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RANGERS V ST MIRREN SATURDAY 28 NOVEMBER 2015 • KO 12.15 PETROFAC TRAINING CUP • SEMI-FINAL
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RANGERS
FOOTBALL CLUB
Ibrox Stadium, 150 Edmiston Drive Glasgow, G51 2XD • tel0871 702 1972 Chairman DAVE KING
INSIDE
//CONTENTS
today’s matchday programme:
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Directors JOHN BENNETT, JOHN GILLIGAN, DOUGLAS PARK, GRAEME PARK PAUL MURRAY
Honorary Life President JOHN GREIG
Managing Director STEWART ROBERTSON
Director: Finance and Administration ANDREW DICKSON
Manager MARK WARBURTON assistant manager
DAVID WEIR
Doctor PAUL JACKSON
Head of Performance and Preparation CRAIG FLANNIGAN
Goalkeeping Coach JIM STEWART
Head of analysis NEIL MCILHARGEY
Head of Recruitment FRANK MCPARLAND
Kit Controller JIMMY BELL
Editor NEIL SMITH
Design GREG JOHN GILFILLAN
Photography KIRK O’ROURKE
Contributors ALICE HEDWORTH, NICK THOMSON, ANDY CAMERON,
ROBERT CARMICHAEL Print L&S LITHO
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The views in this magazine are not necessarily the views of Rangers Football Club. All material is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with the written permission of Rangers Football Club. The appearance of an advert within this publication does not necessarily mean that the goods/services advertised are associated with or endorsed by Rangers Football Club. All facts and information accurate at time of going to press.
SNAPSHOT 4 MARK WARBURTON 6 KENNY MILLER 8 JOURNO’S VIEW 16 FAST FACTS 21 PREVIOUS MEETINGS 22 ON THE SPOT 24 ANDY CAMERON 28 QUIZ/CROSSWORD 30 LEE WALLACE 36 DAVID MASON 38 ON THIS DAY 42 RALPH BRAND 44 THE TOP TEN 52 JUNIOR GERS 58 STATS & APPEARANCES 63 FIXTURES 64 THE LAST WORD 66
//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
4
//SNAPSHOT
RANGERS and St Mirren have met 40 times in cup competitions and this includes two Scottish Cup Finals in 1934 and 1962 and the League Cup Final in 2010. Today’s snapshot was taken after the 1962 Scottish Cup Final and shows Davie Wilson and captain Eric Caldow parading the trophy after the Light Blues won 2-0 in front of a massive crowd of 127,940 at Hampden Park. Ralph Brand opened the scoring on 40 minutes for Scot Symon’s side before Wilson doubled the advantage before the hour mark. Rangers would lift the Scottish Cup and League Cup in 1961/62 but they finished three points behind Dundee in Division One with the Tayside men crowned Scottish champions for the first and only time in their history. The Rangers side which beat St Mirren at Hampden on 21 April 1962 was Ritchie, Shearer, Caldow, Davis, McKinnon, Baxter, Henderson, McMillan, Millar, Brand, Wilson.
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//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ
CHARITY BALL • 2015
T
HE Rangers Charity Foundation’s annual Charity Ball on November 21 raised an amazing £100,000 at the Hilton Glasgow, with guests enjoying fantastic food, wine and entertainment themed around the glamour and style of the jazz age. The ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ Ball proved to be the most popular ever, with over 600 people packing out the Ballroom at the Hilton to celebrate and support the Foundation’s work, including Rangers’ management team Mark Warburton and David Weir, the first-team squad and Foundation patron Walter
Smith. Guests were treated to a performance from pianist David Farrell, dancing from Bobby Cranston and Val Mcdonald, a Frank Sinatra tribute set and music from popular band Replay, with the event hosted by Sky Sports presenter Jim White. All profits from the Ball will support the Foundation’s work in the community and projects with this season’s charity partners Alzheimer Scotland, Glasgow City Mission’s Winter Night Shelter, Unicef, Yorkhill Children’s Charity and four services-related charities. Connal Cochrane, manager of the Foundation, said: “I’d
like to thank everyone who came long and made the event such a special evening. “There’s such a strong charitable spirit at Rangers and the money raised will help us to continue to make a massive difference to the lives of thousands of people via our work in the community and with our partners. “It was a fantastic event this year with a really special atmosphere, and our busiest Ball ever, which is great. We are delighted with the support we have received from the club, sponsors, supporters and everyone who has generously donated prizes and support.”
//CHARITY FOUNDATION
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//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
JOURNO’S VIEW Journo’s View
//OPPOSITION FOCUS • JOURNO’S VIEW
Craig Ritchie, a sports reporter from The Gazette in Paisley, regularly covers St Mirren’s games and has followed their progress closely this season. We caught up with him to hear his thoughts on Ian Murray’s side and how he thinks they will fare in this afternoon’s semi-final. Former Rangers player Alex Miller has recently been appointed as St Mirren’s assistant manager. What can he bring to the club? CR: “Bringing in Alex Miller could work out to be a masterstroke by the club, but only time will tell. He gives the St Mirren backroom staff a bit of much needed experience when they need it most considering the recent run of poor form. “Before Miller came in, Jamie Langfield, as player/coach, was the oldest member at only 35-years-old so that experience will go a long way. Miller has been there and done it so to have someone of his calibre at Saints’ disposal is invaluable.”
Do you think their main priority is still to force their way into the play-offs, or is just surviving in the Championship becoming a concern? CR: “St Mirren now find themselves 11 points off the play-offs and sit seventh. I think many would be happy just to see an improvement in performances between now and the end of the campaign, with safety guaranteed. “It is too early to be worrying about survival, there should be enough there for St Mirren to improve in the coming weeks and months, and who knows, maybe a late push for fourth providing they can turn it around quickly.”
Why would you say St Mirren haven’t had as good a start as would have been expected? CR: “It has got to be remembered that this season was always going to a transitional one for Saints. Of course, few expected St Mirren to be sitting where they are and performances haven’t been great but there is potential there for an improvement. “Things just haven’t gone their way and they have been unable to hold on to the lead when they have taken it. That, combined with the number of penalties given away, has been a major issue but not one that has gone unnoticed.”
•Steven Thompson •
ON THE SPOT
//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
//ON THE SPOT
Did you really mean to score that goal against St Mirren or was it a cross? (Chris Kerr, Twitter) JH: “I meant it, aye. I said in a few interviews that my touch was a bit heavy so it took me out wide. I just thought to myself ‘just smash it’ and hope for the best really. Thankfully it went in as it was an important goal.”
If you could pick any match in history which one would you have loved to play in? (Colin Rice, Twitter) JH: “It would need to be a World Cup Final or a Champions League Final. I think I would go for Liverpool’s Champions League Final when they were 3-0 down [against AC Milan in 2005] and came back to win. They probably thought it was done but to have the belief to come back and eventually win it on penalties as well was incredible.” Have you ever been in a dressing room that’s more together than this squad? (Martin, Twitter) JH: “Not really, I think this has been the best changing room I’ve been in, togetherness wise. I think a lot of players have said it as well but it’s a really close-knit group and everyone gets on. That togetherness is really important and I think it shows on the park as well when you go out to play. Everyone is in it together and the coaching staff as well.”
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J
ASON HOLT has been one of Rangers’ most consistent performers this season and his energy in the middle of the park has been important for Mark Warburton’s side. With five goals already, the former Hearts playmaker has settled in quickly at Ibrox since his summer move, but how would he cope answering a range of questions from fans via social media?
Jason, what is your main ambition to achieve as a Rangers player? (Jimmy, Twitter) JH: “Obviously to get promoted this season hopefully and the main ambition is to win league titles and trophies. I think for any player you want to win as many trophies in your career as you can so being at a massive club like Rangers, my ambition would be to win as many titles as possible.” Who is your favourite Rice Crispie character, Snap, Crackle or Pop - and why? (Greg, Twitter) JH: “I’ll go Snap, I don’t know why but I’ll choose him!” Which midfielder, playing or now retired, do you admire? (Bob, email) JH: “I’ve always liked Steven Gerard and Frank Lampard because they are complete midfielders. Steven Gerard because he gets all over the park – defensively and getting himself forward into the opposition’s box. Lampard is someone I also look up to as a player for his late runs into the box and goals from midfield, which is an ambition of mine to add more. I think Zidane as well just for his all round play. He was a bit of a genius so probably those three.”
LAMPARD
ZIDANE
Can you hoover under your bed wearing a top hat? (@Rangers1st, Twitter) JH: “I don’t know but I don’t think I’ll be giving it a go anyway! I’ll leave it at that.”
//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
THE 1945 RUSSIAN TOUR AND A SCOTS HERITAGE
DAVID MASON IS NOW IN HIS 30TH SEASON AS THE CLUB’S HISTORIAN AND, IN A REGULAR SERIES IN THE 2015/16 MATCHDAY PROGRAMME, HE WILL REFLECT ON THE EVENTS - AND PEOPLE - THAT HAVE MADE RANGERS A QUITE UNIQUE INSTITUTION.
//DAVID MASON • RANGERS HISTORIAN
//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
//THE BIG INTERVIEW
THE INTERVIEW ON RangersTV, supporters can watch in-depth one-to-ones with a number of the club’s greatest stars, as they discuss their football careers and years at Ibrox. In this season’s matchday programme we’ll pick a player and publish a few answers from their must-watch interview. Today, Ralph Brand looks back at his early years at Ibrox and the prolific partnership he formed with another Rangers great, Jimmy Millar.
Name
Ralph brand DOB
08-12-1936 Position
Striker Rangers career
apps 317 (1954-65) Goals 206 Rangers Honours
League – 1958/59, 1960/61, 1962/63, 1963/64 Scottish Cup – 1961/62, 1962/63, 1963/64 League Cup – 1960/61, 1961/62, 1963/64, 1964/65 Caps
8 - Scotland
//ST MIRREN • CHALLENGE CUP
Throughout the 2015/16 season, we’ll take a look at some great top ten features relating to Rangers. This week, NICK THOMSON from the club’s media team has picked out what he believes to be the best individual goals from recent times.
individual
GOALS Has Nick ranked these goals correctly or are there any solo efforts you would have included in the list? Tweet us @RangersFC.
10. BRIAN LAUDRUP v Aberdeen • Premier Division • 10/01/1998
IT seems in almost every Top 10 we’ve done this season, there has been at least one entry from God himself – and here we go with the first of another two. No, not the big fella from upstairs, but the Danish superstar version who has caused many a defender to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat having had
nightmares about him. On this occasion, it was the Aberdeen backline cursing their luck having been terrorised by the Gers legend. Picking up the ball from Barry Ferguson inside his own half, Laudrup pivoted and was soon on the run. With three defenders in pursuit but never catching
him, he approached the edge of the area before, it seemed, sticking Jorg Albertz’s left foot onto his right leg and blasting a screaming effort high into the roof of the net. It put the seal on a 2-0 victory for Rangers over Aberdeen, and it was yet another reminder of what Laudrup was capable of.
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