This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 217.136.7.151 (talk) at 21:37, 1 July 2004 (factual and grammatical errors, additional information re supporters trust). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 21:37, 1 July 2004 by 217.136.7.151 (talk) (factual and grammatical errors, additional information re supporters trust)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Rangers Football Club is Scotland's most successful football club. Founded in 1872, Rangers play at the 50,411 seat Ibrox Stadium in south-west Glasgow. Rangers play in light blue shirts, white shorts and black socks with red tops.
The club is traditionally identified with the city's indigenous protestant community. 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 Roman Catholics of Irish descent. Between them the two clubs dominate Scottish football, and are collectively known as The Old Firm.
The club is nicknamed The Gers by friend and foe alike, although the fans are also known as "Bluenoses" and "Teddy Bears".
Aside from Rangers' world record haul of national championships, the Gers' major highlight came in 1972 when they won the European Cup Winners Cup, beating Moscow Dynamo 3-2 in Barcelona.
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. Recent financial problems, both in Scotland and in the global game, have led Rangers to invest more in facilities for home-grown talent.
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 than in the (somewhat anaemic) Scottish Premier League. As of 2004 Rangers' corporate debt was in excess of £50 million. Supporters have founded a Trust to seek a say in the running of the club, which with over 1,600 members is currently the second largest - and fastest-growing - in the U.K.
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, 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
| Scottish Premier League (1998–2013) | |
|---|---|
| « Scottish Football League Premier Division (1975–98) Scottish Premiership (2013– ) » | |
| Former teams | |
| Seasons | |