Jump to content

Rangers F.C.: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Content deleted Content added
Line 72: Line 72:
<b>[[Paul Le Guen]]</b> replaced Alex McLeish as manager after season 2005-06. Known for unearthing and nurturing young talent, Le Guen made an immediate splash in the transfer market signing South African Under-19 player [[Dean Furman]] from [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], and youngsters [[William Stanger]] and [[Antoine Ponroy]] from [[Stade Rennais FC|Rennes]]. While allowing Ibrox favourite Alex Rae to move to a new career as player-manager of [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee]], [[Peter Løvenkrands]] to go to [[Schalke 04]] and [[Sotirios Kyrgiakos]] to [[Eintracht Frankfurt]]. Other notable signings include [[Karl Svensson]] from [[IFK Göteborg]] in addition to Czech national [[Libor Sionko]] and Slovakian striker [[Filip Sebo]] both signed in early August from [[Austria Vienna]], where they had been part of the previous season's double-winning side. Rangers had been strongly linked with a host of other players and signed midfielder [[Jeremy Clement]] from Lyon and goalkeeper [[Lionel Letizi]] from [[Paris St Germain]] as a replacement for the departing [[Ronald Waterreus]]. Senegalese midfield player [[Makhtar N'Diaye]] signed a one-year contract after a short trial period with the club. Also in August, Rangers signed the 19-year-old winger [[Lee Martin (footballer)|Lee Martin]] and defender [[Phil Bardsley]] on loan from [[Manchester United]] for a season. On [[August 31]], [[2006]], Rangers agreed terms with Austria Vienna's [[Bosnians|Bosnian]] defender [[Saša Papac]].
<b>[[Paul Le Guen]]</b> replaced Alex McLeish as manager after season 2005-06. Known for unearthing and nurturing young talent, Le Guen made an immediate splash in the transfer market signing South African Under-19 player [[Dean Furman]] from [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], and youngsters [[William Stanger]] and [[Antoine Ponroy]] from [[Stade Rennais FC|Rennes]]. While allowing Ibrox favourite Alex Rae to move to a new career as player-manager of [[Dundee F.C.|Dundee]], [[Peter Løvenkrands]] to go to [[Schalke 04]] and [[Sotirios Kyrgiakos]] to [[Eintracht Frankfurt]]. Other notable signings include [[Karl Svensson]] from [[IFK Göteborg]] in addition to Czech national [[Libor Sionko]] and Slovakian striker [[Filip Sebo]] both signed in early August from [[Austria Vienna]], where they had been part of the previous season's double-winning side. Rangers had been strongly linked with a host of other players and signed midfielder [[Jeremy Clement]] from Lyon and goalkeeper [[Lionel Letizi]] from [[Paris St Germain]] as a replacement for the departing [[Ronald Waterreus]]. Senegalese midfield player [[Makhtar N'Diaye]] signed a one-year contract after a short trial period with the club. Also in August, Rangers signed the 19-year-old winger [[Lee Martin (footballer)|Lee Martin]] and defender [[Phil Bardsley]] on loan from [[Manchester United]] for a season. On [[August 31]], [[2006]], Rangers agreed terms with Austria Vienna's [[Bosnians|Bosnian]] defender [[Saša Papac]].


Since taking over, Le Guen has told a number of players that they are surplus to requirements, including [[Nacho Novo]], [[Marvin Andrews]], [[Olivier Bernard]], [[Hamed Namouchi]], [[Bob Malcolm]] and [[Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan]]. Namouchi was the first of these to leave, completing a £450,000 move to [[FC Lorient]] on [[August 24]]. While Andrews, Bernard, Fanfan and Malcolm were all released from their player contracts at the close of the summer [[transfer window]], effectively making them free agents to sign anywhere without having to adhere transfer dates or receiving any compensation from their new prospective clubs.
Since taking over, Le Guen has told a number of players that they are surplus to requirements, including [[Nacho Novo]], [[Marvin Andrews]], [[Olivier Bernard]], [[Hamed Namouchi]], [[Bob Malcolm]] and [[Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan]]. Namouchi was the first of these to leave, completing a £450,000 move to [[FC Lorient]] on [[August 24]]. Andrews, Bernard, Fanfan and Malcolm were all released from their player contracts at the close of the summer [[transfer window]], effectively making them free agents to sign anywhere without having to adhere transfer dates or receiving any compensation from their new prospective clubs.


==Stadium==
==Stadium==

Revision as of 01:09, 1 November 2006

Rangers redirects here. See Ranger for other meanings.
Rangers F.C.
File:Rangers.png
Full nameRangers Football Club
Nickname(s)The Gers, Teddy Bears, Light Blues.
Founded1873
GroundIbrox Stadium
Glasgow
Lanarkshire, Scotland
Capacity51,444
ChairmanScotland David Murray
ManagerFrance Paul Le Guen
LeagueScottish Premier League
2005-2006Scottish Premier League, 3rd

Rangers Football Club is a football club from Glasgow, Scotland, which plays in the Scottish Premier League.

The club's home is one of 29 UEFA five-star stadia, the all-seated Ibrox Stadium in south west Glasgow, with a capacity of 51,444.

Rangers players today are multi-national and of various religions, although the club has traditionally been identified with the Protestant Unionist community of Scotland. For most of their history, Rangers have enjoyed a fierce rivalry with their cross-city opponents Celtic F.C.

The club's correct name is simply Rangers F.C. although it is sometimes incorrectly called Glasgow Rangers. This frequently happens with English commentators seeking to distinguish between them and other similarly-named clubs, particularly Queens Park Rangers F.C.

The club is nicknamed The Teddy Bears, from the rhyming slang for Gers (short for Rangers), and the fans are known to each other as 'Bluenoses'.

History

The Old Firm and Sectarianism

The term sectarian refers to a group who belongs to a religious and cultural sect, and display contempt, hatred or dislike of all others, not belonging to their sect.

In the context of Scottish football, sectarianism is beyond the control of any individual club - it is a much wider issue, rooted in social, cultural, historical and religious circumstances.

The sectarianism which exists between the Old Firm is between Protestants and Roman Catholics. During the late 19th century, many Protestant and Catholic immigrants came to Glasgow from Ireland. This was around the same time that both Old Firm clubs were founded (Rangers in 1873 and Celtic in 1888). Most of the Protestants decided to support Rangers whereas the Catholics supported Celtic. Therefore, the idea of Rangers being the 'Protestant club' and Celtic the 'Catholic club' became popular and the sectarian element to the Old Firm rivalry grew from then onwards.

Both Rangers and Celtic now accept that they have a problem with sectarianism. Both clubs admit that a proportion of their supporters have been, and continue to be, guilty of perpetuating sectarian and partisan beliefs as well as cultural intolerance.

In recent times, both Rangers and Celtic have taken measures to combat sectarianism. Working alongside the Scottish Parliament, church groups, schools and community organisations, the Old Firm has made efforts to clamp down on sectarian songs, inflammatory flag-waving, and troublesome supporters, using increased levels of policing and surveillance.[1]

On 12 April 2006, following an investigation into the conduct of Rangers supporters at both legs of their UEFA Champions League tie against Villarreal CF, the Control and Disciplinary Body of UEFA declared the Rangers fans not guilty of alleged discriminatory chants. [2]. UEFA challenged the ruling, and their Appeals Body partially upheld the appeal [3], fining the Ibrox club £13,500, and warning the club as to their responsibility for any future misconduct by their fans in relation to sectarian and discriminatory behaviour [4].

On 9 June 2006, Rangers, in conjunction with representatives from several supporters clubs, announced that they would comply with three UEFA directives:

  • The club is "ordered to announce measurable targets in order to reduce sectarian behaviour amongst its supporters".
  • The club is "to control their anti-sectarian activities by producing comprehensive statistics that are communicated to the public".
  • The club is "to make a public address announcement at every official fixture, be it international or domestic, stating that any sectarian chanting and any form of the song Billy Boys is strictly prohibited". [5]

UEFA have previously stated that bigotry, which could apply to songs like Billy Boys is not to be permitted at football grounds.

Under Alex McLeish (2001-2006)

For full article about Alex McLeish at Rangers, click here.

Alex McLeish's four-and-a-half-year spell at Ibrox was a turbulent one, coming as it did after the wastefulness of the Advocaat era. McLeish never enjoyed access to the funds his predecessors had been given, and his managership was marked by wildly-fluctuating fortunes, in part caused by forced asset stripping of his best players due to the spectre of debt from Advocaat's spending.

His appointment in December 2001 [6] was met with a lukewarm reaction amongst many Rangers supporters. Some viewed it as symptomatic of the downsizing of the club's ambitions [citation needed], while others saw in McLeish a manager whose mixed fortunes at Hibernian and Motherwell left him ill-equipped to cope with the demands of managing Rangers [citation needed].

Some of the honours that Rangers attained while under McLeish include two League Championships, including the fabled 'Helicopter Sunday' [7], two Scottish Cups and three League Cups. During this time, the club became the first Scottish side to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, yet there was still significant pressure on McLeish from fans due to the club's poor position in the domestic league table.

It was widely felt - and publicised - that chairman David Murray would let McLeish go after the European campaign had finished [citation needed], and a press conference arranged two days after the final group match seemed to confirm this. After signs that supporter unrest was turning on Murray, on 9 February, 2006, two days before the crucial Old Firm match, it was announced that Alex McLeish would leave his position as manager at the end of the 2005-06 season [8], and on 11 March, it was confirmed that former Lyon manager Paul Le Guen would indeed succeed him at the end of the season [9].

A new era

Template:Dab current

File:Rangers2dundeeunited2carddisplay.jpg
Card display at Ibrox to welcome Paul Le Guen.

Paul Le Guen replaced Alex McLeish as manager after season 2005-06. Known for unearthing and nurturing young talent, Le Guen made an immediate splash in the transfer market signing South African Under-19 player Dean Furman from Chelsea, and youngsters William Stanger and Antoine Ponroy from Rennes. While allowing Ibrox favourite Alex Rae to move to a new career as player-manager of Dundee, Peter Løvenkrands to go to Schalke 04 and Sotirios Kyrgiakos to Eintracht Frankfurt. Other notable signings include Karl Svensson from IFK Göteborg in addition to Czech national Libor Sionko and Slovakian striker Filip Sebo both signed in early August from Austria Vienna, where they had been part of the previous season's double-winning side. Rangers had been strongly linked with a host of other players and signed midfielder Jeremy Clement from Lyon and goalkeeper Lionel Letizi from Paris St Germain as a replacement for the departing Ronald Waterreus. Senegalese midfield player Makhtar N'Diaye signed a one-year contract after a short trial period with the club. Also in August, Rangers signed the 19-year-old winger Lee Martin and defender Phil Bardsley on loan from Manchester United for a season. On August 31, 2006, Rangers agreed terms with Austria Vienna's Bosnian defender Saša Papac.

Since taking over, Le Guen has told a number of players that they are surplus to requirements, including Nacho Novo, Marvin Andrews, Olivier Bernard, Hamed Namouchi, Bob Malcolm and Jose-Karl Pierre-Fanfan. Namouchi was the first of these to leave, completing a £450,000 move to FC Lorient on August 24. Andrews, Bernard, Fanfan and Malcolm were all released from their player contracts at the close of the summer transfer window, effectively making them free agents to sign anywhere without having to adhere transfer dates or receiving any compensation from their new prospective clubs.

Stadium

Ibrox was inaugurated on December 30, 1899, Rangers defeated Hearts 3-1 in the first match held there.

The stands in the ground are: The Bill Struth Main Stand (Front and Rear), Govan Stand (Front and Rear), and the Copland and Broomloan Stands (both Front and Rear) which are behind the goals. In addition to these, there are also the East and West Enclosures (between Copland and Govan and Broomloan and Govan Stands respectively), the Club Deck (above the Main Stand Rear) and the new Bar 72 area, situated in the Govan Stand. After work in summer 2006, the total capacity of Ibrox is 51,044. On August 22 2006, Rangers announced that the Main Stand would be renamed The Bill Struth Main Stand in September 2006 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of their former manager Bill Struth who served as manager of Rangers for 34 years.[10]

Famous players

Famous past and present players at Ibrox include:

¹ - Player is included in the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame.

² - Player is currently playing for the club.

Team managers

Name Period
Scotland William Wilton 1899–1920
Scotland Bill Struth 1920–1954
Scotland Scott Symon 1954–1967
Scotland David White 1967–1969
Scotland William Waddell 1969–1972
Scotland Jock Wallace 1972–1978
Scotland John Greig 1978–1983
Scotland Jock Wallace 1983–1986
Scotland Graeme Souness 1986–1991
Scotland Walter Smith 1991–1998
Netherlands Dick Advocaat 1998–2001
Scotland Alex McLeish 2001–2006
France Paul Le Guen 2006–Present

Current squad

2006-07 Transfers

For a list of Rangers' 2006-07 transfers, see Rangers F.C. season 2006-07

First-team squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Germany GER Stefan Klos
4 MF Belgium BEL Thomas Buffel
5 DF Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Saša Papac
6 MF Scotland SCO Barry Ferguson (captain)
7 MF France FRA Brahim Hemdani
8 MF France FRA Jérémy Clément
9 FW Croatia CRO Dado Pršo
10 FW Spain ESP Nacho Novo
11 MF Scotland SCO Gavin Rae
14 MF Czech Republic CZE Libor Sionko
15 FW Scotland SCO Kris Boyd
16 DF England ENG Phillip Bardsley (on loan from Man. United)
17 MF Scotland SCO Chris Burke
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF Scotland SCO Ian Murray
19 DF Sweden SWE Karl Svensson
20 DF Scotland SCO Alan Hutton
21 GK France FRA Lionel Letizi
22 GK Scotland SCO Allan McGregor
23 FW Slovakia SVK Filip Šebo
25 MF Scotland SCO Charlie Adam
26 DF Scotland SCO Steven Smith
27 DF France FRA Julien Rodriguez
28 DF France FRA Antoine Ponroy
29 FW France FRA William Stanger
30 MF Senegal SEN Makhtar N'Diaye
32 MF England ENG Lee Martin (on loan from Man. United)

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 Netherlands NED Fernando Ricksen (on loan to Zenit Saint Petersburg)

Reserve & Youth Squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
34 GK England ENG Lee Robinson
35 FW Scotland SCO Derek Carcary
37 MF Scotland SCO Brian Gilmour
39 FW England ENG Moses Ashikodi
41 DF Scotland SCO Alan Lowing
42 MF Scotland SCO Steven Lennon
43 MF Scotland SCO Sam Woods
44 MF Scotland SCO Paul Emslie
45 FW Scotland SCO Rory Loy
46 DF Scotland SCO Martin Ure
47 MF South Africa RSA Dean Furman
49 DF Scotland SCO Jordan McMillan
-- GK Scotland SCO Joe Sagar
50 DF Scotland SCO Michael Donald
No. Pos. Nation Player
53 MF Scotland SCO William McLachlan
54 DF Scotland SCO Scott Hadden
55 DF Scotland SCO Ross Harvey
56 FW Scotland SCO Chris Craig
57 MF Scotland SCO Steven Kinniburgh
58 GK Scotland SCO Scott Gallacher
59 DF Scotland SCO Andrew Shinnie
66 FW Ivory Coast CIV Lacine Cheriff
68 DF Scotland SCO Chris Smith
70 MF Scotland SCO John Fleck
-- MF Belgium BEL Jeroen van den Broeck
-- FW Northern Ireland NIR Andrew Little
-- FW Scotland SCO Archie Campbell

Players out on loan:

Non-playing staff

Boardroom

  • Chairman: David Murray
  • Chief Executive: Martin Bain
  • Football Administrator: Andrew Dickson
  • Director of Finance: Donald McIntyre
  • Operations Executive: Laurence MacIntyre
  • Director: John Greig
  • Non-Executive Director: John McClelland
  • Non-Executive Director: Alastair Johnston
  • Non-Executive Director: David Cunningham King
  • Non-Executive Director: Donald Wilson

Management

  • Manager: Paul Le Guen
  • Assistant Manager: Yves Colleu
  • Reserve Coach: Ian Durrant
  • Under-19 Coach: Billy Kirkwood
  • Coach: Tommy Wilson
  • Head of Youth Football: Jim Sinclair
  • Goalkeeping Coach: Billy Thompson
  • Community Coach: Craig Mulholland
  • Club Doctor: Dr Ian McGuiness
  • Physiotherapist: Joel Le Hir
  • Physiotherapist: Davie Henderson
  • Fitness Coach: Stephane Wiertelak
  • Video Analysis: Steve Harvey
  • Kit Controller: Jimmy Bell

Club records

Record home attendance: 118,567 .v. Celtic, January 1939

Record victory: 13-0 .v. Possilpark, Scottish Cup, October 1877

Record league victory: 10-0 .v. Hibernian, December 1898

Record defeat: 2-10 .v. Airdrieonians, 1886

Record league defeat: 0-6 Dumbarton, May 1892

Record appearances: John Greig, 755, 1960-1978

Record league appearances: Sandy Archibald, 513, 1917-1934

Record Scottish Cup appearances: Alec Smith, 74

Record league cup appearances: John Greig, 121

Record European appearances: John Greig, 64

Record goalscorer: Ally McCoist, 355 goals, 1983-1998

Most goals in one season: Sam English, 44 goals, 1931/1932

Most league goals: Ally McCoist, 251 goals

Most Scottish Cup goals: Jimmy Fleming, 44 goals

Most League Cup goals: Ally McCoist, 54 goals

Most European goals: Ally McCoist, 21 goals

Shutout record: Chris Woods, 1196 minutes, 1986/87 (British record)

Most capped player: Frank de Boer, 112 caps for The Netherlands

Highest transfer fee received: Giovanni van Bronckhorst, £8.5m, Arsenal, 2001

Highest transfer fee paid: Tore André Flo, £12.5m, Chelsea, 2000

Greatest team

Goram
Jardine
Gough
Butcher
Greig
Cooper
Gascoigne
Baxter
Laudrup
Hateley
McCoist
Rangers' Greatest Ever Team

The following team was voted as the greatest-ever Rangers team at an awards ceremony in 1999. Thousands of Rangers fans voted:

Honours

  • Rangers hold the world record for number of domestic league championships won [11], racking up 51 titles.
  • Rangers won their 100th major trophy in 2000, the first club in the world to reach that milestone.[13]
  • First British club to reach the final of a European tournament.
  • First Scottish club to reach the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League (Season 2005/06)
  • First Scottish club to win in Italy with a 3-2 win against Livorno on 19th October 2006.
  • Have competed in European competitions in more seasons than any other British club, 46 times as of and including 2006-07.

Major honours

  • European Cup Winners Cup Champions: 1972; Runners-up 1961, 1967
  • Scottish League Champions (51):
1891 1899 1900 1901 1902 1911 1912 1913 1918 1920 1921 1923 1924 1925 1927 1928 1929
1930 1931 1933 1934 1935 1937 1939 1947 1949 1950 1953 1956 1957 1959 1961 1963 1964
1975 1976 1978 1987 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1999 2000 2003 2005
  • Scottish Cup Winners (31):
1894 1897 1898 1903 1928 1930 1932 1934 1935 1936 1948 1949 1950 1953 1960 1962
1963 1964 1966 1973 1976 1978 1979 1981 1992 1993 1996 1999 2000 2002 2003
  • Scottish League Cup Winners (24):
1947 1949 1961 1962 1964 1965 1971 1976 1978 1979 1982 1984
1985 1987 1988 1989 1991 1993 1994 1997 1999 2002 2003 2005

Other honours

  • Emergency War League (1): 1940
  • Southern League (6): 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946
  • Milk Cup (3): (Premier) 1984, 1992; (Junior) 1985
  • Drybrough Cup (1): 1979
  • Tennents' Sixes (2): 1984, 1989
  • Glasgow Cup (44): 1893, 1894, 1897, 1898, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1918, 1919, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1969, 1971, 1975*, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987
    *1975 trophy shared with Celtic after 2-2 draw
  • Glasgow Merchants and Charity Cup (32): 1878-79, 1896-97, 1899-1900, 1903-04, 1905-06, 1906-07, 1908-09, 1910-11, 1918-19, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1924-25, 1927-28, 1928-29, 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1933-34, 1938-39, 1939-40, 1940-41, 1941-42, 1943-44, 1944-45, 1945-46, 1946-47, 1947-48, 1950-51, 1954-55, 1956-57, 1959-60
  • Glasgow League (2): 1895/96, 1897/98

UEFA ranking

Current Club Ranking

Current National League ranking


Template:Fb start

Template:Fb end Template:UEFA Cup 2006/07

Preceded by UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winner
1972
Runner up: Dynamo Moscow
Succeeded by