supporters we have been blessed in that we have been able to have watched
some of the greatest players ever to have graced the Scottish game and that
they have done so in the Royal Blue of Rangers.
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.
As already mentioned, this isn't meant to be an exhaustive list. Eddie
Rutherford, Johnny Hubbard, Orjan Persson, and countless others have all
played their part ont he wing in making our Club the great and successfull
institution that it is, and to return to the opening paragraph, we may, just
may, have witnessed the introduction of another who's name will be spoken
about in the same terms of the great men that have been mentioned in this
rambling look back in time at the Greatest Football Club the World has ever
seen. I give you The Rangers.
AYRSHIRE BILLY BOY