Comparisons and debate about who was the best are inevitable, but just
shows the quality of the players themselves that there is no
outstanding candidate for best ever Rangers winger. Rangers fans
from different generations will always have their own ideas about who
WAS 'Simply the Best,' but here are a few all though by no means is
this an exhaustive listing..........
Alec Smith was one of the greatest and longstanding players our great
Club has ever had. A left winger whose Rangers career lasted from
1894 - 1915 who is described in one very distinguished publication as
'a quite exceptionally talented footballer.' Thus began the love
affair the Rangers crowd have had with wingers throughout the years
which was to move on to Sandy Archibald and Alan Morton.
Archibald and Morton formed a quite magnificent wing pairing.
Archibald's powerful, speedy, goalscoring wing play on the right was
complimented perfectly by the mesmerising dribbling of Alan Morton on
the left. Alan Morton is one of the names that Bears from EVERY
generation knows and it is fitting that he is immortalised inside
Ibrox Stadium in that magnificent oil painting. A further source of
pride to Rangers supporters is that he also played in the 5-1
destruction of England at Wembley in 1928 and was accorded the
nickname 'The Wee Blue Devil' by an exasperated English journalist of
the time who had watched Morton produce a phenomenal display of wing
wizardry. Truly two Rangers greats, and it should be mentioned that
early Rangers supporters in fact rated Alec Smith as being a better
player than Alan Morton.
Moving on through time we arrive at Willie Waddell. Here we had a
very powerful and quick right winger who is yet another who will be
regarded as a legend forever by the Ibrox crowd. His partnership
with Willie Thornton in the centre half position provided Rangers
with countless goals and they are fondly remembered by Rangers
supporters of the day.
Into the 1960s and we have Alex Scott - another who has sadly recently
passed - and Willie Henderson, who was so talented that, at the mere
age of 17, he took Scott's place in right hand side of the team and
played a big part in the brilliant Rangers team of the early 1960s.
Along with the freescoring Davie Wilson on the left this was yet
another pairing of wingers who have their place in Ibrox folklore.
As the 60s progressed, the use of wingers became less and less
widespread and to some extent in some quarters were no longer viewed
as an essential part of the team. However, the Rangers supporters
still had the likes of Willie 'Bud' Johnstone to worship, none more
so than on that magical night in Barcelona in May 1972 he helped
Rangers win the European Cup Winner's Cup by scoring two goals.
The 70s also saw the introduction into the Rangers team of Tommy
McLean, Bobby McKean (RIP), and Quinton 'Cutty' Young. The 70s also
gave us one of the best, if not THE best player of his generation:
Davie Cooper.
Davie Cooper was a quite magical talent and I consider myself a very
priveliged Bluenose to have witnessed him at his peak. A left winger
who's talent was unequalled anywhere in Britain, it is perhaps sad
that he played in one of the worst Rangers teams ever and was to the
supporters then, a shining ray of hope in what seemed to be eternal
darkness and despair as he to some extent had to carry the team on
his own. Thankfully, the arrival of Graeme Souness saw Davie
surrounded by better players and then did his genius truly come into
its own. Ironically enough, whenever I'm asked the inevitable
question, 'What's the best performance you've ever seen from a
Rangers player?' my answer doesn't involve a Rangers game, but the
Scotland - Brazil game at Hampden Park in 1987 when, without the use
of hyperbole, it looked as if Scotland had adopted a Brazilian for
the night such was the sheer, exquisite footballing magnificence
exhibited by Davie Cooper that night. And he was on Rangers' books
at the time.
On his testimonial night against Bordeaux, Davie was replaced on the
park by Mark Walters who was rapidly adopted by the Rangers crowd as
one of their favourite sons. A two-footed player with bewildering
skill - notably his double shuffle which left many an opponent
floundering helplessly on the floor - he played more than his part in
helping Rangers to trophies in the late 80s and early 90s. Another
winger nonetheless who was adored by the Bears in the stands during
his time at Ibrox.
Football has a habit of throwing up ironies and perhaps one is that in
the same season that Brian Laudrup signed for Rangers, Davie Cooper
sadly passed away at a tragically early age. Not long after one who
was to become a Rangers great arrived, one departed.
Brian Laudrup was quite simply one of the best ever players to have
graced the field at Ibrox Park. A phenomenally talented player who
was worshipped by all who saw him and those of us who did see him
count ourselves fortunate that we witnessed a truly world-class
player in a Rangers jersey. Unbelievably skilful, blessed with
ferocious speed, he was the perfect athlete. For a winger, he was
incredibly consistent and is assured of a place in the Rangers hall
of legends.
STEVIETRUEBLUE