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Rangers Football Club is one of Scotland's most successful football clubs. Founded in 1872 as Argyle, Rangers plays at the 50,411 seat Ibrox Park in southwestern Glasgow. Rangers play in light blue shirts, white shorts and black socks.

Traditionally identified with the city's protestant community, the club did not sign a Roman Catholic player for the first 116 years of its history (finally signing former Celtic striker Maurice "Mo" Johnston in 1989). For most of that time it has enjoyed a fierce rivalry with crosstown opponents Celtic, which in contrast draws much of its support from Glasgow's catholic community. Between them the two clubs dominate Scottish football, and are collectively known as The Old Firm.

The club's correct name is simply Rangers, although they are sometimes (incorrectly) called Glasgow Rangers - often by English commentators seeking to distinguish between them and other similarly named clubs, particularly Queens Park Rangers. The club is nicknamed The Gers by friend and foe alike, although the fans' nickname "Bluenoses" is largely pejorative.

In 1972, Rangers won the European Cup Winners Cup, beating Dynamo Moscow by a score of 3-2 in Barcelona. Following the match Rangers' fans rioted in the streets outside the ground, clashing with Spanish police and causing extensive damage in the city. This lead to the club being banned from European competition for the following five years.

During the 1990s the club was controlled by metals tycoon David Murray, who invested heavily in the ground and in buying expensive playing talent. Rangers won the Scottish League championship nine years in a row, from 1989 to 1997, and generally dominated Scottish football during that period. The club was criticised during this time, as some felt the amount spent on foreign players detracted from investment in developing home-grown players. The resurgence of rivals Celtic in the late 1990s has seen Rangers face a revival of significant opposition. Both teams are believed to harbour ambitions to play with leading English clubs in a lucrative "superleague", rather in the (somewhat anaemic) Scottish Premier League. As of 2004 Rangers' corporate debt was in excess of £50 million.

Famous present or former players at Ibrox include: Alan Morton, David Meiklejohn, RS McColl, Willie Waddell, Jock Shaw, Paul Gascoigne, Terry Butcher, Graeme Souness, Ally McCoist, Mark Hateley, Michael Laudrup, Brian Laudrup, Jim Baxter, Ray Wilkins, Andy Goram and William 'Sandy' Jardine.

Honours

Rangers won their 100th major trophy in 2000, the first club in the world to reach that milestone. They were specially honoured by UEFA.

• European Cup Winners Cup 1972 (1)
• Scottish League Champions 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 (50)
• Scottish Cup Winners 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 (31)
• Scottish League Cup Winners 1946, 1948, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003 (23)

External link

• Official website