Rangers F. C.
Full name	Rangers Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Gers, Teddy Bears, Light Blues
Short name	Rangers
Founded	1872
Ground	Ibrox Stadium (Capacity 51,082[1])
Chairman	Sir David Murray
Manager	Walter Smith
League	Scottish Premier League
2007-08	Scottish Premier League, 2nd
Website	Club home page
Home colours 　 Away colours

Rangers Football Club are an association football team based in Glasgow, Scotland, who currently play in the Scottish Premier League. Football club names are a part of the sport 's culture reflecting century-old traditions This is a of lists of the use of Nicknames in football (soccer. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F The following is a list of Association football stadia. They are ordered by their capacity, that is the maximum number of spectators that the Sir David Edward Murray (born in 14 October 1951, in Ayr, Scotland) is a Scottish entrepreneur businessman and Chairman of Walter Smith, OBE (born 24 February 1948 in Lanark) is a Scottish former football player but is better known as a football The Scottish Premier League, currently known as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for sponsorship reasons and often known as the Premier League or SPL Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Glasgow (ˈglæzgoʊ is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom The Scottish Premier League, currently known as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for sponsorship reasons and often known as the Premier League or SPL They have won 51 league titles,^[2] a world record, and have won more major trophies than any football club in the world. ^[3] The club are nicknamed The Teddy Bears, from the rhyming slang for Gers, which in turn is short for Rangers, and the fans are known to each other as "Bluenoses". Rhyming slang is a form of Slang in which a word is replaced either by another word or phrase that rhymes with it or by the first word of such a phrase in which The club's correct name is simply Rangers F. C. , although they are sometimes referred to as Glasgow Rangers for European matches to avoid confusion. ^[4]

Rangers' players and fans today are multi-national and of various religions, although the club have traditionally been identified with and favoured the Protestant and Unionist community of Scotland, as well as the Ulster Unionist community in Northern Ireland. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Unionism in Scotland is the belief in that Scotland should remain in the United Kingdom in its present structure as a union between its main Constituent countries Unionism in Ireland, is a belief in the desirability of a full constitutional and institutional relationship between Ireland and Great Britain based on the terms and Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of For most of their history, Rangers have enjoyed a fierce rivalry with their cross-city opponents Celtic,^[5] and the two are collectively known as the Old Firm. The Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the east end of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The term Old Firm refers to the rivalry between the Scottish football teams Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow

The club's home, the all-seated 51,082-capacity Ibrox Stadium in south-west Glasgow, has been accredited as one of UEFA's five-star stadia. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F The Union of European Football Associations (Union des associations européennes de football is the administrative and controlling body for European football. The stadium was the first one in Scotland to be granted this accolade, which it now shares with Hampden Park, Scotland's national stadium. Hampden Park in Glasgow is Scotland 's National stadium. Its primary use is as the home to Queen's Park F

History

Main article: History of Rangers F.C.

Formation and early years

The four founders of Rangers - brothers Moses and Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath - met in 1872 and named their team after an English rugby club upon seeing the name in a book. Rangers Football Club has a long and illustrious history Formed in 1873 Rangers were the first club in the world to win more than 50 league titles Moses McNeil (b October 29 1855, Garelochside Dunbartonshire, Scotland - d Peter Campbell (born late 1850s in Dunbartonshire; died January 1883 was a Scottish footballer and one of the founding members of Rangers Football ^[6] In May of that year the first match was played, a 0-0 draw in a friendly against Callander F. C. on the public pitches of Glasgow Green. Glasgow Green is a Park situated in the east end of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde. The only other match played that year was another friendly against a team called Clyde (not the present-day Clyde F.C.) resulting in an 11-0 victory and featuring the debut of the club's blue strip. Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the First Division of the Scottish Football League. ^[7] The official founding of Rangers is recognised as taking place in 1873, when the club held its first annual meeting and staff were elected. The first season's fixtures were all friendlies, as the deadline for joining the Scottish Football Association had been missed, meaning the team did not take part in the inaugural Scottish Cup. The Scottish Football Association (also known as the SFA and The Scottish FA or the "worst league in the world" is the governing body of The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, usually known as the Scottish Cup, is the national football cup competition of Scotland ^[7] By 1876 Rangers had their first internationalist, with Moses McNeil representing Scotland in a match against Wales, and by 1877 Rangers had reached a Scottish Cup final. This is a list of past and present Rangers FC players who have been capped by their country whilst at the club The Wales national football team represents Wales in international men's football. The first ever Old Firm match took place in 1888, the year of Celtic's establishment. The term Old Firm refers to the rivalry between the Scottish football teams Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow Rangers lost 5-2 in a friendly to a team largely comprised of "guest players" from Hibernian. Hibernian Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh.

The 1890-91 season saw the inception of the Scottish Football League, and Rangers were one of ten original members. Founding members The Scottish League's first season of competition was in 1890-91. By this time Rangers were playing at the first Ibrox Stadium. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F Rangers' first ever league match took place on August 16, 1890 and resulted in a 5-2 victory over Heart of Midlothian. Events 1384 - The Hongwu Emperor of Ming China, Emperor Dong hears a case of a couple who tore paper money bills while fighting Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Heart of Midlothian FC (most commonly referred to as Hearts) is a football club from Edinburgh, Scotland who play in the Scottish After finishing equal-top with Dumbarton a play-off was held at Cathkin Park to decide the who would be champions. Dumbarton Football Club is a football club from Scotland. They come from the town of Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire and play their home games Cathkin Park is a municipal park in Glasgow, Scotland. The park is maintained by the city's parks department and it is a public place where football is still played The match finished 2-2 and the title was shared for the only time in its history, the first of Rangers' world record 51 championships. ^[7] Rangers' first ever Scottish Cup win came in 1894 after a 3-1 victory over rivals Celtic in the final. The Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the east end of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. By the turn of the century Rangers had won two league titles and three Scottish Cups.

Under Paul Le Guen (2006-2007)

Paul Le Guen replaced former manager Alex McLeish as manager after season 2005-06. Paul Le Guen (born March 1, 1964 in Pencran, Brittany) is a former French international footballer and a football Alexander "Alex" McLeish (born 21 January 1959) nicknamed "Big Eck" is a Scottish former professional footballer who Known for unearthing and nurturing young talent, Le Guen immediately made a number of signings for the club, as well as releasing and transfer-listing various players.

The season started poorly for Rangers, with a number of losses and draws against teams lower in the league, as well as their being knocked out of the League Cup by Division One side St. Johnstone. The 2006&ndash07 Scottish League Cup was the 60th staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons Sponsorship On July 20, 2007, it was announced that Scottish Football League would be sponsored by Scottish soft drink Irn-Bru St Johnstone Football Club is a professional football club based in Perth Scotland. Rivals Celtic built a lead at the top of the table, while Rangers fought for second place alongside Hearts and Aberdeen. Heart of Midlothian FC (most commonly referred to as Hearts) is a football club from Edinburgh, Scotland who play in the Scottish Aberdeen Football Club (also known as The Dons, The Reds and The Dandies) is a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen As the season progressed, a number of more promising results were achieved, including wins over Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibernian. Hibernian Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. The first Old Firm match of the season resulted in a 2-0 defeat; the second - at Ibrox - was a 1-1 draw, after which Le Guen claimed Rangers deserved at least the point. The term Old Firm refers to the rivalry between the Scottish football teams Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow ^[8]

Throughout the first six months of the league campaign, Rangers' results in the UEFA Cup were more respectable. Qualification for the group stage was achieved with a 2-0 aggregate win over Molde F.K., and Rangers proceeded to become the first Scottish side to qualify for the last 32 of the competition in its current format, with wins over Livorno, Maccabi Haifa F.C. and Partizan Belgrade and a draw away to AJ Auxerre. Molde FK is a First Division football club from Molde, Norway. Associazione Sportiva Livorno Calcio is a football club based in Livorno, Tuscany. Maccabi Haifa Football Club (מועדון הכדורגל מכבי חיפה Moadon HaKaduregel Maccabi Haifa) is an Israeli football club and one of the leading football Partizan Belgrade is a Sports society from Belgrade, Serbia. Founded in 1945 it's an umbrella organization featuring 25 clubs in 25 different sports Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise, or AJ Auxerre, is a French football team founded in 1905 playing in the town of Auxerre in ^[9]

There had been rumours during the season of disharmony at Rangers, between Scottish and foreign units, with players including captain Barry Ferguson disapproving of Le Guen's strict disciplinarian stance. This article is about the Scottish football player For the Irish footballer see here. ^[10] The imbalance came to a head on the day of the second Old Firm game of the season, with stories appearing in the Scottish media that Ferguson was angry with comments made by his manager regarding the captaincy of the club, and how Le Guen perceived it as more of an important role in Scotland than it is in France. ^[11] On 1 January 2007, Le Guen stripped Ferguson of the captaincy. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. After protests from a section of the fans at the away match at Motherwell F.C. reports in the media announced that Le Guen had given David Murray a "Barry Ferguson or me" ultimatum. Motherwell Football & Athletic Club is a Scottish football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. It was announced on 4 January 2007 that Le Guen had left Rangers by mutual consent. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[12]

Walter Smith's return (2007-present)

Following the departure of Paul Le Guen, a number of media sources report an "understanding" that the new management structure would consist of former Rangers manager Walter Smith and former player Ally McCoist, and the SFA confirmed that Rangers enquired about the availability of the pair. Walter Smith, OBE (born 24 February 1948 in Lanark) is a Scottish former football player but is better known as a football Alistair ' Ally' Murdoch McCoist, MBE (born September 24, 1962 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish The Scottish Football Association (also known as the SFA and The Scottish FA or the "worst league in the world" is the governing body of ^[13] However, on January 8, the SFA rebuffed Rangers' approach for Smith. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army ^[14]

On 10 January 2007, it was announced that Smith was the new manager of Rangers, with McCoist confirmed as assistant manager and Kenny McDowall as first-team coach. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[15]

Smith and his team under took some serious surgery to the side. He signed veteran defenders David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu to sure up rocky backline. David Gillespie Weir (born May 10, 1970 in Falkirk) is a Scottish professional football player who currently plays for Rangers Ugochuku "Ugo" Ehiogu (born November 3 1972 in Homerton, London) is an English football player who currently This proved too be a steadying influence on the team and they only lost three times until the end of the season.

The following summer he made ten signings, including defenders Carlos Cuellar and midfielder Lee McCulloch. Carlos Javier Cuéllar Jimenez (born 23 August 1981 in Madrid) is a Spanish footballer who currently plays for Premier League Lee Henry McCulloch (born May 14 1978 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish professional football player who currently The early season priority, qualification for the Champions League group stage was secured after aggregate victories over the champions of the Montenegrin and Serbian leagues, FK Zeta and Red Star Belgrade respectively. FK Zeta is a football club from Montenegro. It is based in Golubovci, a suburb of Podgorica. Rangers were drawn in Group E, to play FC Barcelona, French champions Olympique Lyonnais and German champions VfB Stuttgart. Fútbol Club Barcelona ( Catalan fudˈbɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə Spanish ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona known familiarly as Barça (Spanish ˈbaɾsa Catalan Olympique Lyonnais (popularly known as OL, or simply Lyon) is a French football club based in Lyon. Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e V, commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German Sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg The campaign started well for Rangers with two victories, 2-1 at home to Stuttgart and 3-0 against Lyon at the Stade Gerland as well as a 0-0 draw against Barcelona at Ibrox Stadium. The Stade de Gerland (or Stade Gerland) is the principal sporting hub of the city of Lyon. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F They lost match day six against Olympique Lyonnais 3-0 which ended their UEFA Champions League 2007-08 run. Olympique Lyonnais (popularly known as OL, or simply Lyon) is a French football club based in Lyon. But the adventure continued as they progressed to the final of the UEFA Cup, defeating Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina along the way. The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. Overview Today three professional teams use the Panathinaikos name — the football team P Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the Sporting Clube de Portugal ( pron 'spɔɾtĩg 'klub(ɨ dɨ puɾtu'gaɫ referred to coloquially as Sporting, Sporting CP or erroneously Sporting ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. They beat Italian side Fiorentina on penalties to set up a final against Zenit St. Petersburg who are managed by former Gers manager Dick Advocaat. Football is the most popular sport in Italy. The Italian national football team has won the Football World Cup four times (1934 1938 ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Route to the final See also UEFA Cup 2007-08 Knockout stage Pre-match Zenit and Michel Platini asked the British government Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat (born September 27, 1947 in The Hague) is the Dutch coach of the Russian football team FC Zenit ^[16]. They lost that match 2-0, amid serious disturbances caused by some supporters. The 2008 UEFA Cup Final riots, also known as the Battle of Piccadilly, A Somerfield Supermarket was also closed after sporadic fighting Video evidence was released by the Greater Manchester Police of Rangers fans attacking officers in Manchester City Centre following the defeat. Greater Manchester Police (" GMP " is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the Metropolitan county of Greater Manchester City Centre is the Central business district of both Manchester and Greater Manchester, in North West England. ^[17]

Club colours and crest

The club colours of Rangers F. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) C. are royal blue, white and red.

The team's home strip invariably features a royal blue shirt (often with white and/or red trim). Traditionally this is accompanied by white shorts (often with royal blue and/or red trim) and black socks with red turn-downs. ^[18] However when wearing the 'home strip' Rangers will occasionally alter 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 predominant colours for Rangers alternate strips, though dark and light blue have also featured highly. ^[19]

In recent years, Rangers have also introduced a third kit. ^[20] This is usually worn if both the home and away kits clash with their opponents. The colours used range from light blue to red to a very controversial tangerine. ^[21]

Shirt sponsors and manufacturers

Year	Kit manufacturer[22]	Shirt Sponsor
1978–1984	Umbro
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–	Umbro

Old Firm and sectarianism

See also: Sectarianism in Glasgow

The club's most distinct rivalry is with Celtic, the other major football club based in Glasgow; the two clubs are collectively known as the Old Firm. Sectarianism in Glasgow takes the form of religious and political sectarian rivalry between Roman Catholics and Protestants. The term Old Firm refers to the rivalry between the Scottish football teams Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow Rangers' traditional support has largely come from the Protestant Unionist community.

During the late 19th century, many immigrants came to Glasgow from Ireland. Immigration refers to the movement of people among countries While the movement of people has existed throughout human history at various levels modern immigration implies long-term Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world This was around the same time that both Old Firm clubs were founded (Rangers in 1873 and Celtic in 1888). Rangers came to be identified with the Scottish Protestant community. Until Graeme Souness signed former Celtic player Mo Johnston, in 1989, Rangers were said by him to have had an "unwritten policy"^[23] of not signing any player who was Catholic;^[24] although Johnston was by no means the first Catholic to sign for the club,^[25] he was the first openly Catholic, high-profile player to sign for them since World War I. Graeme James Souness (ˈsuːnɨs (born 6 May, 1953 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager Maurice John Giblin "Mo" Johnston (born April 13, 1963 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a former Scottish football World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All ^[26]

In recent times, both Rangers and Celtic have taken measures to combat sectarianism. Working alongside the Scottish Parliament, church groups, pressure groups such as Nil by Mouth, schools and community organisations, the Old Firm have endeavoured to clamp down on sectarian songs, inflammatory flag-waving, and troublesome supporters, using increased levels of policing and surveillance. The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral Nil by Mouth is an anti-sectarian charity based in Glasgow, Scotland. ^[27]

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 imposed a fine of £8,800 on Rangers following the improper conduct of some of their supporters, notably the smashing of a window of the Villarreal CF team bus at the second-leg match in Spain on 7 March. Events 467 - Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. See also List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners The UEFA Champions League, which evolved from the European Champion Clubs' Cup is a seasonal club Villarreal Club de Fútbol, usually abbreviated to Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Villarreal Events 161 - Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus ^[28] However, UEFA declared the Rangers fans not guilty of alleged discriminatory chants. ^[28] UEFA challenged the ruling, and their Appeals Body partially upheld it,^[29] fining the Ibrox club £13,500 and warning them as to their responsibility for any future misconduct.

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

• The club were "ordered to announce measurable targets in order to reduce sectarian behaviour amongst its supporters". Events 53 - Roman Emperor Nero marries Claudia Octavia 62 - Claudia Octavia commits Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
• The club were "to control their anti-sectarian activities by producing comprehensive statistics that are communicated to the public".
• The club were "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". The Billy Boys is a loyalist song from Belfast, sung to the tune of " Marching Through Georgia. ^[30]

Despite these measures, UEFA indicated that they will launch another investigation after Rangers fans clashed with riot police and were filmed making sectarian chants during the defeat by Osasuna in their UEFA Cup match in 2007. The Rangers Supporters Association secretary indicated his belief that a small minority of fans are to blame, suggesting "it doesn't matter how often they are told [to stop sectarian chanting], some people will just not listen. "^[31] In September 2007, UEFA praised Rangers for the measures the club has taken against sectarianism. ^[32]

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. Ibrox Stadium, originally Ibrox Park, is the Stadium of Rangers F Murray Park is the name of Rangers FC 's training facility in Auchenhowie, Milngavie, on the outskirts of Glasgow. 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. Glasgow Green is a Park situated in the east end of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde. Kelvinbridge ( Drochaid Chealbhainn in Gaelic is a district in the West End of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Kinning Park is a southern suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. In 1897 it had a population of 14326 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. Cathkin Park is a municipal park in Glasgow, Scotland. The park is maintained by the city's parks department and it is a public place where football is still played Ibrox Stadium in its current incarnation was originally designed by the architect Archibald Leitch, a Rangers fan^[33] who also played a part in the design of, among others, Old Trafford in Manchester and Highbury in London. Archibald "Archie" Leitch ( April 27, 1865 &ndash April 25, 1939) was a Scottish Architect, most famous for his Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The stadium was inaugurated on December 30, 1899, and Rangers defeated Hearts 3-1 in the first match held there. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Heart of Midlothian FC (most commonly referred to as Hearts) is a football club from Edinburgh, Scotland who play in the Scottish

Since 1899, two major disasters have taken place at the stadium. The Ibrox disaster refers to two accidents which led to major loss of life at Ibrox Stadium (formerly Ibrox Park in Glasgow, Scotland The first occurred in 1902 during a Scotland vs England international match, when a section of terracing collapsed, leading to the deaths of 26 people and over 500 injuries. The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. The English national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association, the governing body for football The second disaster took place in 1971, during the traditional New Year's Day Old Firm match-up. As the crowd were leaving the match, barriers on the stairway to the rear of passageway 13 at the Copland End collapsed, causing a crush and resulting in the deaths of 66 people, with over 200 injuries. This led to a major redevelopment of Ibrox, overseen by the general manager Willie Waddell. William Waddell may be William Waddell (footballer, Scottish footballer William B After its conversion to an all-seater stadium, Ibrox was awarded UEFA five-star status.

The stands in Ibrox are: The Bill Struth Main Stand (south; three tiers; the top one known as the Club Deck), Govan Stand (north; two tiers), and the Copland (east) and Broomloan (west) Stands (both two tiers), which are behind the goals. Murray Park is the name of Rangers FC 's training facility in Auchenhowie, Milngavie, on the outskirts of Glasgow. Bill Struth (1875-1956 was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, leading the Club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954 as well as the holder of a number of other positions In addition to these, there are also the East and West Enclosures (in the lower tier of the Main Stand), and the two corners adjacent to the Govan Stand are filled in. As a result of work completed in the summer of 2006 to make the Bar 72 area situated in the Govan Stand, the total capacity of Ibrox is 51,082. ^[1] 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, who served Rangers for 34 years. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[34] There are currently plans underway for a redevelopment of Ibrox stadium which could result in Ibrox being rebuilt as a 70,000 seated stadium - which would make it the second largest club football stadium in Britain after Old Trafford. The official Rangers Website was quoted as saying: "We are analysing three strategies which would enhance the development of the existing outline planning proposals for the Hinshelwood area to the south of the stadium. One of the strategies includes the total rebuilding of Ibrox Stadium while retaining the brick facade, the tradition and the integrity of the Bill Struth Main Stand". ^[35]

Rangers training facility is located in Auchenhowie, near Milngavie in Glasgow. Auchenhowie is a small area in Glasgow, by Milngavie. It is best known as the location of Rangers F Milngavie, (pronounced /məlɡaɪ/ "Mull-guy" or "Mill-guy", Scottish Gaelic: Muileann Dhaibhidh) is a town in East The facility is known as Murray Park after chairman Sir David Murray. Murray Park is the name of Rangers FC 's training facility in Auchenhowie, Milngavie, on the outskirts of Glasgow. Sir David Edward Murray (born in 14 October 1951, in Ayr, Scotland) is a Scottish entrepreneur businessman and Chairman of It was proposed by then-manager Dick Advocaat upon his arrival at the club in 1998. Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat (born September 27, 1947 in The Hague) is the Dutch coach of the Russian football team FC Zenit It was completed in 2001 at a cost of £14-million. Murray Park is 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. Hydrotherapy, formerly called hydropathy involves the use of Water for soothing pains and treating diseases 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. ^[36] Various first-team players have come through the ranks at Murray Park, including Chris Burke, Stevie Smith and Charlie Adam. Christopher Burke (born 2 December, 1983 in Glasgow) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Rangers Steven "Stevie" Smith (born 30 August 1985 in Bellshill) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Charles Graham Adam (born December 10, 1985 in Dundee) is a Scottish footballer plays for Scottish Premier League side 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 FIFA World Cup. The Korea Republic national football team represents the Republic of Korea in international football competitions The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament

Players

Current squads

As of 31 May 2008. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[37]

First-team squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Allan McGregor 3 DF David Weir (vice-captain) 4 FW Thomas Buffel 5 DF Saša Papac 6 MF Barry Ferguson (captain) 7 MF Brahim Hemdani 8 MF Kevin Thomson 9 FW Kris Boyd 10 FW Nacho Novo 11 MF Charlie Adam 15 MF Alan Gow 16 GK Graeme Smith 17 MF Chris Burke

No. In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports Allan James McGregor (born January 31, 1982 in Edinburgh) is a professional football goalkeeper currently playing for Scottish In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring David Gillespie Weir (born May 10, 1970 in Falkirk) is a Scottish professional football player who currently plays for Rangers Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Thomas Buffel (born February 19 1981 in Brugge, Belgium) is a Belgian footballer who plays for Jupiler League In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Saša Papac (born February 7 1980 in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, then SFR Yugoslavia) is a Bosnian football player] For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. This article is about the Scottish football player For the Irish footballer see here. For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Brahim Hemdani (born 15 March 1978 in Colombes, France) is a French -born Algerian professional football player For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Kevin Thomson (born October 14, 1984 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League side Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Kris Boyd (born August 18 1983 in Irvine Ayrshire) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Scottish Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Ignacio Javier Gómez Novo (born March 26 1979, in Ferrol, Galicia) simply known as Nacho Novo, is a Spanish professional For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Charles Graham Adam (born December 10, 1985 in Dundee) is a Scottish footballer plays for Scottish Premier League side For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. For the series director of the British Touring Car Championship see Alan J In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports Graeme Smith (born October 3 1982 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish footballer, currently playing as a For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Christopher Burke (born 2 December, 1983 in Glasgow) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Rangers Position Player 18 FW Steven Naismith 19 FW Jean-Claude Darcheville 20 MF DaMarcus Beasley 21 DF Kirk Broadfoot 22 DF Andy Webster 23 DF Christian Dailly 24 DF Carlos Cuéllar 25 GK Neil Alexander 26 DF Steven Smith 27 FW Lee McCulloch 28 MF Steven Whittaker 29 FW Daniel Cousin FW Kenny Miller

Reserve and Youth squad

For Rangers' reserve and youth squads, see here. Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Steven John Naismith (born 14 September 1986, in Irvine North Ayrshire) is a Scottish footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Jean-Claude Ducan Darcheville (born July 25, 1975 in Sinnamary, French Guiana) is a French football striker currently playing for For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. DaMarcus Lamont Beasley (born May 24 1982 in Fort Wayne Indiana) is an American Soccer player who is currently playing for Scottish Premier League side In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Kirk Broadfoot (born 8 August 1984 in Irvine North Ayrshire) is a Scottish professional footballer. In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Andrew Neil Webster (born April 23 1982 in Dundee) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Bristol City in the In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Christian Edward Dailly (born 23 October 1973 in Dundee, Tayside) is a Scottish professional footballer He currently plays In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Carlos Javier Cuéllar Jimenez (born 23 August 1981 in Madrid) is a Spanish footballer who currently plays for Premier League In many team Sports a goalkeeper (termed goaltender netminder, goalie, or keeper in some sports James Neil Alexander (born 10 March 1978 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is a Scottish professional football Goalkeeper In Association football (soccer a defender is a player who tries to prevent the other team from scoring Steven "Stevie" Smith (born 30 August 1985 in Bellshill) is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Lee Henry McCulloch (born May 14 1978 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish professional football player who currently For the Australian Rules position see Midfielder (Australian Rules. Steven Gordon Whittaker (born June 16 1984 in Edinburgh, Scotland) is a Scottish professional footballer who currently Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Daniel Cousin (born February 2, 1977 in Libreville, Gabon) is a French - Gabonese football Striker, Strikers, also known as forwards and attackers, are the players on a team in Association football (soccer in the row nearest to the opposing Kenneth "Kenny" Miller (born 23 December 1979 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish professional footballer playing for Scottish As well as the main Rangers first team competing in the Scottish Premier League, Rangers also have both a reserve team and an under-19 side

2008-09 transfers

For a list of Rangers' 2008-09 transfers, see here. The 2008&ndash09 season is the 112th season of competitive football by Rangers.

Notable players

Main article: List of Rangers F.C. players

Internationalists

For a list of Rangers' past and present international players, see here. This is a list of notable footballers who have played for Rangers. This is a list of past and present Rangers FC players who have been capped by their country whilst at the club

Team managers

There have been twelve different managers of Rangers. The longest-serving manager was Bill Struth (34 years). Bill Struth (1875-1956 was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, leading the Club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954 as well as the holder of a number of other positions The club has, on average, appointed a new manager every seven and a half years. The club's directors have only ever dismissed two of their managers, namely Davie White and Jock Wallace (during his second spell). David White was a former Football (soccer player but is better known as a football manager John " Jock " Martin Bokas Wallace ( 6 September 1935 — 24 July 1996) was a professional football The others have left through of their own accord or by mutual agreement, except for William Wilton, who died whilst still manager of the side. William Wilton (born Largs, Ayrshire, 9 June 1865; died 2 May 1920) was the manager of Rangers F

Correct as of 25 May 2008

Name	From	To	P	W	D	L	Win %
Wilton, WilliamWilliam Wilton	1896 May 1899	1920 May 1920	722	475	118	129	65. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common William Wilton (born Largs, Ayrshire, 9 June 1865; died 2 May 1920) was the manager of Rangers F 78%
Struth, BillBill Struth	1920 May 1920	1954 June 1954	1179	788	228	163	66. Bill Struth (1875-1956 was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, leading the Club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954 as well as the holder of a number of other positions 83%
Symon, ScotScot Symon	1954 June 1954	1967 November 1967	681	445	114	122	65. James Scotland Symon ( May 9 1911 - 30 April, 1985) is a former Scottish football player and manager 34%
White, DavidDavid White	1967 November 1967	1969 November 1969	114	73	19	22	64. David White was a former Football (soccer player but is better known as a football manager 03%
Waddell, WilliamWilliam Waddell	1969 December 1969	1972 May 1972	130	73	25	32	56. William Waddell may be William Waddell (footballer, Scottish footballer William B 49%
Wallace, JockJock Wallace	1972 June 1972	1978 May 1978	308	201	56	51	65. John " Jock " Martin Bokas Wallace ( 6 September 1935 — 24 July 1996) was a professional football 25%
Greig, JohnJohn Greig	1978 May 1978	1983 October 1983	288	150	71	67	52. John Greig MBE (born September 11, 1942 in Edinburgh) is a former Scottish professional football player who despite his 08%
Wallace, JockJock Wallace	1983 October 1983	1986 April 1986	124	55	36	33	43. John " Jock " Martin Bokas Wallace ( 6 September 1935 — 24 July 1996) was a professional football 65%
Souness, GraemeGraeme Souness	1986 April 1986	1991 April 1991	260	165	50	45	63. Graeme James Souness (ˈsuːnɨs (born 6 May, 1953 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager 32%
Smith, WalterWalter Smith	1991 April 1991	1998 May 1998	379	248	68	63	65. Walter Smith, OBE (born 24 February 1948 in Lanark) is a Scottish former football player but is better known as a football 52%
Advocaat, DickDick Advocaat	1998 July 1998	2001 December 2001	194	131	33	30	67. Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat (born September 27, 1947 in The Hague) is the Dutch coach of the Russian football team FC Zenit 53%
McLeish, AlexAlex McLeish	2001 December 2001	2006 May 2006	235	155	44	36	65. Alexander "Alex" McLeish (born 21 January 1959) nicknamed "Big Eck" is a Scottish former professional footballer who 96%
Le Guen, PaulPaul Le Guen	2006 May 2006	2007 January 2007	31	16	8	7	51. Paul Le Guen (born March 1, 1964 in Pencran, Brittany) is a former French international footballer and a football 61%
Smith, WalterWalter Smith	2007 January 2007	9999 Present	87	52	20	15	59. Walter Smith, OBE (born 24 February 1948 in Lanark) is a Scottish former football player but is better known as a football 77%

Non-playing staff

Records

Main article: Rangers F.C. records

Club

Individual

All players are from Scotland unless otherwise stated.

Managerial

Name	League	SC	LC	EC	Total
Wilton, WilliamWilliam Wilton	8	1	0	0	9
Struth, BillBill Struth	18	10	2	0	30
Symon, ScotScot Symon	6	5	4	0	15
White, DavidDavid White	0	0	0	0	0
Waddell, WilliamWilliam Waddell	0	0	1	1	2
Wallace, JockJock Wallace	3	3	4	0	10
Greig, JohnJohn Greig	0	2	2	0	4
Souness, GraemeGraeme Souness	3	0	4	0	7
Smith, WalterWalter Smith	8	4	4	0	16
Advocaat, DickDick Advocaat	2	2	1	0	5
McLeish, AlexAlex McLeish	2	2	3	0	7
Le Guen, PaulPaul Le Guen	0	0	0	0	0

Honours

Main article: Rangers F.C. honours

League

Scottish League championships (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. John Greig MBE (born September 11, 1942 in Edinburgh) is a former Scottish professional football player who despite his William "Sandy" Pullar Jardine (born 31 December 1948 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish former professional football player who Alistair ' Ally' Murdoch McCoist, MBE (born September 24, 1962 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a Scottish Alexander (Sandy Archibald (born 6 September 1897 in Aberdour, Fife; died November 1946 was a Scottish footballer who David "Davie" Ditchburn Meiklejohn ( 12 December 1900 – 22 August 1959) was a Scottish professional footballer Douglas Herbert Gray ( 4 April 1905 - 1972 was a Scottish footballer who spent his entire senior career with Rangers. Derek Joseph Johnstone (born November 4, 1953 in Dundee) is a Scottish former professional footballer. For other people known by this name see the David Cooper disambiguation page Peter McCloy (born 16 November, 1946 in Girvan, Ayrshire) was a football Goalkeeper who played for Motherwell John Miller "Ian" McColl (born 7 June, 1927 in Alexandria West Dunbartonshire) is a retired Scottish football defender The Scottish Premier League, currently known as the Clydesdale Bank Premier League for sponsorship reasons and often known as the Premier League or SPL The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, usually known as the Scottish Cup, is the national football cup competition of Scotland The Scottish Football League Cup is an Association football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs William Wilton (born Largs, Ayrshire, 9 June 1865; died 2 May 1920) was the manager of Rangers F Bill Struth (1875-1956 was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, leading the Club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954 as well as the holder of a number of other positions James Scotland Symon ( May 9 1911 - 30 April, 1985) is a former Scottish football player and manager David White was a former Football (soccer player but is better known as a football manager William Waddell may be William Waddell (footballer, Scottish footballer William B John " Jock " Martin Bokas Wallace ( 6 September 1935 — 24 July 1996) was a professional football John Greig MBE (born September 11, 1942 in Edinburgh) is a former Scottish professional football player who despite his Graeme James Souness (ˈsuːnɨs (born 6 May, 1953 in Edinburgh) is a Scottish former professional football player and manager Walter Smith, OBE (born 24 February 1948 in Lanark) is a Scottish former football player but is better known as a football Dirk Nicolaas "Dick" Advocaat (born September 27, 1947 in The Hague) is the Dutch coach of the Russian football team FC Zenit Alexander "Alex" McLeish (born 21 January 1959) nicknamed "Big Eck" is a Scottish former professional footballer who Paul Le Guen (born March 1, 1964 in Pencran, Brittany) is a former French international footballer and a football Formed in 1873 Rangers were the first club in the world to win 50 league titles they now hold the world record for number of domestic league championships won after racking The Scottish football champions are the winners of the highest league in Scottish football, namely the Scottish Football League from 1890 until 1998 and the Scottish The 2002&ndash03 Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers. As league Champions, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions League with runners-up The 2004&ndash05 Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers. As league Champions, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions League with runners-up

Cups

Cup Winners' Cup winners (1)

1972

Scottish Cup winners (32)

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. The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, usually known as the Scottish Cup, is the national football cup competition of Scotland The 1961&ndash62 Scottish Cup was the 77th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1972&ndash73 Scottish Cup was the 88th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1975&ndash76 Scottish Cup was the 91st staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1977&ndash78 Scottish Cup was the 93rd staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1978&ndash79 Scottish Cup was the 94th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1980&ndash81 Scottish Cup was the 96th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1991&ndash92 Scottish Cup was the 107th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1992&ndash93 Scottish Cup was the 108th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1995&ndash96 Scottish Cup was the 111th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition The 1998&ndash99 Scottish Cup was the 114th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons as the Tennent's The 1999&ndash2000 Scottish Cup was the 115th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons as the Tennent's The 2001&ndash02 Scottish Cup was the 117th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons as the Tennent's The 2002&ndash03 Scottish Cup was the 118th staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons as the Tennent's The 2007&ndash08 Scottish Cup was the 123rd staging of Scotland 's most prestigious football knockout competition

League Cup winners (25)

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. The Scottish Football League Cup is an Association football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs The 1998&ndash99 Scottish League Cup was the 52nd staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons The 2001&ndash02 Scottish League Cup was the 55th staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons The 2002&ndash03 Scottish League Cup was the 56th staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons The 2004&ndash05 Scottish League Cup was the 58th staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons The 2007&ndash08 Scottish League Cup was the 61st staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition also known for sponsorship reasons

Europe

Main article: Rangers F.C. in Europe

References

External links

• Official website
• Rangers F. C. on BBC Sport: Club News - Recent results - Upcoming fixtures - Club stats

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