the post

Then after good and unselfish work from Sandaza

Templeton hits the post

Sandaza then has a great run and deserves a goal

His shot is scuffed and drifts past the post

Aird does well coming on as a substitute

Robbie Crawford also enters the fray but really no time to do much

Wee worry at the end with Perry leaving the field returns minutes later

Let us hope he is okay cause he plays well again today despite goals conceded

Montrose losing to Annan and QP drawing with Peterhead today

Means Gers are now 19 points clear at the top of the table sfl d3

Some superb forward play today

Sandaza played superb and fact he did not score

Calimero – it is an injustice

Cooper Templeton ever dangerous

Shiels settling back into the side with a quiet but effective display

And Little

Well what do I know – 3 goals and an excellent showing

Next game a week tomorrow up at Peterhead

Rangers 1 Elgin City 1 SFLD3 January 13

“And we should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once

And we should call every truth false which was not accompanied by at least one laugh”

Friedrich Neitzche

 

Again an amazing crowd of 46,000 plus attended yesterday’s SFL3 match between Rangers and Elgin City

(to me it looked more?)

Rangers kicked off with a kind of strange shape to their line up

Lewis MacLeod was playing the false no 9 position

Backed up behind him in holding midfield areas were Ian Black and Kyle Hutton

Templeton on the left and Little on the right with big Jig through the centre

The back 4 was as expected (Wallace, Crabari, Perry and Hegarty) with Alexander in goal

Mckay was on the bench as was Sandaza, Faure, Shiels and Currie

News that Cole following his injury at Annan was out for query rest of the season was disappointing for the youngster

And while I understand the need for Hemmings to get game time and as such loaned out to Cowdenbeath

Reading on later in this post maybe a question mark over the logic of this decision given our problems at c/f

While I also acknowledge the need to rest young players every now and again

The specific decision to bench Mckay at this stage of the season just now bemuses me

Especially when Aird seems to be ignored as a replacement

For the line up described there was obvious concern about the width and mobility it would offer Rangers during the game

My concerns unfolded in front of my eyes as the game kicked off

Again I will repeat

1. Andy Little offers very little from the right side while Templeton is getting crowded out too often in the left

2. Big Jig is too slow to play the c/f role (to counter with how many goals he has scored is missing the point)

3. The team seems to struggle for energy when Black and Hutton form the backbone of midfield

4. We rely too often on a long ball mentality in going back to front

(although to be fair to the keeper he was better at rolling the ball out yesterday instead of the big humph)

5. In the last 5 to 10 minutes of almost every match the defence seems to switch off: Montrose, Annan and now Elgin

(this time we were punished of course with Elgin equalising in the last mew minutes and securing a well deserved draw)

The positives out of the match

Well there was not much

1. The return of MacLeod and fact he showed he can play further up the park than he has been deployed till now

The goal he scored after 8 minutes was so reminiscent of a young Ian Durrant before the Neil Simpson injury

2. The form of Cribari at centre half (although he needs to practice on his 1 vs 1s) and Wallace at left back (the marauder)

3. At the end of the day we remain 17 points clear at the top of the division

Other talking points

1. Another piece of superb showmanship from Charles Green with the TV highlight of the Loving Cup ceremony at half time

(the singing of God Save the Queen inspirational – why did we never do this in the past?)

2. The immaculate minutes silence for the absent friends 66 and the continuation of the 2 minute support to Sandy J

3. Ally’s bizarre substitutions

4. A very harsh refereeing decision concerning red card after 41 minutes of Elgin City player Paul Harkins after ironically a foul on Ian Black

(Rangers subsequent inability to capitalise on this reduction in the visitors ranks)

5. Alexander’s faux pa at the Elgin City equaliser throwing the ball into his own net with 4 minutes to go

On point 3 and Ally’s substitutions

Why for example was Sandaza not introduced when Ross Perry went off injured?

Instead we got a direct replacement with Faure joining Crabari in centre defence

Reasons why I questioned this

Well first of all we were struggling against a part time team playing ten men and all that?

This team low on confidence – on a string of defeats coming into the match

Surely we should go on the offensive never mind change a faltering system we were using

We then have the need for Sandaza to build up his confidence?

Coming on as a sub at Hampden followed up by Annan was a good stepping stone

Was yesterday a missed opportunity?

The fact big Jig was clearly labouring in his c/f role

(how he missed the sitter just before half time surely suggested it was not going to be his day)

No matter who was substituted

Why when it was a midfield attack reshuffle was it as expected Hutton who was sacrificed and not Black or big Jig?

I assume Macleod was taken off because he was returning from illness – if not and it was tactical then again bizarre?

In the end Rangers must have had a wean of chances and goodness knows how many corners/ free kicks from dangerous areas

Most of this generated by Mckay’s running a welcome substitute mid way through the second half

Personally if not on as a starter the youngster should have been introduced at half time

All that aside the team did not play well and I fear the manager’s team selection, substitutions and tactics were much to blame for this

Next up Berwick Rangers at Ibrox next Saturday

Much scope for improvement in the team and with manager/ coaches

Footnote to the loving cup ceremony

In October, 1937, Rangers played a benefit match at Stoke City for victims of the Holditch Colliery Disaster. £2,000 was raised for the cause and, in gratitude, Stoke President, Sir Francis Joseph, at the post-match banquet, presented Rangers with a Loving Cup. This showed the high esteem in which the hosts held Rangers as this cup was one of a limited number created for the Silver Jubilee of King George V and presented to all English First Division clubs at that time. The Stoke President made one simple request – that on the first game of every new year at Ibrox, the cup should be used to toast the monarch. This has become an Ibrox tradition ever since with Rangers’ officials and their opposite number drinking a toast to the monarch of the time. The Loving Cup rests in the Ibrox Trophy Room to this day.

2013 a new year: Annan Athletic 1 Rangers 3 SFL Division 3 2nd Jan 2013

The 2nd January will always be a momentous date for all connected with Rangers

Of course this date embedded in the Rangers history

With the dreadful events from 1971 when 66 Rangers supporters did not return from a football match vs Celtic

The result of crushing following the collapse of stairway 13 at the Copeland Road end of the stadium

Ahead of the Rangers match against Annan Athletic 2nd January 2013  – 41st anniversary of the 1971 tragedy

Charles Green led a poignant and appropriate memorial service at Ibrox Stadium for the dead

(and of course the equally important 25 who died at the Ibrox disaster 1902 when a Stand collapsed)

Before this he had given a very considerate new years statement on behalf of the club noting

“In the morning, before we head off to Annan, representatives of the club and supporters will pay our respects to the victims of the Ibrox disasters in a simple but poignant ceremony at Ibrox.

In many ways, to someone new to the club, such moments are humbling reminders of how much this club means to people and how much Rangers people mean to the club.”

A thank you also to the Annan Athletic announcer who at the game h/t asked supporters for a moments reflection on events 1971 – a good touch given some of the trivial nonsense we have seen elsewhere on our travels div 3

Yesterday also saw Liverpool supporters provide a round of applause 66 minutes into their match vs Sunderland at Anfield

Commemorative of this tragedy noting of course that Liverpool FC have had their own similar heartache to deal with

The 1989 Hillsborough disaster when 96 Liverpool supporters were crushed and died

Ahead of an FA Cup semi final vs Nottingham Forrest in Sheffield

Through 2012 as the cover up of Hillsborough tragedy unfolded it is clear there has been a bonding between the support of both clubs

Reflected in the actions of the Liverpool supporters last night and much appreciated by the Rangers faithful

Long may this link continue

On normal occasion Rangers would be facing up to an old firm match vs Celtic at new year time

This year of course circumstance dictates that this was not going to happen.

Rangers currently playing in the 4th tier of Scottish Football a result of the Scottish FA / SPL punishment for financial irregularities linked to the Craig White era

Since then of course Charles Green has steeped into the breach on behalf of the club and while 2013 no doubt holds more challenges for the club, hope shines bright

As Green also mentioned in his new years statement

“It is a privilege to be involved with Rangers and all of us – supporters, players and staff alike – can begin 2013 in the knowledge that the future holds great promise and we will take pride in showing that Rangers is a force for good in football.

I’m very proud of the fact that every member of the Rangers family can look ahead to 2013 and beyond with confidence and firm belief that this great football club is well on the road to recovery.

Every Rangers fan stepped up and the result is that we can all focus on rebuilding the club and taking it back to where it belongs.”

Strong words

Today the club has a sound financial backbone to build from

It has a loyal support unequaled elsewhere in the football planet

(any to challenge this statement are frankly not worth consideration)

http://www.teamtalk.com/rangers/8378719/Rangers-manager-Ally-McCoist-has-praised-the-club-s-fans-after-a-rise-in-season-ticket-sales

And a feeling of genuine positivity I as a rangers supporter of 40 odd years have never felt before with the club

The evidence – second weekend in December 12

Scottish Third Division match between Rangers and Stirling Albion

Attracted a bigger crowd than the mighty Manchester rivals going head-to-head for top spot in the richest league in the world.

Youthfulness within the squad pervades all

Step forward Chris Hegarty, Lewis Macleod, Robbie Crawford, kyle hutton, Barrie Mckay, Fraser Aird, Kqai Naismith and Ross Perry

All have played their part in Rangers restructure – the club’s a 132 consecutive competitive season in 140 years of history

From the first match in the Challenge cup vs Brechin City away in July 12

To the drama of playing the oldest derby in the world vs Queens Park in SFLD3

The despondency of Stirling Albion will never be forgotten and nor should it

This has and remains an exciting  journey of discovery for all connected with the club

The highs of beating SPL leaders (at the time) Motherwell in the League Cup with more to come I am sure

We now following the Annan Athletic game sit 17 points clear at the top of the SFLD3

Rangers played 18 games

– won 14

– drew 3

– lost 1

– scored 51 and conceded 14 goals

– amassed a total of 45 points

Nearest challengers Peterhead sit with 28 points after 18 matches played

Promotion looks a certainty

However, the games are not easy

Following the 1 – 0 victory over QP on boxing day the trip to Galabank was equally challenging

Remember? earlier in the season we had drawn 0 – 0 with David Cooper Templeton incurring serious injury

This time events were much more positive for the Rangers star

Scoring 2 goals the first after 26 minutes when from the left side he floated a cross into the box

The ball swerved towards the goal and deceived keeper Mitchell ending up in the back of the net

Thereafter Sandaza should have put Rangers in easy street

Somehow though he contrived to head downwards and hit cross bar following a Templeton corner

Sums up the luck and confidence the Spaniard is currently going through at the moment with the Gers

Maybe he needs some help from the big man upstairs

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-deny-telling-fran-sandaza-1508161

Rangers were left to rue this

An aimless ball down the Annan left should have been dealt with easily by Darren Cole at right back

(making his first start of the season)

However he was robbed by Ally Love who then amazingly scores a similar goal to Templeton’s opener

Two flukes in 45 minutes of football?

Only Rangers and SFLD3

In the end goalie Alexander shakes his head in disbelief no doubt comforted from the other end in the goalie union with Annan’s Mitchell

Both made to look silly although to be honest nothing either keeper could do

Half time score: Annan Athletic 1 Rangers 1 

McCoist not happy as he walks off the park – yep we are playing far too many long balls; why?

10 minutes into the second half and Darren Cole’s misery is complete – taken off injured with recurrence of his ankle injury

63 minutes into the game and Rangers are 2 – 1 up courtesy of a cute finish by young Crawford

The 19 year old does look the part in the middle of the park

Covering for the absent MacLeod who has missed his second game because of a virus of sorts

Annan sub Doneley comes close twice as the game nears conclusion – Montrose again?

With 7 minutes to go Templeton scores his second

Again fortune shines on him

A shot from outside the box is back heeled by Annan defender quite spectacularly into the corner of his own net

Before the end Sandaza could have scored a couple but snatched at both attempts

Any additional score would have been hard on the black and golds mind

Next up is Rangers vs Elgin City at Ibrox Saturday 5th January 12

My thoughts on game yesterday

1. Ian Black lucky not to get sent off after 20 minutes for a dreadful tackle on Chris Jardine – we are not getting near enough from the ex Jambo

(against QP I thought he was treated a tad unfairly not against Annan though)

2. Kyle Hutton is struggling in the middle of the park just now – needs to be quicker in moving the ball

3. The team is consistently looking to long ball football when it is clear to all short passing game suits us better – coaches sort it out

4. The defence seem to become very complacent near the end of games – need to concentrate for 90 minutes (not 80)

5. Andy Little is not a right winger; Sandaza has actually played quite well in last couple of games. Either of these two should lead the line

(this is hard on big jig but at the QP game it is clear he does not have the pace to play centre forward)

Aird or Mckay should support Templeton providing the width in the team

6. This was a tough match. Squad was stretched with Jig, Macleod, Shiels, Crabari and Mckay missing. We coped and 3 points safely in the bag

(need to be mindful about this when we dip a toe into the transfer market this month looking ahead to September 13)

7. Templeton back to his best after a disappointing display against QP

speaking after today’s game against the Galabankies, Templeton said:

“It’s a difficult place to come to and it’s a massive three points for us.
It keeps us going on this winning run we want to stay on until the end of the season if possible.
But it’s great to win again and I felt good and didn’t worry about the surface.
I played at Montrose which is quite similar so I felt quite confident and I think that showed in the two goals I scored. Well, I’m claiming two goals anyway!
For the first one I just tried to get to the line and just hang a cross up for Fran.
I know he’s dying to get his first goal but it just crept in at the back post.
I was delighted for it to go in and to get our third as well.
I think that’s seven goals I’ve got for the season now so I’m pleased with that but the most important thing is that we got the three points.
I think we’ve started to show good form now away from home.
But we’re back at Ibrox on Saturday against Elgin City so that’s another match we’re all looking forward to.
It’s one we want to win and hopefully we can get a few more goals as well.”

Bottom line in all this

I look forward to watching the young guns continue their unbeaten run on Saturday in front of I am sure another capacity Ibrox crowd

Did i miss the old firm game – not a jot!!!

WATP

Players out with the uk to have signed /played for the Rangers

In this post I have tried to document every player who has signed a professional contract with the Rangers

One listed criteria – they have to be from a nationality out with the UK

Initially below the source table there is a focus on the Dutch players

I have also blown the myth peddled by haters of the club that no Irishman has ever played for the Rangers

Then there is the goalkeeping fraternity to think about

Over time I will look to comment on the many other European, African, Asian and American players to experience the joy of signing for the Rangers

What my top team would be?

And who were the successes, surprises and disappointments?

All good fun

For now this post though is a work in progress

1. Source table (idiotically i forgot to alphabetise it – sorry)

Name	Country	Position	Seasons	Games / Goals
Johnny Hubbard	South Africa	Midfielder	49 / 59	238 / 106
Kai Johansen	Denmark	Full Back	65 / 70	238 / 9
Orjan Persson	Sweden	Midfielder	67 / 70	113 / 31
Robert Prytz	Sweden	Midfielder	82 / 85	118 / 20
Alexei Mikhailichenko	Ukraine	Midfielder	91 / 96	134 / 24
Craig Moore	Australia	Centre half	93 / 98 and 99 / 05	253 / 17
Brian Laudrup	Denmark	Striker	94 / 98	150 / 45
Jorg Albertz	Germany	Midfielder	96 / 01	182 / 82
Sergio Porrini	Italy	Full Back	97 / 01	133 / 7
Tony Vidmar	Australia	Full Back	97 / 02	159 / 11
Lorenzo Amoruso	Italy	Centre Half	97 / 03	224 / 24
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst	Holland	Midfielder	98 / 01	118 / 22
Andrei Kanchelskis	Russia	Midfielder	98 / 02	113 / 19
Arthur Numan	Holland	Full Back	98/ 03	176 / 6
Stefan Klos	Germany	Goalkeeper	98 / 07	298 / 0
Michael Mols	Holland	Striker	99 / 04	147 / 48
Bert Konterman	Holland	Centre Half	00/ 03	117 / 9
Ronald De Boer	Holland	Midfielder	00 / 04	149 / 41
Peter Lovenkrands	Denmark	Striker	00/ 06	182 / 54
Fernando Ricksen	Holland	Full Back	00 / 06	254/ 20
Shota Arveladze	Georgia	Striker	01 / 05	132/ 57
Dado Prso	Croatia	Striker	04 / 07	124 / 37
Nacho Novo	Spain	Striker	04 / 10	255 / 71
Brahim Hemdani	Algeria	Midfielder	05 / 09	108 / 2
Sasa Papic	Bosnia	Full Back	06 / 12	227 / 7
Madjid Bougherra	Algeria	Centre Half	08 / 11	113 / 5
Maurice Edu	USA	Midfielder	08 / 12	125 / 12
El Hadj Diouf	Senegal	Midfieder	11 / 11	15 / 1
Adda Djeziri	Algeria	striker	0 7/ 07	0 / 0
Bojan Djordjic	Serbia	Midfielder	05 / 05	5 / 0
Georgis Efrem	Cyprus	Midfielder	07 / 09	0 / 0
Dan Eggen	Norway	Centre half	03 / 03	0 / 0
Emerson Costa	Brazil	Midfielder	03 / 04	14 / 0
Jose Karl Pierre Fanfan	France	Centre half	05 / 06	7 / 1
Sebastian Faure	France	Defender
Andy Faye	Senegal	Midfielder	07 / 08	4 / 0
Fabrice Fernandes	France	Midfielder	01 / 01	4 / 1
Bajram Fetai	Macedonia	Striker	04 / 06	1 / 0
Tore Andre Flo	Norway	Striker	00 / 02	53 / 29
Darius Adamczuk	Polish	Midfielder	99 / 02	14 / 0
Sone Aluko	Nigeria	Striker	11 / 12	21 / 12
Gabriel Amato	Argentina	Striker	98 / 00	28 / 9
Erik Bo Anderson	Denmark	Striker	96 / 97	23 / 15
Marvin Andrews	Trinidad	Defender	04 / 06	53 / 7
Anestis Argyriou	Romania	Defender
Arnar Gretarsson	Iceland	Midfielder	96 / 97	0 / 0
Billy Arnison	South Africa	Striker	46 / 48	7 / 1
Mikel Arteta	Spain	Midfielder	02 / 04	50 / 12
Moses Ashikodi	Nigeria	Striker	06 / 07	1 / 0
Jan Bartram	Denmark	Fullback	88 / 88	0 / 0
Da Marcus Beasley	USA	Midfielder	07 / 10	29 / 4
Por Beck	Iceland	Striker	64 / 66	11 / 2
Alejandro Bedoya	USA	Midfielder	11 / 12	12 / 1
Thomas Kind Bendiksen	Norway	Midfielder	07 / 11	3 / 0
Henning Berg	Norway	Centre Half	03 / 04	20 / 0
Olivier Bernard	France	Full Back	05 / 06	9 / 0
Joachim Bjorklund	Sweden	Centre half	96 / 98	59 / 0
Carlos Bocanegra	USA	Centre half
Frank De Boer	Holland	Centre half	04 / 04	15 / 2
Basile Boli	France	Centre half	94 / 95	28 / 2
Jerome Bonnissel	France	Defender	03 / 03	3 / 0
Jean Alain Boumsong	France	Centre half	04 / 05	28 / 2
Thomas Buffel	Belgium	Midfielder	05 / 08	62 / 11
Caca	Brazil	Striker	00 / 01	0 / 0
Claudia Caniggia	Argentina	Striker	01 / 03	50 / 12
Capucho	Portugal	Midfielder	03 / 04	22 / 5
Mervan Celik	Sweden	Midfielder	12 / 12	5 / 0
Lionel Charbonnier	France	Goalkeeper	98 / 01	18 / 0
Jesper Christiansen	Denmark	Goalkeeper	00 / 03	3 / 0
Jeremy Clement	France	Midfielder	06 / 07	19 / 0
Avi Cohen	Israel	Fullback	87 / 88	7 / 0
Daniel Cousin	Gabon	Striker	07 / 08	28 / 11
Emilson Cribari	Brazil	Centre half
Carlos Cuellar	Spain	Centre half	07 / 08	36 / 4
Jean Claude Darcheville	France	Striker	07 / 09	38 / 13
Gennaro Gattuso	Italy	Midfielder	97 / 98	34 / 3
Roberto Giacomi	Canada	Goalkeeper	04 / 06	0 / 0
Marcus Gayle	Jamaica	Striker	01 / 01	4 / 0
Bonni Ginzburg	Israel	Midfielder	89 / 91	4 / 0
Dorin Goian	Romania	Centre half
Nbert Guomundsson	Iceland	Unknown	44 / 46	Unknown
Stephane Guivarch	France	Striker	98 / 99	14 / 5
Peter Huistra	Holland	Midfielder	90 / 95	125 / 22
Warren Jacmot	France	Defender	03 / 05	0 / 0
Nikica Jelavic	Croatia	Striker	10 / 12	45 / 30
Jonatan Johansson	Finland	Striker	97 / 00	48 / 14
Jani Kauppila	Finland	Midfielder	00 / 02	4 / 0
Tugay Kerimoglu	Turkey	Midfielder	99 / 01	42 / 4
Salim Kerkar	Algeria	Midfielder	10 / 12	16 / 4
Zurab Khizanishvili	Georgia	Centre half	03 / 06	42 / 0
Oleg kusnetsov	Ukraine	Centre half	90 / 94	35 / 1
Sotirios kyrgiakos	Greece	Centre Half	05 / 06	43 / 1
Russel Latapy	Jamiaca	Midfielder	01 / 03	23 / 5
Mohamed Latif	Egypt	Striker	35 / 36	1 / 0
Lionel Letizi	France	Goalkeeper	06 / 07	7 / 0
Pedro Miguel da silva Mendes	Portugal	Midfielder	08 / 10	39 / 3
Dragan Mladenovic	Serbia	Midfielder	04 / 05	7 / 0
Kevin Muscat	Australia	Fullback	02 / 03	22 / 0
Thomas Myhre	Norway	Goalkeeper	99 / 99	3 / 0
Hamed Namouchi	Tunisia	Midfielder	03 / 06	34 / 5
Makhtar N’diaye	Senegal	Midfielder	06 / 07	1 / 0
Gerhardt Neef	Germany	Goalkeeper	68 / 73	33 / 0
Marco Negri	Italy	Striker	97 / 01	30 / 32
Christian Nerlinger	Germany	Midfielder	01 / 04	25 / 2
Dany N’guessan	France	Striker	05 / 07	0 / 0
Jero Pentilla	Finland	Midfielder	99 / 02	4 / 0
Gordan Petric	Serbia	Centre Half	95 / 98	65 / 3
Antoine Ponroy	France	Defender	06 / 07	0 / 0
Daniel Prodan	Romania	Centre Half	98 / 01	0 / 0
Claudio Reyna	USA	Midfielder	99 / 01	64 / 10
Luigi Riccio	Italy	Midfielder	97 / 99	1 / 0
Julien Rodriquez	France	Centre Half	05 / 07	34 / 1
Jerome Rothen	France	Midfielder	09 / 09	4 / 0
Seb Rozental	Chile	Striker	97 / 98	17 / 3
Antti Niemi	Finland	Goalkeeper	97 / 99	13 / 0
Federico Nieto	Argentina	Striker	05 / 05	3 / 1
Aaron Niquez	Spain	Midfielder	08 / 09	3 / 0
Ludwig Norbert	France	Midfielder	02 / 02	0 / 0
Juan Manual Ortiz	Spain	Midfielder	10 / 11	10 / 0
Egil Ostenstad	Norway	Striker	03 / 04	11 / 0
Oleg Salenko	Russia	Striker	95 / 96	16 / 7
Francisco Sandaza	Spain	Striker
Filip Sebo	Slovakia	Striker	06 / 07	24 / 2
Theo Snelders	Holland	Goalkeeper	96 / 99	13 / 0
Erik Sorensen	Denmark	Goalkeeper	67 / 68	30 / 0
Torn Sorensen	Denmark	Striker	65 / 66	12 / 3
Stale Stensaas	Sweden	Full Back	97 / 00	20 / 1
Karl Svensson	Sweden	Centre Half	06 / 07	27 / 0
Jonus Thern	Sweden	Midfielder	97 / 99	23 / 5
Arturs Velicka	Lithuania	Striker	08  / 11	8 / 4
Peter Van Vossen	Holland	Striker	96 / 98	22 / 5
Paulo Vanoli	Italy	Fullback	03 / 04	28 / 1
Gregory Vignal	France	Fullback	04 / 05	30 / 3
Ronald Waterreus	Holland	Goalkeeper	05 / 06	49 / 0
Vladimir Weiss	Slovakia	Midfield	10 / 11	23 / 5
Arturs Vaiculis	Latvia	Youth	07 /09	0 / 0
Jukka Santala	Finland	Youth	04 / 06	0 / 0
Lee Baxter	Sweden	Goalkeeper	97 / 97	0 / 0
Steven Campbell	Australia	Centre Half	04 / 07	0 / 0
Dean Furman	South Africa	Midfielder	06 / 08	0 / 0
Carl Hansson	Denmark	Striker	21 / 25	22 / 14
Jimmy Jackson	Australia	Midfielder	1894 / 1897 1906 / 1911	Unknown
George Jenkins	Canada	Striker	33 / 45	23 / 0
John Little	Canada	Defender	51 / 62	275 / 1
James Lowry MacAuley	Ireland	Midfielder	Unknown	Unknown
Filippo Maniero	Italy	Striker	2005 / 05	0 / 0
Robert Logan McDonald	Ireland		28 / 39	185 / 0
Matt Mckay	Australia	Midfielder	11 / 12	3 / 0
David Mitchell	Australia	Striker	83 / 85	26 / 6
Alex Craig	Ireland	Full back	1904 / 1114 / 16	102 / 042 / 0
Robert Hamilton	Ireland	defender	27 / 33	121 / 0
Hugh O’Neill	USA	Midfielder	76 / 77	0 / 0
William Stanger	France	Midfielder	06 / 07	0 / 0
Alex Stevenson	Ireland	Midfielder	32 / 34	12 / 7

2. The Dutch Contingent

Giovanni Van Bronckhorst	Feynoord – £5.5m	Midfielder	Dick Advocaat	Arsenal – £8.5m
Arthur Numan	PSV Eindhoven – £5m	Full Back	Dick Advocaat	Retired
Michael Mols	Utrecht – £5.6m	Striker	Dick Advocaat	Utrecht – free
Bert Konterman	Feynoord – £4.5m	Centre Half	Dick Advocaat	Vitesse Arnhem
Ronald De Boer	Barcelona – £4.8m	Midfielder	Dick Advocaat	Al Rayyan – free
Fernando Ricksen	AZ – £4.75m	Full Back	Dick Advocaat	Zenit St Petes – £1.1m
Frank De Boer	Galatasaray – free	Centre half	Alex McLeish	Al Rayyan – free
Peiter Huistra	FC Twente	Midfielder	Walter Smith	Hiroshima
Theo Snelders	Aberdeen	Goalkeeper	Walter Smith	MVV Maastricht
Peter Van Vossen	Istanbulspor	Striker	Walter smith	Feynoord
Ronald Waterreus	Man City	Goalkeeper	Alex McCleish	AZ

Moments of magic from our Dutch friends

Gio Van B scoring many rocket shots with his marvellous left foot.

Included in this list goals against Celtic and Champions League opponents.

After joining Arsenal he went on to play for Barca before returning home to Holland

Arthur Numan signed after the  World Cup 98.

In that tournament he was superb.

Already known to new Rangers manager advocaat from days at PSV

He just seamlessly fitted in to the left back role at Ibrox

Advocaat looked to bolster his squad for season 00 / 01

Big Bert and Fernando did not really reach the heights the manager had hoped for

On their first season Rangers lost the league to Martin O’Neill’s Celtic

Including a 6 – 2 old firm hammering at Parkhead where Ricksen was subbed

Unfortunately it was mid way through the first half because he was having a mare

Both redeemed themselves

– Bert scoring an absolute smacker of a goal against Celtic

Scottish League Cup semifinal Feb 2002 2 – 1 victory after extra time

– Fernando under Alex McLeish including 2 league titles

Although he did fall foul of next manager Paul Le Guen and was soon on his way

Shipped off to Advocaat’s Zenit St Petes

Mickey Molls – could do a couple of posts on this guy on his own

Could have been as big a legend as Laudrup, Gazza and Cooper

scored 9 goals in his first 9 spl league starts

No one could twist and turn like Mickey Molls

In the end it was very much what might have been?

Slaughtered PSV in the ECL only to get a cruel injury later in the competition

This time in a match in Munich Nov 99 after colliding innocently

With the German colossus that was Oliver Khan

The De Boer twins

Ronald signed by Advocaat from Barcelona and a hefty fee

Frank came via Turkey on instance of Alex McLeish but for nought

Both were by their sell by date when arriving at Ibrox

Although Ronald especially still gave some magic moments for the Gers

Including some classic European and old firm goals to cheer

Their best times though were at Ajax and Barca

Still a joy to watch both pull on the blue shirt of Rangers

Before they headed of to the middle east for pre retirement footie of a sort

Peter Van Vossen 

Oh dear – the miss (and not even a bobble on the pitch before he shot)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILt3vg7oCzY&hl=en-GB&gl=GB

At least we won the game 1 – 0

With much thanks to the goalie Andy Goram who saved a PVH penalty

Peter eventually left and Shota arrived (more on the Georgian though later)

The other  Peter – Huistra

Came from FC Twente

Had to cope with big name stars but still amassed a wean of matches under his belt

A skilful chap who often bagged you a goal or two

Moved to Japan and then eventually back to Holland

Has dipped his toe into football management

The two goalies: Ronald and Theo

Theo came as understudy to Andy Goram and while a great keeper in Aberdeen

He never really recovered from his dutch shame when he bottled out of international match

Ronald on the other hand

This guy had bags of confidence

Needed it to oust legend goalie Stefan Klos

3. Colleagues from Ireland to wear the Rangers blue

There has been much comment lately on Rangers never signing a player from Ireland

By that we mean Eire (and not Northern Ireland)

Well by my meagre investigations into the matter i think such claims are false

Step forward

– James Lawry Macauley

– Robert Logan Mcdonald

– Alex Craig

– Alex Stevenson

– Robert Hamilton

It should also be noted that many of the Northern Irish players to wear the blue of Rangers

Played for the united Ireland football team

This opportunity stopped in 1973

The last time an Ireland XI played was at Lansdowne Road in 1973. Billed as Shamrock Rovers XI, they lost 4-3 to the then-world champions Brazil.

4. The goalkeepers

How many of these names ring a bell (Ronald and big Theo aside)?

Roberto Giacomi	Canada	Goalkeeper
Jesper Christiansen	Denmark	Goalkeeper
Erik Sorensen	Denmark	Goalkeeper
Antti Niemi	Finland	Goalkeeper
Lionel Charbonnier	France	Goalkeeper
Lionel Letizi	France	Goalkeeper
Stefan Klos	Germany	Goalkeeper
Gerhardt Neef	Germany	Goalkeeper
Theo Snelders	Holland	Goalkeeper
Ronald Waterreus	Holland	Goalkeeper
Thomas Myhre	Norway	Goalkeeper
Lee Baxter	Sweden	Goalkeeper

Commentary to follow

More on Rangers at Hampden Dec 12 – the positives

Some positive and negative reflections from todays experiences on the visit to Hampden Park watching the Rangers take on Queens Park

Let us start with the positives

28,000 plus Rangers fans attending an away match in SFL3 (fourth tier of Scottish Football)

a cup final atmosphere cheering on a young Rangers team who have clearly great potential

Sure we would all wish to be playing Juventus in the last 16 of the champions league

However, for now Rangers and their supporters are on a different but equally enjoyable journey to that experienced by Celtic

Celtic fans have countered the Rangers experience in Division 3 with claims of cheap/ free tickets and mis counting attendances

How ironic is that when looking at the empty stadia that is Parkhead on SPL days

They have now challenged the validity of BARB TV viewing figures which clearly highlight who “the only show in town is” 

No matter how I try to explain to my Celtic mates – they just do not get it!

Watching the re-emergence of Rangers from the dark days of David Murray and Craig White is what I said earlier “a journey”

Initially of defiance perhaps but now of hope and opportunity

The international recognition the club are getting with all this just confirms the exceptionality of it all

No where else in the world has such a phenomena occurred to my knowledge

And as the domestic detractors try to belittle this Rangers story

the stronger the journey  will prevail

Today was a case in point

I had to laugh at one detractor focus on the closed part of the Hampden stadium

The Rangers away support today in size has legitimate claim to be of the same size of the average “true” Parkhead crowd in SPL these days

For we should not be fooled by the figures attending Parkhead on SPL match day – 46K do me a favour!

Unless of course inflatable John has been doing a roaring trade –

http://www.eastfootball.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=983857

This though is not about Celtic

It is about Rangers

It is about watching the opportunity and hope

Chris Hegarty, Ross Perry, Robbie Crawford, Fraser Aird, Barrie Mckay, Kyle Hutton, Kai Naismith  and Lewis MacLEod

Sure not all these young guns will make it to the top but watching them (and then the next group and the next group after that) try is what it is all about

The proof of the pudding will be with the TV attendances and attitudes after the game vs Dundee United in Scottish Cup duty February 13

Record broken? Me thinks so

And too the result – does it really matter? Probably not

For once Rangers is not about winning ScottishLeague or FA Cup … it is about progression, development and experience

If we do win then great if not then we get promotion and move forward

Celtic just do not have this culture shift of epic proportion going on at Ibrox and nor can they create it

They do not have the loyalty of the Rangers support and never will have

The cause and what for all … it is just a great time to follow the Rangers and long may it continue

Onward to Annan and where ever next

PS: I thought Willie C had a shocker as ref against Rangers … must have been my blue seat?

Fair play to QP manager Gardiner Speirs though on his assessment

And more importantly what is gonna happen with the money generated (and of the make up of QP team today)

Another victory for youth football in Scotland

Coach Gardner Speirs refused to be drawn into a row, saying: “I’m not going to say anything that would detract from our performance.

“There were inconsistencies in the referee’s performance, but that’s not why we lost the game.

It was a sickener to lose it so late on, because we were fantastic from first till last. We asked them to be brave and take the ball. When you watch Rangers, they have so much of the ball the opposition are out on their feet by an hour. We didn’t want it to go that way and it didn’t.

I couldn’t be prouder of our guys. We didn’t try to do anything we don’t try normally, the only test was doing it against a top side.

We defended with the skin of our teeth at times. Neil made some great saves and we broke when we could.

When we had a counter-attack and young Lawrence Shankland was through, I had every confidence in him, but he just couldn’t finish it off.

There are so many positives from a day like this and of course one of the biggest ones is the money it brings in.

We’re building a new Lesser Hampden with a youth and community clubhouse that’ll set us up for generations. So we’ll invest the money from today in young footballers.

We had eight from the youth system out there and the coaches behind these boys deserve so much credit. The future of the club should be secure for years to come.”

Queens Park 0 Rangers 1 SFL3 Dec 12

Nobody said it was easy,

No one ever said it would be this hard,

I’m going back to start.

I have been listening to Cold Play recently

The above words from “the scientist”

Spring to mind when reviewing Rangers trip to Hampden

By the end of the day

Sure

Rangers were victorious 1 nil

And well clear at the top of the league

7 league wins in December 12

With a travelling support of 28,000

For the the true and original Glasgow derby

All looks rosy in the Rangers camp?

Why the negative link to Coldplay?

Rangers may well have come into this match

League leaders and in fine form

Well it all went out the window today

Why?

Simple

They were as poor as I have seen them this season

Reasons for such a poor showing?

Impact of reading your own press and how the league has already been won blah blah?

The vagaries of playing a team littered with raw youths?

Dodgy referee with some rough-house tactics throwing them off their stride?

Probably a combination of all these factors

Bottom line for players and support alike

It was not easy

indeed it was very hard (in more ways than one)

Highlights from a goal less first half 

– Black getting booked (no surprise there – is this guy getting hounded out of Scottish Football?)

– Templeton and Mckay booted all over the park

– Crawford coming close with a header which went narrowly wide following good chasing by Jig / wing work from Mckay

– Templeton should also have scored but blazed over after good work again from Barrie boy

Highlights from the second half

– Templeton and Mckay booted all over the park

(Queens Park’s Brough sent off for persistent fouling on the Rangers men; it could easily have been two or three others for the early bath)

– Mckay looking dangerous and bringing a good save out of the Queen’s Park goalie on one of his many forays into the Queen’s box

– Sandaza coming on and looking dangerous but still missing chances you think he should score

– Young Fraser Aird getting a run out and taking his chance with a lovely curling finish with seconds remaining to score and win the game

– Black being subbed before he got injured and/ or sent off

– Queens Park being 3 on 1 following a disastrous Rangers corner only to blow their only real chance of glory

(if they had scored with this chance I doubt Rangers would have come back given the way the play was going)

– Big jig failing to score and looking all his age as he gave his all for the team first at centre forward and then later in the middle of the park

(he did hit the cross bar with a header but should probably have scored and will be kicking himself)

Final score Queen Park 0 Rangers 1

Rangers now top of the league 15 points clear of Elgin City

42 points after 17 matches played

Despite the poor performance there were positives to take out of the match

– They achieved a hard fought victory against a reasonably good Queens Park team … Rangers spirit of playing till the end built into the young guns

– The constant encouragement the team received from the massive support was remarkable

– Barry Mckay and David Templeton remain constant dangers and with young Aird coming in provides more competition for places in the wide areas

The drawbacks

– team lacks pace through the middle; we really need a fast centre forward (possibly Sandaza deserves a wee run and Jig a rest)

– Hutton, Black and Crawford all disappointed – can we do without MacLeod in the middle of the park

(although I would like to see more of Crawford in the centre of the park; to me he is not a right midfielder/ winger)

The transfer window looms

Charles Green states all Rangers players are for sale

If the price is correct of course

Plus his wee nugget that Ally has a war chest of 10m quid to buy players

Not much use though unless under 18 years of age and /or pre contract signings until September 13

A few points on this

I do not think we should be overly worried about the for sale sign

I doubt we will see any players leave Ibrox this January 13 who we would not want to see moved on

Will there be offers for Wallace, Templeton et al ? Possibly

For sums of money we would find irresistible – I think not

I do caution again on who we might think to bring in and for what reasons

I repeat any purchases should not be at the expense of developing our young guns

(mindful more are coming through and expected to hit first team squad over next 2 years)

That aside we do need cover, quality and pace as we gear up for season 13/ 14

(no matter where and who we are playing)

I make no judgement on some of the names being quoted for next September start

In the weeks ahead this will all take care of itself

For now it is surely back to the start with the squad just now

Focus on the next match

Back to playing good attacking football with the ball on the deck

Next game away to Annan Athletic 2nd January 2013 at Galabank Stadium (lunch time k/o)

Rangers team vs Queens Park:

Alexander, Hegarty, Perry, Emilson Cribari, Wallace, Crawford, Black, Hutton, McKay, McCulloch, Templeton.

Subs: Currie, Sandaza, Aird, Cole, Faure

PS: the last time we were at the national stadium was March 11 when Jelavic scored winner against Celtic in Scottish Communities League Cup

Despite the poor performance I still enjoyed watching the Rangers as much today as I did that Sunday in March 11

That is what being a Rangers supporter these days is all about

And what those who do not follow “the only show in town” just do not get

Rangers 3 Clyde 0 SFL D3 Dec 12

It was bitterly cold yesterday as Rangers played Clyde at Ibrox

An impressive 47.5K crowd taking their seats

Before kick off we got treated to a cracking visual display from the Blue Order in the Govan Stand

Celebrating 10 years of support they have given to the club

The weather might have got to the Rangers players though

Their start was as poor as I have witnessed this season

The team had lined up in familiar shape

The only change from Saturday’s match at Elgin City

– Ross Perry replacing Greek injury victim Anestis Argyriou

Big Jig did come close with a lovely turn and rasping shot

Keeper Barclay did well though by turning his effort over his bar

From the subsequent corner

Cribari was unlucky not to score with a snap shot again saved well by the Clyde keeper

Rangers were now taking more control of the match

Mckay constantly looking to thread passes in to his fellow forwards

Templeton too seemed to be everywhere

Always looking for openings and shots at goal

It was a wee bit of brilliance from him that gave Gers the lead

Lee Wallace played the ball into Templeton’s feet 35 yards from goal

Surrounded by Clyde players Templeton looked to be well marked

Out of nothing he plays a cheeky over head kick

Takes the Clyde team by surprise

The on running Wallace is now through in goal

The full back’s  finish is clinical

1 – nil Rangers 20 minutes on the clock

A few minutes later and Andy Little had to leave the park

Reports after the game suggest it was precautionary

Nevertheless, it gave Dean Shiels a chance to get back into the fray

The team’s momentum not disturbed by the enforced change

Shiels going into the false no 9

Templeton shifting from there and out to the right wing

Mid way through the half

Hutton was unlucky not score

His Jorg Albertz like shot whistling past the post

Before half time Templeton had bamboozled Clyde defenders with a 2nd piece of genius

This time, after dribbling past various tackles

He curled a truly superb shot into the keeper’s left hand side of the goal

2 – nil Rangers

It should have been 3 – 0 moments later when big Jig finished a neat move

Only for a late (and in my view incorrect) flag from Govan side linesman

The second half was more of the same

Good periods of interchanged passing by Rangers

Mixed with a general command of the game

Chances were limited but Rangers seemed comfortable within themselves

Clyde were rarely threatening so no danger of losing a goal

And an unnecessary nervy finish to the match

It was not until 15 minutes to go that the Gers supremacy did lead to a third goal

This time Mckay was the inspiration

Cutting in from the right hand side he played a lovely pass into the feet of Dean Shiels

The Northern Irishman

Who was getting some rough treatment from Clyde defenders

Turned superbly

And fired a low shot into the bottom corner of keeper Barclay’s net

Ranger 3 Clyde nil

Before the end Rangers had given Darren Cole and Robbie Crawford a runout

It was a good victory

Sees the Gers extend their lead at top of the table to 12 points

And a clean sheet for the goalie and defence

Alexander making one fine stop near the end after slackness had crept in to Rangers play

One criticism I would make is the keeper’s distribution

Why the constant need to punt it up the park (often out of play)

Can we not look to retain possession with playing the ball out from the back?

Certainly with Mckay, Shiels and Templeton in the team

The need for long ball football we were experiencing earlier in season has gone

Mckay had a quieter game

Yet he remained a constant threat

When he drifts inside and looks to pass the ball into the box

It is clear he has great vision that needs to be exploited

Shiels touch was clearly off during this game – expected given the lay off he has experienced because of injury

Still he manages to score a fine goal

I also thought Cribari had his best game in this match

While Hegarty looks like a Lee Wallace in the making

Perry still concerns me and I think if Rangers need to strengthen

Central defence is the most critical area

Young Lewis Macleod was actually my man of the match

Sponsors gave it to Templeton

Can understand why given the beauty of his play

However, MacLeod covers every blade of grass and never hides

Always looking for the ball in tight areas he is a credit to the club’s academy

More of him please

£10m transfer pot – who needs it just now?

With other youngsters coming through the system let’s box clever on this please

As we enter the new year Rangers are in good shape

It is thoroughly enjoyable going to watch them

Next stop is Queens Park at Hampden on Saturday

The amateurs probably going to end up as our biggest challengers to silver ware

So a victory is essential

Keep the momentum going

And of course there is also the small matter

of playing in front

of what will probably be the biggest away support to play this season

not only in Scotland

but across the globe

Truly remarkable

Rangers 3 Clyde 0 (Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow) 26th December 2012

RANGERS: Alexander; Hegarty, Perry, Cribari (Cole 78), Wallace; Little (Shiels 25), Hutton, Macleod, McKay; Templeton (Crawford 83); McCulloch.
SUBS: Currie, Sandaza.
GOALS: Wallace 20, Templeton 38, Shiels 76.
CLYDE: Barclay, Kane, Brown, Gray, Lamie, Hay (Neil 81), Fitzharris (Sweeney 72), Scullion, Watt, Gilfillan (McLuskey 86), McColm.
SUBS: Rajovic, Oliver.
REFEREE: Crawford Allan.
ATTENDANCE: 47,463.

Stronger And Stronger: Elgin City 2 Rangers 6 SFL3 Dec 12

As the Elgin City Chairman Graham Tatters stated

“Well done to Rangers

They did not make a big deal of it

A 21 year old malt and we all move on

Well done Charles Green”

Or words to that effect

This was of course the Elgin City chairman responding to Rangers reaction

To his club’s  ticket fiasco up North

When the clubs met last Saturday at Borough Briggs

Remember?

The clubs had been due to meet in November 12 at this remote venue

Match postponed

Due to police fears on over crowding due to excess tickets sold

With all that is going on with Rangers these days

It would have been easy to forget

What I’m sure about though

Rangers will not be forgetting the treatment they received from Dundee United and other SPL charlatans

Over the weekend United announced they would be selling tickets to Rangers fans direct

Custom and practice this seems to be

Well if this is the case

Why was there ever a threat from United for them to receive all gate monies?

If Rangers were through direct sale from United to bring a travelling support

Surely a split would still have been fair?

They put a figure of 2,000 fans in this category of routine direct sale

Mmmn ?????

Such a support would be way bigger than anything they ever bring to Ibrox

That is for sure

Charles Green retorts by correctly querying fan safety

United indirectly bring Tayside police into the equation

And indicate they along with everyone else are sick of it all

It is time to move on

Well sorry no

Correctly Charles Green will be attending as a Director of Rangers

No matter what the James Traynor less Daily Record spin

The boycott stands

And most certainly no Rangers supporter should breach this arrangement

We want nothing to do with Dundee United

Not now

Not never

If I never see a Dundee United fan at Ibrox following all this

So be it

Good riddance to bad rubbish and all that

Back though to Elgin City and away from this distasteful distraction

A match report is to be concluded

It is fair to say

Rangers turned up in fine fettle to Elgin on Saturday

No matter what Neil Lennon thinks

We are a team strong on and off the pitch

Since Ally has started with both Templeton and McKay in the same side

The team has sparkled

Saturday was to be no different

Even without Dean Shiels in the line up

The forward play – all over the park – was excellent

both these young players fantastic

Andy Little was another who had a great game on the day

And what can you say about big Jig?

By the end of play he had completed another 90 minutes

This time playing in his preferred striker role

2 goals – 22 for the season (watch out Lionel Messi)

Man of the match though needs to be a flick of the coin

Correctly between the two centre midfielders for Rangers

Lewis Macleod is a revelation just now in this area of the park

He just seems to be everywhere

His compadre for the day Kyle Hutton is also fast securing a berth in the team

the likes of what, Ian Black when fully fit will do hard to push aside

The fact both scored excellent goals

Hutton’s in particular; a fine strike from outside the box

Was the proverbial icing on the cake for the two

And of course a jubilant manager in Ally McCoist

A final score of 6 – 2 did not flatter Rangers

and I doubt anyone in the crowd of 3,445 would disagree

800 short this figure was of the confirmed sell out capacity – interesting?

This Rangers result

Primarily achieved on the back of a super second half performance

The first half a much more tight and tit for tat affair

Rangers were 1 nil up after five minutes

Andy Little rounded the Elgin keeper after a fine pass from Templeton

Calmly rolling the ball into empty net from tightest angle

However, on 17 minutes it was 1 – 1

On what was to turn out to be a day for fine shooting none were more impressive than Daniel Moore

His shot from outside the box leaving Alexander helpless

7 minutes later and Rangers were back in front

And again it was the same combo as the first Rangers goal

Andy Little scorer and David Templeton provider

A dubious foul to the home side just after 3o minutes

Also resulting in a booking for Rangers youngster Chris Hegarty

Gave Nicolson a chance to show what he could do from set plays

Not to disappoint he curled an unstoppable effort into top corner to make scores 2 – 2

As half time approached Jig got his first of the day

Little and Hutton combining well to set up the big man who lashed a shot into the top corner off the cross bar

At half time Ross Perry replaced Argyriou

With Cribari back in the starting line up McCoist’s preferred centre halfs were now in position

Hegarty and Wallace ( whose red card from mid week is now under Appeal) at right and left full back respectively

60 minutes gone and Rangers extended their lead again another fine finish by big Jig

This time his shot fizzing low into the corner of the net after a good turn

Macleod’s goal followed 4 minutes later and with 7 minutes left on the clock Hutton got his

Before the match could end Alexander produced a second penalty save in a week

This time stopping an effort from Moore after Hutton had been adjudged to have fouled Elgin’s Leslie

The lead at the top of the table now grows to 9 points

And with a game in hand

On today’s opponents

Elgin are clerly not that bad a side

Second in the league does not lie

and the plucky performance in the cup a few weeks back

also evidence of their abilities

It is a real pity there club received the 25 k and 5k fines plus loss of TV money for their ticket indiscretion

The original game to be shown live by ESPN

Instead we all had to make do with Rangers TV

Nevertheless Rangers go from strength to strength

3 away wins on the trot and 16 goals scored

Alexander post match correctly moans about lack of clean sheets in this young side

The improvements game on game though are stark

If Rangers can keep all their players fit then as this season progresses into next

They will be well on the way to recovery

“we are in a good place just now and we have earned the right to be where we are and that is just as important. We have still got a lot of big games coming up over the festive period – on Boxing Day and then another big day at Hampden. So there is miles and miles to go, and over the next few months will decide how it goes but, that said, we have got to be delighted with the position that the boys have put us in . The job though is far from done yet”

Ally McCoist

The enthusiasm seeped out of him.

A club weak on and off the park

Away and chase yerself Neil Lennon

With the feel good factor just now inside Rangers

who knows where this young squad might end up

One things is for sure

It is an adventure all Rangers fans are signed up for

Another world record

Largest away support for a fourth tier match – Hampden Park

Without doubt

The biggest travelling support likely to go to a match this season in Scotland

Even allowing for cup finals and all that

LOL

And best wishes for the festive period

Celtic and Rangers: Strong On And Off The Pitch?

So Neil Lennon wins Sky SPorts TV manager of the year

Good luck to him

He would have been a country mile for my choice but hey ho

Next the media will have him up for Ballon d’or ?

In his post award media speak

He could not help himself but comment on the Rangers

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2251977/Rangers-far-Celtic-says-Neil-Lennon.html

Rangers to him are a team weaker on and off the park

Celtic are a team stronger on and off the park

Old firm and Rangers matches are also games he does not miss

I find Neil’s comments perplexing on so many fronts

Why bother to speak about Rangers for a start?

His summary of the Rangers position is at best superficial

And on Celtic well are they really so strong?

This season is turning out to be one to remember for both clubs

For entirely different reasons

Will probably at the end of it be concluded as successful for both

It is the year after and then the year after that which will really matter

When comparing both teams stand ready for the future

I have no doubt in my mind that Rangers in this time will grow from success to success

Their fans will behind them all the way

The full houses at Ibrox testament to that

The club have a clear vision now and are following it rigorously

Youth development at the centre of it all

An excitement as we look to deliver on a three year plan

In the words of neil Lennon “this is just the beginning”

To Celtic

Half filled stadiums

With no likelihood of this apathy to the team’s short term domestic success changing

A team of foreign <admittedly young> mercenaries

And a reliance on European football to keep the interest levels up

And in the financial balance sheets

Is there much difference even now between both clubs?

Or likely to be in years to come

What impact next season on Celtic if there is failure to reach the ECL?

As a Rangers fan all I can honestly say in retort to Neil Lennon’s comments

I eagerly like the vast majority of my fellow fans look forward to the seasons ahead

I am just not quite so sure your average celtic supporter has the same longer term dreams for his club

Short term yes they enjoy the build up now to Juventus

Let us see how 2013 unravels to see where the feel good factor really levels with them though

I have a feeling this will be something this blogger returns to fairly routine

And it might be the tune of Neil Lennon is one of a different darker theme next time

Match Report on Elgin City vs Rangers Match to Follow

 

 

 

 

 

 

Davie Cooper: I played for the team that i Loved

Last night David Cooper Templeton strutted his stuff at Ibrox Stadium for the Rangers

And it was great to watch

Make no mistake

This undoubted talent has a country mile to go

Before compared in the same breath

As who he was named after

The great Davie Cooper (1956 – 1995)

My first memory of Davie Cooper was in season 1976/77

Rangers had drawn Clydebank in the Quarter Finals of the League Cup

Only after 2 replayed games after tied initially

did Rangers overcome their first division opponents

I did not attend any of the matches

Rangers eventually winning through to the semi 2 – 1 at Firhill

I do though remember waking up in the morning after each game

With a note from my dad telling me what the score was

Followed up later in the evening

with a read of the match report in the Daily Record

At this time

I can vividly to this day remember thinking

Davie Cooper is a football god

How will “my Rangers” ever be able to beat this guy

To an anxious 9 year old these were troublesome times

The shine of actually winning the tie

well lost by the time we reached the semi final

For annihilation from a young Aberdeen team was to follow at Hampden

A game I also vividly recall watching highlights on TV

with my hands over my face most of the time

Further memories of all that infamous night are for another day

It is stated that this result was the catalyst for Rangers

to up the anti in singing young Cooper

To assist in this venture

Undertaken by Willie Waddell, Willie Thornton and manager Jock Wallace

Was the indisputable pointer

Davie was a Rangers supporter

In the end he signed for Rangers in season 1977/78

a fee of £100,000 agreed between the two clubs

The boy who truly was to play for the club that he loved

Before this Davie had actually resisted Rangers attempts to sign him

Instead he had opted for Clydebank

This was 1974

At the time

The young Davie thinking

There was no chance of him breaking into what was a strong Rangers side

For Clydebank

Davie was an almost ever present in seasons 1975/76 and 1976/77

Double promotion winners in these two successful seasons

Moving from the then Scottish Second Division to Scottish Premier League

Clydebank were the first to achieve such an honour

Davie Cooper

a key player in the success coach Bill Munroe’s young team achieved

In Davie’s first season at Rangers the treble was won

However, following this success

Rangers manager Jock Wallace resigned

Club captain/ legend John Greig took over the reigns

John Greig’s reign as manag at Rangers

Was to prove to be a very difficult time for Davie

He flitted in and out of a series of under performing Rangers teams

In an environment where

Crowds at Ibrox were low

Success was patchy

One memory though which will never be forgotten

Davie’s contribution to success in the Scottish Cup Final 1981 vs Dundee United

After a goalless match on the Saturday

Courtesy of a Hamish McAlpine penalty save from Rangers Ian Redford in the last minute of the game

A replay was set at Hampden for the mid week

Coop who had not been selected for the first game

Was in the team to face United for a second time

He and Bobby Russell were immense that night

Destroying Dundee United 4 -1

Davie scoring one of the goals

This success was short lived though

Greig’s failure to deliver a credible title challenge meant change

Jock Wallace eventually returned in 1983 to the club as manager

Davie Cooper benefitted from the change

The team though still struggled

Again only limited cup success to show for their efforts

Then came the revolution

1986

Graeme Souness was appointed  player manager at Rangers

With Walter Smith as his assistant

and with them they brought a host of international stars to play for the team

None more so than England captain Terry Butcher

Cooper – just back from the world cup in Mexico with Scotland –  again benefitted enormously from this change

This time though

Playing beside the great players Souness had at his disposal

Success was to follow

And in this

Davie was not out of his depth

Playing beside such talent and celebratory was natural

History shows the new Rangers

Eventually clawed back a strong Celtic team to win the SPL

The first time they had achieved this feat in  a period of 9 desolate years

No one celebrated more at the end of it all than Davie Cooper

And how Davie deserved it

This after all was a true loyal servant of the club

Souness, who knew Davie from their Scotland times was visibly impressed

he rated him higher in technical ability than even the great Kenny Dalgleish

He was quoted as stating

“if I was not so selfish I would be telling all the big Italian clubs about him”

Terry Butcher at the same time mentioned

“he was second to none in terms of delivery of the ball. I would rate him better than David Beckham in terms of taking corners and free kicks”

Davie was to have more success with Rangers under Souness

A title victory in season 1988/89 the highlight

However, age was to catch up on him

and as new signings kept arriving at Rangers his chances of first team football became limited

in late summer 1989 he transferred to Motherwell for a fee of £50,000

His time at Motherwell is well recognised by their fans and I will not try to repeat it

To summarise though from his time there i would draw to attention four things

1. Davie is regarded as a key player in the famous Motherwell Scottish Cup winning team of season 1991 by all associated at the Lanarkshire club

2. A stand at Fir Park home of Motherwell FC is now named after him

3. To almost a man every Motherwell fan has a positive tale to tell about his exploits in Lanarkshire mostly always in matches against Celtic

4. The Scottish League Cup/ CIS  final of 2005 between Rangers and Motherwell was collectively known as the Davie Cooper cup final

– a proportion of income received from that game went to a special needs school in Davie’s name

– a picture of him was embedded in the match brief stubs

In total Davie made

– 90 league appearance for Clydebank between 1974 and 1977 scoring 28 goals

– 377 league appearances for Rangers between 1977 and 1989 scoring 49 goals

– 157 league appearances for Motherwell between 1989 and 1994 scoring 17 goals

In total he actually played 561 games for Rangers and scored 86 goals

The miserly 22 caps he received playing for Scotland a national scandal?

In the end Davie returned to finish his career at Clydebank

playing a further 21 times in the league for them

before cruelly being taken from us in Spring 95

There is no happiness in death

and certainly not in one so young

With still so much to offer in this world

If any solace is to be taken from the loss of Davie Cooper

It is the quiet man from Hamilton

Football daft from his early years

Was taken from us while involved with grass roots football

Davie Cooper suffered a brain haemorrhage on 22 nd March 1995 at Broadwood Stadium

During this time he and former Celtic, Arsenal, Aberdeen and Scottish internationalist Charlie Nicholas were recording a coaching film for Scottish Television called “shoot”

He died in hospital the next day.

He was 39 years old.

He is buried in his home town of Hamilton where a statue of him remains to this day in remembrance of his talents

Walter Smith said of Davie Cooper

“God gave Davie Cooper a talent. He would not be disappointed how he used it”

So true these words were

The man known as

Super Cooper,

Coop,

Moody Blue

Albert

to supporter,  friends, team mates and colleagues he will never be forgotten

I mentioned earlier the invincibility I thought he had while playing with Clydebank

Well there were through my time watching him play

Many great memories to follow

Ilves Tamperes match

Free kick in the 3 vs 3 Aberdeen Cup Final (which Rangers won on penalties)

Ruud Gullit moment on STV (The Dutchman voted DC in his all time greatest eleven players)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPsAY3woRlw

The mix up with Ian Durrant on celebrating a Rangers goal against Celtic

The greatest goal ever scored by a Rangers player – Dryburgh cup final vs Celtic

Free kicks generally (two spring to mind though: St Mirren and Hibs but countless others)

The testimonial vs Bordeaux

The dribbling especially the solo goal vs Hearts

Scotland penalty against Wales  to take us to 86 world cup final

Hundreds more I am sure

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRZHAe3ARiw

Rangers have over time had great wingers

Willie Henderson, Bud Johnstone, Tommy McLean, Mark Walters, Brian Laudrup, Neil McCann and Vlad Weiss

None – not even the great Dane – match Davie Cooper

For what reason I hold him so dear?

Ability, Perseverance, Loyalty, Humility, Honesty

The fact he was taken so early from us and the sentimentality all that brings

It is all this and more

Summed up again in 7 never to be forgotten words

I PLAYED FOR THE TEAM I LOVED

Davie Cooper on the wing – never forgotten

http://www.holytownloyal.co.uk/legends-davie-cooper.asp