Rangers v St Mirren 27-02-16 Programme Preview

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RANGERS V ST MIRREN SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY 2016 • KO 15.00

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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 MBE

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

8 SNAPSHOT 4 MARK WARBURTON 6 MICHAEL O’HALLORAN 8

18

6

36

66

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.

FAST FACTS 15 PREVIOUS MEETINGS 16 ON THE SPOT 18 ANDY CAMERON 22 THE TOP TEN 24 BLUEPRINTS 30 QUIZ/CROSSWORD 32 LEE WALLACE 36 ACTION REPLAY 38 DAVID MASON 40 ON THIS DAY 44 DAVIE PROVEN 46 JUNIOR GERS 58 FIXTURES 64 THE LAST WORD 66

3

//ST MIRREN • CHAMPIONSHIP

Interviewed by Nick Thomson at private members club 29 in Royal Exchange Square Photos: Kirk O’Rourke

WORDS: NICK THOMSON PHOTOS: KIRK O’ROURKE

4

The

//MICHAEL O’HALLORAN

Numbers Game Glasgow-born Michael O’Halloran is loving life at Rangers

5

ON THE SPOT //ST MIRREN • CHAMPIONSHIP

6

//ON THE SPOT

What is your most memorable moment as a Rangers player? (@william_wallace, Twitter) NL: “Winning the League One title. We went the whole season unbeaten and we weren’t great at times, but to go through any league unbeaten is always a fantastic achievement.”

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N

ICKY LAW has now made 117 competitive appearances for Rangers, scoring 26 goals, since he made his debut for the club in a Challenge Cup tie against Albion Rovers in July 2013.

The Englishman has experienced a lot in his three seasons at Ibrox but just how would he cope answering a range of questions – from the serious to the bizarre – from the club’s loyal fans via social media. Find out on the next few pages.

FOLLOW WITHPRIDE

Rangers Follow with Pride campaign promotes sporting behaviour and friendship throughout football.

The Club will not tolerate any form of unacceptable behaviour and will continue to take action including bans where necessary.

WE aRE aLL PROuD OF RangERs anD WE FOLLOW WIth PRIDE

FOLLOW

If you witness any form of unacceptable behaviour please advise a steward or police officer, text ‘RFC’ and details to 66099 or email followwithpride@rangers.co.uk

FOLLOW WITH

PRIDE

//TOP TEN • MATCHDAY PROGRAMME COVERS

Throughout this season, we’re taking a look at a number of Top 10 features relating to Rangers.

This week, the club’s designer Greg Gilfillan picks the best programme covers from the club’s long and illustrious history.

MATCHDAY

Programme

COVERS

Have we ranked these covers correctly or are there any unique programmes you would have included in the list? Tweet us @RangersFC.

10. Rangers 2 - Moscow Dynamo 2 Friendly • 28 November 1945 AMONG one of Rangers’ first documented printed programmes, this 4-page commemorative issue was produced for the UK visit of Moscow Dynamo in 1945. The simple folded pamphlet was printed in one colour - blue ink.

A publication like this was quite sophisticated for the time and may have been commissioned for diplomatic reasons.

Inside featured team line-ups, a brief opposition focus and an article linking Tiger Shaw with his name-sake Tiger Khomich, the Dynamo keeper.

The game itself was an historic one. Played on a Wednesday afternoon in late November 1945, an astonishing 90,000 fans packed into Ibrox to see Bill Struth’s Light Blues draw 2-2 with Dynamo thanks to goals from Jimmy Smith and George Young, while Smith also missed a penalty on the day for the Gers.

As an ally to Britain at the end of World War Two, both the UK and Soviet Foreign Offices agreed for the side that was then the premier club in Russia to tour some of the biggest clubs in the UK.

//ST MIRREN • CHAMPIONSHIP

THE OLDEST BALL IN THE WORLD

DAVID MASON IS NOW IN HIS 30TH SEASON AS RANGERS HISTORIAN AND IN 2015/16 HE HAS BEEN RELIVING GREAT TALES FROM THE PAST IN THE MATCHDAY PROGRAMME. TODAY, HOWEVER, HE TAKES A FASCINATING LOOK BACK AT THE EVOLUTION OF THE FOOTBALL.

//DAVID MASON • RANGERS HISTORIAN

//ST MIRREN • CHAMPIONSHIP

SILVER LINING: PROVAN (THIRD FROM LEFT) CELEBRATES SCOTTISH CUP AND TREBLE SUCCESS IN 1964

//THE BIG INTERVIEW

THE INTERVIEW ON Rangers TV 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’ve picked a player and published a few answers from their must-watch interview.

Today, left-back Davie Provan, who helped Gers win their second ever Treble and reach the 1967 Cup Winners’ Cup Final, looks back on his 12 years at Ibrox.

Name

DAVIE PROVAN DOB

11-03-1941 Position

full-back Rangers career

apps 262 (1958-70) • Goals 11 teams played for

RANGERS, CRYSTAL PALACE, PLYMOUTH ARGYLE, ST MIRREN International

5 APPS (SCOTLAND)

NEXT HOME game

//ST MIRREN • CHAMPIONSHIP

RANGERS V DUNDEE WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CUP QF Saturday 5 March 2016 – Kick Off 12.30pm Adults: £19 • Concessions: £14 • Juniors: £6

RANGERS V MORTON LADBROKES CHAMPIONSHIP Friday 11 March 2016 – Kick Off 7.45pm Adults: £18 • Concessions: £13 • Juniors: £5

RANGERS V RAITH ROVERS LADBROKES CHAMPIONSHIP Tuesday 1 March 2016 – Kick Off 7.45pm Tickets are now on sale and prices start from Adults: £18 • Concessions: £13 • Juniors: £5

CONTINUOUS CREDIT CARD SCHEME WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CUP QF RANGERS V DUNDEE Ibrox Stadium • Sat 5 March • KO 12.30pm Adults: £19 • Conc: £14 • Under-16: £6 Payment has been taken and smartcards activated.

Please note that from an operational perspective the decision has been taken to close the Club Deck for this match. All season ticket holders in this stand who are signed up to “All non-season ticket home games” will automatically be relocated to the best available seats and in due course will receive a paper ticket to be used to gain access. Due to an increased ticket allocation for away support it will also be necessary to relocate certain areas of the Broomloan Stand. Again paper ticket will be issued in due course.

PETROFAC TRAINING CUP FINAL RANGERS V PETERHEAD Hampden Park • Sun 10 April 2016 • KO 3pm Adults: £20 • Conc: £10 • Under-16: £5 All season ticket holders on both semi-final & final schemes will be allocated a ticket for this fixture.

Payment will be taken from Wednesday 2 March and tickets will be posted Monday 7 March.

RANGERS V PETERHEAD PETROFAC TRAINING CUP FINAL Hampden Park • Sun 10 April 2016 • KO 3pm Adults: £20 • Conc: £10 • Under-16: £5 Tickets on sale to season ticket holders (two per season ticket and 4 per transaction) Please note that all season ticket holders enrolled in the semi–final & final schemes will be allocated a ticket for this fixture. (See further info under Continuous Credit Card scheme)

TICKET CENTRE & HOTLINE OPENING HOURS To purchase match tickets call the Rangers Tickets Hotline on 0871 702 1972 (option 1).

Calls cost 13p per minute plus network extras.

For supporter enquires relating to existing purchases only, please call 0371 702 1972.

Rangers Ticket Hotline is open Monday to Sunday from 9am-9pm. Rangers Ticket Centre is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 9am until 5pm, Thursday 9am until 6pm, Saturday 10am until 2pm and closed Sunday. *Please note prices quoted are for the Family section where terms & conditions apply.

SUPPORTERS CLUBS

THE LADBROKES CHAMPIONSHIP RANGERS V RAITH ROVERS • Ibrox Stadium • Tuesday 1 March • Kick Off 7.45pm Tickets are available for collection.

WILLIAM HILL SCOTTISH CUP • QUARTER FINAL RANGERS V DUNDEE • Ibrox Stadium • Saturday 5 March 2016 • Kick Off 12.30pm Special match deadline is Monday 29 February at 9am and payment will be taken on Monday 29 February. Tickets will be available for collection on Wednesday 2 March.

THE LADBROKES CHAMPIONSHIP RANGERS V MORTON • Ibrox Stadium • Friday 11 March • Kick Off 7.45pm Payment will be taken from Wednesday 2 March and tickets will be available for collection on Friday 4 March.

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MIDFIELDERS 7 Nicky Law 8 Gedion Zelalem 15 Harry Forrester 16 Andy Halliday 17 Billy King 22 Dean Shiels 23 Jason Holt FORWARDS 9 Kenny Miller 11 David Templeton 14 Nicky Clark 19 Barrie McKay 29 Michael O’Halloran 33 Martyn Waghorn REUBEN MERCER 18th BIRTHDAY MATCH SPONSOR

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