Scott7

Every time I think about posting in this thread, within seconds the brain crashes from memory overload - goals, thrills, spills, heroes, clowns, victory, triumph! But as Compo and Boabie have shown there’s more than just the football when following the Rangers. Sadly my road memories are much less roisterous than theirs but fragments come to mind. 

At Fir Park a faint smile crossed my otherwise grim countenance when Ian St John scored the opening and winning goal for Motherwell (monetary gain involved)

Outside Central Station a Celtic supporter on his way to see his team at Paisley gave a lift to Ibrox to an idiot stranger who had missed every ‘bus and train in the book and a couple of other guys as well.

The same idiot left East End Park at the final whistle somewhat disgruntled with a one all draw, perplexed by the relaxed demeanour of a few thousand other bluenoses and discovered later in the evening paper that Rangers had won. We had been five minutes late and missed the first goal (Watson 4) and thought McLean’s goal in 43 minutes was the equaliser.

Brought up protected by the Iron Curtain and being later bedazzled in the GazzaLaudo years, nonetheless my team is Ritchie, Shearer,  ....  need I go on?

Bobby Shearer. I’d send Tav and John to a seance to contact the spirit world so he could give them tackling advice. Shearer was a tiger just as much as the illustrious Shaw himself. But nobody’s perfect. How’s this for deja vu? At Pittodrie, Rangers in all out attack, the ball was cleared up the Aberdeen left wing to the half line. Only Shearer and the Dons’ Jackie Hather were there. Hather was round Shearer and away with Bobby trailing by yards. Caldow using his own formidable pace got back and across to clear. No disgrace there. Hather was a genuine speed merchant. Rangers won 1-2. Fast forward three years to Easter Road and exactly the same thing happened. This time the winger was Ally McLeod - yes, him - not renowned for his speed out of the trap. Caldow had time to get across at his leisure. 1-2 Rangers, Wilson and Brand. Sammy Baird scored a penalty for Hibs.

Two months earlier in the same year, 1960, at Tynecastle, Shearer played one of the games of his life against the champions Hearts. Ritchie was carried off after eleven minutes and Bobby went into goal - no subs in those days. He conceded only one goal (Gordon Smith 61) Ten man Rangers had already scored twice - Scott (40) and Brand (47) Davy Wilson got the third (71) Shearer looked as if he had played in goal all his life. He was never in trouble against a normally prolific Hearts forward line which as well as Smith contained Murray, Crawford and the great Willie Bauld. That was an epic match in front of 40,000 plus.

I could go on but would the Internet be big enough?

4 hours ago, colinstein said:

I saw Jimmy playing right half against the tims at Ibrox. I think that's when he made that quote. Unfortunately he was pish that night...I remember the tims slagging us off after the game for playing him there so I guess they must have won.He was a centre forward you see !

However sasa was a centre back who served us well in the full back position right enough !

The great JM came to Rangers as a half back. He played a stormer at left half in the Kai Cup Final.

3 hours ago, Uilleam said:

Did he not win the League when managing Kilmarnock (and have a few 2nd places)?

 

Of course, when he left Rugby Park, he became a football writer for the now defunct Daily Express, from where he took up the Manager's post at Rangers.

 

So,.......if Steve Clarke wins the SPL, and spends 2 or 3 years on the football desk at the Daily Rhabble, he would be qualified, incontrovertibly for the job at Ibrox......

At the final whistle Waddell raced onto the park as if he had the famous light blue jersey on his back instead of his Danimac raincoat, made straight for Frank Beattie and hoisted that sturdy citizen three feet into the air as if he were a child’s doll.

I would normally favour Hearts over Kilmarnock but not on that day.

29 minutes ago, Darthter said:

but not a "million miles removed" from Kilmarnock apparently.....

Willie Waddell managed Kilmarnock.

You should always cheer on your team.

27 minutes ago, Rousseau said:

Dressing-room arguments are healthy, but only if they're managed properly. I would expect a few heated words after that performance. 

 

However, I don't agree with senior players being able to undermine a manager. I don't expect and don't want Murty around for too much longer, but there is a way to put one's point across without undermining. It's happened before, and we supported the players. That was wrong.

 

We need a new core/spine. I think we're getting there, but we still need a lot more. Foferingham, Docherty, McCrorie, Jack, Tavernier, Morelos will/should be the new spine, as they improve and mature; hopefully over the next 5 years. We need more, though.    

Some slipping discs in that spine.

Clarke does have the advantage of a peculiar pitch. Same for both sides but the home team are accustomed to its vagaries.

Possibly within a Stevie Gerrard stumble of a Championship.

You might suggest that. I couldn’t possibly comment.

Stein was a different sort of chap, though, wasn’t he?

Another worthy institution.

13 minutes ago, Bluedell said:

Great to see them relegated. I don 't have any time for the team that plays that scumbag McClean.

An ugly but temporary wart on the face of an otherwise worthy institution.

Baggies smash Liverpool out of the FA Cup and today beat United at Old Trafford to hand the title to City.

Shame about the rest of the season.

She’ll more likely give him a pay rise.

Pathetic. 12,000 sheep, 6,000 ‘Well I suppose.

What was the offeeshell attendance?

Tav, Martin, Alves, John.

The last bastion of the defence. I’m sorry for the ‘keeper. But I suppose there’s nobody else so I’d put McRorie into the back line and put Alves on the ‘plane to Madrid.

Fair play to Lennon. He was an expert at this sort of thing so he knows what he’s talking about.

Lo-ren-zo  Am-o-rus-o.  Just ask him himself and he’ll tell you.

Seriously, though, Amo was a good captain both on and off the park.

It was a good time, the yore. Plenty of memories, mostly triumphal, especially Cup Finals, the Dundee epic, Kai, Ian Mccoll’s swansong, but I think I’ll wait for Compo’s recollections of Meiklejohn, Morton and McPhail.

Should that be “en mess”?

I was at that one too. Churchill’s funeral and Henderson and Baxter back from injury. 

Hearts must have been playing in the west because the Evening Despatch jambo writer reported the A8 eastbound traffic solid with Rangers ‘buses, cars, lorries and vans all the way from Maybury to the Newhouse roundabout.

I can see this topic running on and on.  I’ll be back tomorrow when I’ve decided which one to bore you with.

More questions than answers there, Coop.

Ah well. That’s psychos for you.

There is no evidence to make me believe a league title is imminent.

In March 2017 WBA attained a position of absolute safety, almost respectability,  in the EPL. The players minds went onto the beach and they hardly won a game the rest of the season.

I reckoned the slide would become unstoppable. At the start of this season they were my prediction for relegation (to the incredulity of fellow poster Gribz) and lo it has come to pass.

All down to the players, I’m afraid, but an experienced bloke like Pardew should never have allowed the Barcelona cantrips to have happened. The damage was done long before then, however.

Pity because I like the Albion.