Gersnet Rangers All-time XI | Day 1: Goalkeeper

[CammyF 8,079]

We have had many very good goalkeepers and some excellent keepers. Woods, Goram, Klos and McGregor standout as the best I've seen play for Rangers and very little separates them. 

 

If pushed, I'd love to say Woods but think Goram just shades it for me.

[Rousseau 10,602]

I wonder if, over time, McGregor will come to shade Goram in these discussions?

[Frankie 8,562]

49 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

Regency bias is always present in these discussions.

Indeed, which is why Goram is the King of all our goalkeepers...

[Bluedell 5,624]

The Goalie.

 

Best in the world for a couple of years. I can't think of another Rangers player who we could claim that about during my time watching the Gers.

[Bluedell 5,624]

52 minutes ago, JohnMc said:

Regency bias is always present in these discussions. Andy Goram played 181 games for Rangers and for those of us lucky to have seen him he literally won matches for us, Leeds away and numerous Celtic matches come to mind. While the perfect keeper for that time, I doubt Goram would be our number one now, his kicking wasn't his strength, but his agility, reflexes and ability to get inside opposing players and managers heads was unrivalled. 

 

I disagree. Goram was very good with the ball at his feet.

[26th of foot 6,082]

I saw Colin Stein play in goals for Rangers against Queens Park in a Glasgow Cup semi-final in 1969. He kept a clean sheet.

 

My Grandfather insisted Jerry Dawson was indeed, 'the Prince of the yellow jersey'.

 

However, in my time viewing I think Andy Goram was a head above Klos and McGregor. Honourable mention too for the big Gas Meter, I saw him pull off some amazing game saving stops in Europe.

[Devil's advocaat 1,541]

1 hour ago, JohnMc said:

Regency bias is always present in these discussions. Andy Goram played 181 games for Rangers and for those of us lucky to have seen him he literally won matches for us, Leeds away and numerous Celtic matches come to mind. While the perfect keeper for that time, I doubt Goram would be our number one now, his kicking wasn't his strength, but his agility, reflexes and ability to get inside opposing players and managers heads was unrivalled. 

 

Stefan Klos played 254 times for Rangers, a wonderful return for a player who looked after himself and studied the game. Like Goram he wasn't strong with his passing but his ability to pull off saves was equal to Goram's in my opinion. Klos lacked the personality of Goram, he was quieter and didn't have the rapport with the support that Goram did. But 'der goalie' was an incredible Rangers keeper. 

 

Bobby Brown spent the 7 seasons before joining Rangers fighting in the 2nd world war. Training to be a PE teacher and playing with Queens Park he joined up along with 5 of his fellow students. He was the only one of them to return. Brown played for Rangers 211 times, a period when Scottish football was genuinely competitive. Bill Struth chose Brown as his first choice for 8 seasons, Brown then remained as an understudy to George Niven for a further 2 years. 

 

George Niven himself made 221 appearances for Rangers, holding the number 1 spot for nearly a decade. He holds the unusual distinction of being the Scot with the most appearances for Rangers to have never gone on and played for his country. 

 

His successor was Billy Ritchie, who some on the forum might have seen play. He made 207 appearances for Rangers, including a European final. 

 

Where regency bias is a negative is with Allan McGregor. I think McGregor is our all time best goalkeeper. I didn't see Niven, Brown or Ritchie play, but I did see Goram, Klos and McGregor and the latter edges it for me. I suspect many of our memories are clouded by last season, a season to far for McGregor. But McGregor made 346 appearances for Rangers and pulled of the two best saves I've ever watched, against Bremen and Slavia. McGregor combined agility and instinctive reflexes with a commanding presence and a will to win that helped transform our dressing room into league winners. These things are subjective, but for me Allan McGregor shades it, but there's some competition for his place. 

Klos is my favourite keeper of ours, but Goram was more of a match winner if that makes sense?. Also, Klos never really had a great record against the rheptiles, but then a keeper is only as good as the 10 guys in front of him.

[Scott7 6,002]

1 hour ago, JohnMc said:

Andy Goram played 181 games for Rangers and for those of us lucky to have seen him he literally won matches for us …..

Superb analysis, John.

 

I saw Brown but I really only know him by reputation. George Niven was excellent and Billy Ritchie even better, the epitome of reliability with superb anticipation and positional sense. I can’t remember Ritchie having to fly about the goal performing miracle saves nor can I remember him losing daft goals. He must have done, I suppose.

 

I really liked Chris Woods. I hoped he would stay for a while because I didn’t think he could be bettered.

 

Peter McCloy is often ridiculed but his record speaks for itself. Playing for Motherwell against the Hibs he made the best save I ever saw, equal to Gordon Banks’ effort.

 

Goram and McGregor, both performers of miracles over and over again every one of them seeming more impossible than the previous. So it has to be either of these two or Ritchie.
 

I see the professional goalkeeper among us has gone unhesitatingly for Goram. Only a fool would fail to agree with that choice.

 

OK. It’s Billy Ritchie.

[Scott7 6,002]

9 minutes ago, Devil's advocaat said:

Goram was more of a match winner if that makes sense

Yep.

[compo 7,030]

We’ve been blessed with great keepers so what’s it based on games played or shut outs I don’t have those figures.

Dawson , Goram , Ritchie, Kloss , ,Brown or McCloy 

Think big Peter played the most helped us win a European trophy so he’s my number one 

Edited November 14, 2023 by compo