Rangers F.C.

For other uses, see Rangers F.C. (disambiguation).

Rangers Football Club

Full name	Rangers Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Gers, The Teddy Bears, The Light Blues
Founded	1872
Ground	Ibrox Stadium
Capacity	51,082
Owner	The Rangers Football Club Ltd
Manager	Ally McCoist
League	Scottish Third Division
2011–12	Scottish Premier League, 2nd
Website	Club website
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Rangers Football Club is a football club based in Glasgow, Scotland that plays in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Their home ground is the 51,082-capacity all-seater Ibrox Stadium in the south-west of the city.

Founded in 1872, Rangers were one of the ten founder members of the Scottish Football League, remaining in the top division until the end of the 2011–12 season, during which the company became insolvent and entered administration. After failing to agree a settlement with creditors, Rangers' assets, business and history were sold to a new company, to which the club's Scottish Football Association membership was subsequently transferred. Though an application for admittance to the Scottish Premier League was rejected, a successful application to the Scottish Football League secured Rangers a place in the Third Division for the 2012–13 season.

In domestic football Rangers have won more league titles and trebles than any other club in the world, winning the league title 54 times, the Scottish Cup 33 times and the Scottish League Cup 27 times, and achieving all three in the same season as the treble seven times. In European football, Rangers were the first British club to reach a UEFA tournament final. They won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 after being runner up twice in 1961 and 1967. A third runners up finish came in the UEFA Cup in 2008.

Rangers have a long-standing rivalry with Celtic, the two Glasgow clubs being collectively known as the Old Firm, since the late 19th century.

History

Main article: History of Rangers F.C.

See also: List of Rangers F.C. seasons and Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame

Formation and early years

The four founders of Rangers – brothers Moses and Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath – met in 1872. Rangers' first match, in May of that year, was a 0–0 friendly draw with Callander F.C. on the public pitches of Glasgow Green. In 1873, the club held its first annual meeting and staff were elected. By 1876 Rangers had their first international player, with Moses McNeil representing Scotland in a match against Wales, and by 1877 Rangers had reached a Scottish Cup final. The first ever Old Firm match took place in 1888, the year of Celtic's establishment. Rangers lost 5–2 in a friendly to a team composed largely of "guest players" from Hibernian

The 1890–91 season saw the inception of the Scottish Football League, and Rangers, now playing at the first Ibrox Stadium, were one of ten original members. The club's first ever league match on 16 August 1890 resulted in a 5–2 victory over Heart of Midlothian. After finishing equal-top with Dumbarton, a play-off held at Cathkin Park finished 2–2 and the title was shared for the only time in its history. Rangers' first ever Scottish Cup win came in 1894 after a 3–1 victory over rivals Celtic in the final. By the turn of the century Rangers had won two league titles and three Scottish Cups.

Bill Struth and Scot Symon

Taking over as manager from William Wilton in 1920, Bill Struth was Rangers' most successful manager, guiding the club to 14 league titles before the onset of the Second World War. On 2 January 1939 a British league attendance record was broken as 118,567 fans turned out to watch Rangers beat Celtic in the traditional new year holiday Old Firm match. Leading the club for 34 years until 1954, Struth won more trophies than any manager in Scottish Football history, amassing 18 league championships, 10 Scottish Cup, 2 League Cups, 7 war-time championships, 19 Glasgow Cups, 17 Glasgow Merchant Charity Cups and other war-time honours.

Scot Symon continued Struth's success, winning six league championships, five Scottish Cups and four League Cups, becoming the second manager to win the domestic treble in season 1963–64, the era of 'Slim' Jim Baxter, one of the club's greatest players.

Rangers reached the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1960, losing to German club Eintracht Frankfurt by a record aggregate 12–4 for a Scottish team. In 1961 Rangers became the first British team to reach a European final when they contested the Cup Winners' Cup final against Italian side Fiorentina, only to lose 4–1 on aggregate. Rangers lost again in the final of the same competition in 1967, losing 1–0 after extra time to Bayern Munich.

Ibrox disaster, European success and Jock Wallace

The Ibrox disaster occurred on 2 January 1971 when large scale crushing on a stairway exit at the culmination of the New Year's Day Old Firm game claimed 66 lives. An enquiry concluded that the crush was likely to have happened ten minutes after the final whistle and to have been triggered by someone falling on the stairs. A benefit match to raise funds for the victims' families took place after the disaster, a joint Rangers and Celtic team playing a Scotland XI at Hampden, watched by 81,405 fans.

In 1972, Rangers emerged from the tragedy of the previous year to finally achieve success on the European stage. A Colin Stein goal and a Willie Johnston double helped secure a 3-2 victory over FC Dynamo Moscow at the Nou Camp, Barcelona, to lift the European Cup Winners' Cup. Captain John Greig received the trophy in a small room within the Nou Camp following pitch invasions and rioting by Rangers fans. Rangers were banned from Europe for two years for the behaviour of their fans, later reduced on appeal to a year.

Emerging from the shadows of Jock Stein's Celtic side, Rangers regained ascendency with notable domestic success under the stewardship of manager Jock Wallace. In his first season in charge - the club's centenary - Rangers won the Scottish Cup at Hampden in front of 122,000 supporters. In 1974-1975, Wallace led Rangers to their first League championship triumph in eleven years, before capturing the treble of all three Scottish trophies the following season, repeating the historic feat in 1977-1978.

The Ibrox Disaster memorial statue, commemorating the 1971 tragedy

Nine in a row

Every year from the 1988–89 season until the 1996–97 season, Rangers won the league title. This nine-in-a-row achievement equalled Celtic's record, set prior to the forming of the Scottish Football League Premier Division, subsequent to which competing teams met 4 times a season. The first three of these seasons the club was managed by Graeme Souness, the latter six under the stewardship of Walter Smith.

Notable seasons included 1990–91, which culminated in a final day finale, Rangers securing a 2–0 victory at Ibrox over Aberdeen, who needed only a draw to secure the championship. Season 1992–93 was notable for a domestic treble of trophies, as well an extended run in the inaugural UEFA Champions League, the club at one stage only one goal from securing a place in the final.

Outstanding contributions from Player of the Season winners Ally McCoist (1991–92), Andy Goram (1992–93), Mark Hateley (1993–94), Brian Laudrup (1994–95 and 1996–97) and Paul Gascoigne (1995–96), were crucial to maintaining success. Rangers ninth consecutive championship title was secured at Tannadice Park on 7 May 1997, with a 1–0 victory over Dundee United. In addition to McCoist, only Richard Gough and Ian Ferguson won all 9 championship medals.

Dick Advocaat and McLeish

In 1998, Dutchman Dick Advocaat became the club's first foreign manager. Nine-in-a-row era stalwarts having moved on, Advocaat invested heavily in the team with immediate results, leading the club to their sixth domestic treble. The league championship was won with a 3–0 victory at Celtic Park on 2 May 1999. A second consecutive league title was won by a record 21 point margin, the club securing a domestic double with a 4–0 Scottish Cup final victory over Aberdeen. Rangers campaign in the Champions League was promising, defeating UEFA Cup winners Parma en route.

Advocaat's third season saw Rangers fail to compete domestically against Celtic under new manager Martin O’Neill. Despite investment in the team including Tore Andre Flo for a club record £12 million, European success beyond the Champions league group stages again proved elusive. After a slow start to the following season, Advocaat resigned from his post in December 2001 to be replaced as manager by Alex McLeish.

In his first full campaign, season 2002–03 saw McLeish become the sixth Rangers manager to deliver a domestic treble. The championship was won on goal difference during a dramatic final day 6-1 triumph over Dunfermline at Ibrox, securing Rangers' 50th league title, the first club in the world to achieve the feat. Major expenditure sanctioned by Chairman David Murray had burdened Rangers with considerable debts in the region of £52m. The club's worsening financial state saw many of the team's top players leave in the summer of 2003, the following season failing to deliver any trophies, only the second such occasion since 1985–86.

The 2004-05 season restored success to Rangers, who were boosted by signings such as Jean-Alain Boumsong, Dado Pršo and Nacho Novo, along with the return of former captain Barry Ferguson. The club's league championship triumph culminated in a dramatic last day finish. The destination of the trophy changed unexpectedly, with Celtic conceding late goals to Motherwell at Fir Park whilst Rangers led against Hibernian, requiring the helicopter carrying the SPL trophy to change direction and deliver the prize to the Easter Road ground in Leith.

Despite beginning as favourites to retain the championship, Rangers suffered an unprecedented run of poor results between September and November, a club record run of 10 games without a win. Included within this period, a 1–1 draw with Inter Milan took Rangers into the last 16 of the Champions League, the first Scottish team to achieve the feat since 1993, the club eventually exiting on the away goals rule to Villarreal. On 9 February 2006, it was announced by chairman David Murray that McLeish would be standing down as manager at the end of that season.

Paul Le Guen and Walter Smith return

Card display at Ibrox to welcome Paul Le Guen

Paul Le Guen replaced Alex McLeish as manager after season 2005–06. The season started poorly for Rangers, with an early exit from the League Cup whilst rivals Celtic built a commanding lead at the top of the table. In the UEFA Cup Rangers became the first Scottish side to qualify for the last 32 of the competition since the introduction of the group phase after finishing their group unbeaten. However, amid claims of disharmony between the manager and captain Barry Ferguson, it was announced on 4 January 2007 that Le Guen had left Rangers by mutual consent. On 10 January 2007, former boss Walter Smith resigned from his post as Scotland manager to return to the Ibrox helm, with Ally McCoist as assistant manager.

The 2008 UEFA Cup Final in Manchester which Rangers contested..

The following season Rangers contested the UEFA Cup after dropping into the competition from the Champions League. The club reached the final, defeating Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina along the way. The final in Manchester against Zenit St. Petersburg, who were managed by former Rangers manager Dick Advocaat, ended in a 2–0 defeat.

The 2008–09 season saw Rangers recover from an early exit from the UEFA Champions League to FBK Kaunas of Lithuania. The club secured their 52nd league championship on the last day of the season with a 3-0 victory of Dundee United at Tannadice. Rangers also successfully defended the Scottish Cup, a 33rd competition triumph, defeating Falkirk 1–0 in the final.

Despite financial problems preventing new signings and curtailing squad size, the 2009-10 season saw Rangers reach their fifth consecutive domestic final. Against St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup, the club overcame a two-men deficit from red cards, a late deciding goal from Kenny Miller securing a record 27th competition victory. The league championship title was retained with three matches remaining at Easter Road, defeating Hibernian 1–0 with a Kyle Lafferty goal. Smith's final season in charge saw Rangers retain the League Cup, defeating Celtic at Hampden with a Nikica Jelavić goal in extra time. A third consecutive title was won by beating Kilmarnock 5–1 on the last day of the season, Smith's final match in charge of the club.

Ally McCoist & Insolvency

Ally McCoist was announced as the new Rangers manager beginning in June 2011. McCoist's first competitive match in charge was against Hearts, ending in a 1–1 draw. Rangers lost 2–1 on aggregate to Swedish side Malmö FF in the Champions League third round qualifying match, and were then knocked out of Europe after losing 3–2 on aggregate in the Europa League qualifying match against Slovenian side Maribor. In the first Old Firm match of the 2011–12 season and McCoist's first in charge of the club Rangers won 4–2 at Ibrox. Good league form saw Rangers maintain top spot in the SPL and were unbeaten after 11 games. They were knocked out of the League Cup by Falkirk and the Scottish Cup by Dundee Utd at Ibrox.

Rangers financial problems and dispute with HMRC came to a head on 14 February 2012 when the business was placed into administration. Rangers were deducted 10 points as per SPL rules which extended Celtic's lead at the top of the league to 14 points. Rangers first game in administration was played in front of a sell-out crowd at Ibrox though they lost the game 1-0, and poor form continued with defeats to Hearts and Dundee United. The last significant game for Rangers in the 2011-12 season was the Old Firm game at Ibrox where a win for Celtic would see their rivals win the championship at Ibrox. Rangers won the match 3-2 however and ultimately finished the season in 2nd place behind Celtic.

A failure to reach agreement with creditors on 14 June 2012 led to The Rangers Football Club plc (since renamed RFC 2012 plc) entering liquidation and its business, assets and history were then sold to a new company, Sevco Scotland Limited, which was later renamed The Rangers Football Club Ltd. This company then applied for the transfer of Rangers' SFA membership which was agreed by the SFA upon acceptance of a number of conditions, including a one year transfer ban (taking effect from the end of that summer's transfer window). Though an application for membership of the Scottish Premier League was rejected, an application to the Scottish Football League was successful with member clubs deciding to place Rangers in the bottom division, the Third, for the start of the 2012-13 season rather than the First Division as had been proposed.

Rangers' new start in Division 3 got under way with a 2-2 draw away to Peterhead, followed by a 5-1 victory over East Stirlingshire in front of a crowd of 49,118 at Ibrox, a record for a football match in a 4th tier league. In the Scottish Challenge Cup, Rangers are in the third round having knocked out Brechin City with a 2-1 win in round one, then Falkirk in the next round with a 1-0 victory.

Club crest

Rangers FC have two different club badges, both of which have underwent minor variations since introduction. The scroll badge, representing the letters RFC overlapping, has been used since the club's formation in 1872. The scroll badge has appeared on club shirts from 1968–Present, and also features regularly on club merchandise. After a successful end to the season in 2003, which delivered Rangers a Domestic Treble and their 50th league title; five stars were added to the top of the scroll badge, one for every ten titles won by the club.

A circular club badge was adopted in 1959 and featured a lion rampant, an old-style football and the club's motto Ready, which was shortened from Aye Ready (meaning Always Ready in Scots), all surrounded by the team name, Rangers Football Club. The circular badge was modernised in 1969; the lion rampant, team name, club motto and old style football all remained. The modern circular badge is regularly used on club merchandise and by the media; it has never featured prominently on the club strip.

Rangers FC crests

• Scroll crest since formation in 1872.
  Scroll crest since formation in 1872
• The modified scroll crest worn 2003 - Present
  The modified scroll crest worn 2003 - Present
• Lion rampant club crest 1959 - 1969.
  Lion rampant club crest 1959 - 1969

Kit

The club colours of Rangers F.C. are royal blue, white and red. However, for the majority of the first forty-eight years of Rangers existence the club played in a plain lighter blue home shirt. The only deviation from this was a four season period from 1879 when the side wore a light blue hooped shirt. Traditionally this is accompanied by white shorts (often with royal blue and/or red trim) and black socks with red turn-downs. Rangers moved from the lighter shade of blue to royal blue in 1921, and have had a royal blue home shirt every year since. Black socks were first included in 1883 for five seasons before disappearing for eight years but became a more permanent fixture from 1896 onwards. When the red turn-downs were added to the socks in 1904, the strip began to look more like the modern day Rangers home kit. Occasionally the home kit will be altered by the shorts and socks, sometimes replacing the black socks with white ones; or replacing the white shorts and black socks combination with royal blue shorts and socks.

The basic design of Rangers away strips has changed far more than the traditional home strip. White and red have been the most common colours for Rangers alternate strips, though dark and light blue have also featured highly. In 1994 Rangers introduced a third kit. This is usually worn if both the home and away kits clash with their opponents. The colours used in the third kits have included combinations of white, red, dark and light blue as well as black.

Rangers home kits through history
The blue shirt, white shorts and blue & white hooped socks. Worn 1873–1879	The blue & white hooped shirt, white shorts and blue & white hooped socks. Worn 1879–1883	The blue shirt, white shorts and black socks. Worn 1883–1888 and 1896-1904	The royal blue shirt with white collar and black socks with red tops. Worn 1921–1968	The royal blue shirt and red socks with white tops. Worn 1968–1973.	The royal blue shirt and black socks with red tops. Worn 1973-1978

Sponsors and manufacturers

When Rangers played French sides AJ Auxerre and RC Strasbourg in the 1996–97 UEFA Champions League and the 1996–97 UEFA Cup respectively, due to a French ban on alcohol advertising the team wore the logo of Center Parcs.

Year	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
1978–1984	Umbro	None
1984–1987		CR Smith
1987–1990		McEwan's Lager
1990–1992	Admiral
1992–1997	Adidas
1997–1999	Nike
1999–2002		NTL
2002–2003	Diadora
2003–2005		Carling
2005–2010	Umbro
2010–2013		Tennent's

Stadium and training facility

Main articles: Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park

The club used a variety of grounds in Glasgow as a venue for home matches in the years between 1872 and 1899. The first was Flesher's Haugh, situated on Glasgow Green, followed by Burnbank in the Kelvinbridge area of the city, and then Kinning Park for ten years from the mid-1870s to the mid-1880s. From February of the 1886–87 season, Cathkin Park was used until the first Ibrox Park, in the Ibrox area of south-west Glasgow, was inaugurated for the following season. Ibrox Stadium in its current incarnation was originally designed by the architect Archibald Leitch, a Rangers fan who also played a part in the design of, among others, Old Trafford in Manchester and Highbury in London. The stadium was inaugurated on 30 December 1899, and Rangers defeated Hearts 3–1 in the first match held there.

A panorama of Ibrox Stadium from the Broomloan Road End. This picture was taken during the first match of the 2011/12 SPL season, Rangers vs Heart of Midlothian.

Rangers' training facility is located in Auchenhowie, Glasgow. The facility is known as Murray Park after former chairman and owner Sir David Murray. It was proposed by then-manager Dick Advocaat upon his arrival at the club in 1998. It was completed in 2001 at a cost of £14 million. Murray Park was the first purpose-built facility of its kind in Scotland, and incorporates features including nine football pitches, a state of the art gym, a hydrotherapy pool, and a video-editing suite. Rangers' youth teams are also accommodated at Murray Park, with around 140 players between under-10 and under-19 age groups using the training centre. Various first-team players have come through the ranks at Murray Park, including Alan Hutton, Chris Burke, Stevie Smith, John Fleck and Charlie Adam. International club teams playing in Scotland, as well as national sides, have previously used Murray Park for training, and Advocaat's South Korea team used it for training prior to the 2006 World Cup.

Supporters

Main article: Rangers F.C. Supporters

See also: Rangers Supporters' Trust, Follow Follow (fanzine), and 2008 UEFA Cup Final riots

Rangers FC are one of the best supported clubs in Europe, with an average attendance that is consistently one of the highest on the continent, the figure for the 2011-12 season being the 19th largest home league attendance. The club's website lists over 150 supporters clubs in Britain, with 95 further clubs spread across over 20 countries around the world. Rangers fans have contributed to several records for high attendances, including the highest home attendance for a British league fixture, 118,657 on 2 January 1939.

In 2008, an estimated 150,000 Rangers supporters, many without match tickets, travelled to Manchester for the UEFA Cup Final. Despite most supporters behaving "impeccably", a minority of fans rioted in the city centre, clashing violently with police and damaging property.

A panorama of Rangers supporters at the 2008 UEFA Cup final, in the Piccadilly Gardens fan zone. This picture was taken during the day before the match against Zenit Saint Petersburg on 14 May 2008.

Rivalries

The club's most distinct rivalry is with Glasgow neighbours Celtic F.C; the two clubs are collectively known as the Old Firm, though they are not currently playing in the same league. Rangers' traditional support is largely drawn from the Protestant Unionist community, whilst Celtic's traditional support is largely drawn from the Catholic community. The first Old Firm match was won by Celtic and there have been nearly four hundred matches played to date. The Old Firm rivalry has fuelled many assaults, sometimes leading to deaths, on Old Firm derby days; an activist group that monitors sectarian activity in Glasgow has reported that on Old Firm weekends, admissions to hospital emergency rooms have increased over normal levels and journalist Franklin Foer noted that in the period from 1996 to 2003, eight deaths in Glasgow were directly linked to Old Firm matches, as well as hundreds of assaults.

The rivalry with Aberdeen began in the late 1970s when the two clubs were among the strongest in Scotland. Relations between fans were further soured during a league match on 8 October 1988, when Aberdeen player Neil Simpson's tackle on Rangers' Ian Durrant resulted in Durrant being injured for two years. Resentment continued and in 1998 an article in Rangers pre-match programme branded Aberdeen fans "scum", although Rangers later issued a "full and unreserved apology" to Aberdeen and their supporters, which was accepted by Aberdeen.

Sectarian chanting

Sectarian chanting by supporters has incurred criticism and sanctions upon the club. In 1999, the vice chairman of The Rangers Football Club Plc, Donald Findlay, resigned after being filmed singing sectarian songs during a supporters club event. UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body have punished Rangers for incidents during European ties, most notably Villareal CF in 2006, Osasuna in 2007, and PSV Eindhoven in 2011.

Sectarianism

Main article: Sectarianism in Glasgow

During the 19th century, many immigrants came to Glasgow from Ireland – this was a time of considerable anti-Catholic and anti-Irish sentiment in Scotland. The early success of Celtic, a club associated with the Irish and Catholic community, has been described as sharpening Rangers' Protestant Unionist identity, contributing to the eventual absence of openly Catholic players from the team. From the early 20th century onwards, Catholics were not knowingly signed by the club, nor employed in other prominent roles as an 'unwritten rule'.

In 1989, Rangers signed Maurice "Mo" Johnston, "their first major Roman Catholic signing". Johnston was the highest-profile Catholic to sign for the club since the World War I era, though other Catholics had signed for Rangers before. Since Johnston's signing, an influx of overseas footballers has contributed to Catholic players becoming common place at Rangers. In 1999 Lorenzo Amoruso became the first Catholic captain of the club.

Rangers partnered with Celtic to form the 'Old Firm Alliance', an initiative aimed at educating children from across Glasgow about issues like healthy eating and fitness, as well as awareness of anti-social behaviour, sectarianism and racism. The club's 'Follow With Pride' campaign was launched in 2007 to improve the club's image and build on previous anti-racist, anti-sectarian campaigns. William Gallard, UEFA's Director Of Communications, commended the SFA and Scottish clubs, including Rangers, for their actions in fighting discrimination. In September 2007, UEFA praised Rangers for the measures the club has taken against sectarianism.

Ownership and finances

Main articles: Ownership of Rangers F.C., Administration and liquidation of The Rangers Football Club Plc, and The Rangers Football Club Ltd

Incorporation to limited company and then to a PLC

Rangers Football Club became a limited company on 27 May 1899 when it was incorporated as The Rangers Football Club Ltd. It continued in this form until, in 2000, David Murray decided to list the company on the stock exchange, making it a public limited company. The name of the company was therefore changed to The Rangers Football Club PLC.

Craig Whyte and administration

On 6 May 2011, Craig Whyte bought David Murray's shares for £1. On 13 February 2012. Whyte filed legal papers at the Court of Session giving notice of their intention to appoint administrators. The next day, The Rangers Football Club plc - which was subsequently renamed RFC 2012 plc - entered administration over non-payment of £9 million in PAYE and VAT taxes to HM Revenue and Customs. In April the administrators estimated that the club's total debts could top £134m.

On 25 June 2012, the Crown Office asked Strathclyde Police to investigate the purchase of Rangers and the club's subsequent financial management during Whytes tenure.

Liquidation of Plc and current ownership

Sevco 5088 Ltd was formed on 29 May 2012 as a means for Charles Green to acquire the assets of The Rangers Football Club plc (subsequently renamed RFC 2012 plc), should it go into liquidation. Green agreed a deal with the administrators of Rangers to purchase its assets for a £5.5million fee if a proposed CVA were to be rejected.

On 14 June 2012, the formal rejection of the proposed CVA meant that the company would enter the liquidation process. The accountancy firm BDO were appointed to reveal why the company running the club failed.

Hours after the CVA's rejection, Green completed the purchase of the assets and various contracts for Sevco 5088 Ltd. The company acquired Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park along with various other assets including intellectual property, goodwill and various contracts. The assets were then transferred to a company called Sevco Scotland Ltd which changed its name to 'The Rangers Football Club Ltd' at the end of July, 2012. Thereafter, an application to the Scottish Football League was successful with Rangers securing associate membership and a place in the 4th tier of Scottish Football, Division 3, for the 2012–13 season. Agreement was reached on the transfer of SFA membership, with the new company accepting a number of conditions relating to the old company.

As a result of Rangers' "assets, business and history" being sold to a new company when The Rangers Football Club plc (subsequently renamed as RFC 2012 plc) entered the liquidation process, the extent to which Rangers can be regarded as a continuation of the club officially founded in 1872 has been interpreted differently. The Rangers Football Club has been described by some in the mainstream media as a "new club", whilst Chief Executive Charles Green has maintained "this is still Rangers", with the SPL chairman Neil Doncaster saying "it is an existing club, even though it's a new company".

Rangers Charity Foundation

The Rangers Charity Foundation was created in 2002 and participates in a wide range of charitable work, regularly involving Rangers staff and star players. The foundation also has partnerships with UNICEF, The Prostate Cancer Charity and Erskine, and is responsible for over £2.3 million in donations. As well as fundraising, the Rangers Charity Foundation regularly bring sick, disabled and disadvantaged children to attend matches and tours at Ibrox, with the chance to meet the players.

Records

Main article: List of Rangers F.C. records and statistics

Club

Record league percentage win

100% 1898-1899

Record home attendance

118,567 vs Celtic, 2 January 1939

World record fourth tier attendance

49,118 vs East Stirling 18 August 2012

Highest Scoring Match

14–2 vs Blairgowrie 1934

Record league victory

10–0 vs Hibernian, 24 December 1898

World record league titles won

54

World record trebles won

7

Player

All players are from Scotland unless otherwise stated.

Record appearances

John Greig, 755, 1960–1978

Record goalscorer

Ally McCoist, 355 goals, 1983–1998

Most league goals

Ally McCoist, 251 goals

Most Scottish caps whilst playing at Rangers

Ally McCoist, 60 caps 61 in total

Players

First team squad

As of August 2012 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	GK	SCO	Neil Alexander
—	GK	SCO	Scott Gallacher
—	DF	GRE	Anestis Argyriou
—	DF	SCO	Darren Cole
—	DF	BRA	Emílson Cribari
—	DF	FRA	Sébastien Faure
—	DF	NIR	Chris Hegarty
—	DF	SCO	Ross Perry
—	DF	SCO	Lee Wallace
—	MF	SCO	Ian Black
—	MF	NIR	Matty Clarke
—	MF	SCO	Robbie Crawford
—	MF	SCO	Kyle Hutton

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	MF	SCO	Lewis MacLeod
—	MF	SCO	Lee McCulloch
—	MF	NIR	Andrew Mitchell
—	MF	NIR	Dean Shiels
—	MF	SCO	David Templeton
—	MF	POL	Kamil Wiktorski
—	FW	ENG	Kane Hemmings
—	FW	SCO	Kevin Kyle
—	FW	NIR	Andrew Little
—	FW	SCO	Barrie McKay
—	FW	SCO	Kal Naismith
—	FW	ESP	Francisco Sandaza
—	FW	AUS	Francesco Stella

Out on Loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
—	DF	ROU	Dorin Goian (at Spezia Calcio until the end of the 2012–13 season)
—	DF	USA	Carlos Bocanegra (at Racing Santander until the end of the 2012–13 season)

Reserve and Under-19 squad

For Rangers' reserve and under-19 squads, see Rangers F.C. Reserve and Youth squads.

International players

For a list of Rangers' past and present international players, see List of Rangers F.C. international footballers.

Notable players

For a list of notable rangers players, see List of Rangers F.C. players.

Backroom staff

As of August 2012

Position	Name
Manager	Ally McCoist
Assistant Manager	Kenny McDowall
First Team Coach	Ian Durrant
Goalkeeping Coach	Jim Stewart
Fitness Coach	Adam Owen
Head of Football Administration	Andrew Dickson
Physiotherapist	Philip Yeates
Doctor	Dr Paul Jackson
Kit Controller	Jimmy Bell
Kit Controller	David Lavery
Team Analyst	Steve Harvey

Team managers

For a list of team managers, see List of Rangers F.C. managers.

Honours

See also: Reserve Honours, Youth Honours, and Rangers Honours

As of August 2012

Domestic honours

• Scottish League Championships: 54

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, 2009, 2010, 2011

• Scottish Cup: 33

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, 2008, 2009

• Scottish League Cup: 27

1947, 1949, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011

• Drybrough Cup

1979

European honours

Main article: Rangers F.C. in European football

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1

1972

Doubles and trebles

• Scottish Cup, League Cup, League Title: 7

1948-1949, 1963-1964, 1975-1976, 1977-1978, 1992-1993, 1998-1999, 2002-2003

• Scottish Cup and League Cup: 4

1962, 1979, 2002, 2008

• Scottish Cup and League Title: 9

1927-1928, 1929-1930, 1933-1934, 1934-1935, 1962-1963, 1991-1992, 1995-1996, 1999-2000, 2008-2009

• League Cup and League Title: 10

1947, 1961, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1997, 2005, 2010, 2011

Notable statistics

Rangers became the first British side to reach a European final in 1961.

See also

• Football in Scotland
• Richest Football Clubs
• Old Firm
• Rangers F.C. (Superleague Formula team)
• Rangers TV
• Rangers L.F.C.
• Broxi Bear
• Iron Curtain

References

Notes;

General;

Specific;

• Gallagher, Tom (1987). Glasgow, the Uneasy Peace: Religious Tension in Modern Scotland, 1819-1914. Manchester University Press ND. ISBN 0719023963, 9780719023965. Retrieved 18 August 2012. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
• Souness, Graeme & Gallacher, Ken (1989). Graeme Souness: A Manager's Diary. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 185158224X, 9781851582242. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Murray, William J. (2000). The Old Firm: Sectarianism, Sport and Society in Scotland. John Donald Publishers. ISBN 0859765423, 9780859765428. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
• Ferrier, Bob and McElroy, Robert (1990). Glasgow Rangers: Player by Player. The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-85223-404-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Ferrier, Bob and McElroy, Robert (1998). Glasgow Rangers: Player by Player. The Crowood Press. ISBN 0-600-59495-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Ferrier, Bob and McElroy, Robert (2005). Rangers: The Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-481-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Further reading

• General Books LLC (2010). Scottish Football Clubs Statistics. General Books LLC. ISBN 1156866057, 9781156866054. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
• Kuper, Simon. Football Against the Enemy. Orion. ISBN 0-7528-4877-1.
• Giulianotti, Richard (1999). Football: A Sociology of the Global Game. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0745617697, 9780745617695. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
• Armstrong, Gary & Giulianotti, Richard (1 Jun 2001). Fear and loathing in world football. Berg Publishers. ISBN 1 85973 463 4. Retrieved 15 August 2012.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Potter, David; Jones, Phil (2011). The Encyclopedia of Scottish Football. Pitch Publishing. ISBN 1908051108. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
• Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack (4 August 2011). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2011-12. Headline. ISBN 0755362322. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
• Romanos, Joseph (2010). Great Sporting Rivals (Large Print 16pt). ReadHowYouWant.com. ISBN 1458779661, 9781458779663. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
• Scott, Les (2008). End to End Stuff. Random House. ISBN 0593060687, 9780593060681. Retrieved 24 August 2012. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)

External links

Official

• "Offical Website". rangers.co.uk. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
• "Rangers F.C". Scottish Football League. August 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
• "Rangers F.C". Scottish Premier League. May 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
• "Rangers F.C". Fifa. 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
• "Rangers Supporters Trust". Rangers Supporters Trust. Retrieved 26 August 2012.

News

• Rangers F.C. on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures
• "Rangers F.C". Sky Sports. Retrieved 26 August 2012.

Social media

• Official Facebook Page on Facebook
• Official Twitter Page on X

Fan sites

• "Rangers F.C". 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2012.