Measuring the greatest players to play for any given club is no mean feat, especially for a club the size of Glasgow Rangers.
The Ibrox side have enjoyed plenty of success since their formation in 1872, capturing 55 Scottish Premiership titles alongside a plethora of domestic cups and the 1972 European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Each successful era has produced a handful of players that have taken the club to new heights, from the early 1960s to the trophy-laden spell in the 90s. While it is difficult to rank the greatest players for any given club, especially as there are so many different factors to take into consideration, here is our attempt at listing the best to wear a Rangers shirt.
Ranking factors
- Impact at the club
- Appearances
- Goals scored
- Trophies won
Football FanCast takes a look at the ten greatest Rangers players of all time. Some may only have stayed a few years, yet they are still being talked about today.
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10
Davie Cooper
Winger, 1977-1989
Davie Cooper is one of the last great Scottish wingers. Signing for Rangers in 1977 from Clydebank, Cooper made a total of 376 appearances for the Gers, scoring 49 goals in the process.
13 major honours were won by the Scot in those 12 years, including seven League Cups, but it was his ability to simply ghost past people that made supporters stand up and take notice.
From his wonderful solo effort against Celtic in 1979 to his stunning freekick against Aberdeen in 1987, Cooper’s genius was unrivalled. Indeed, Dutch legend Ruud Gullit said Cooper “was one of the best football players I have ever seen”. High praise from one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
Sadly, Cooper died aged just 39, suffering a brain haemorrhage while filming a children’s coaching video. He won’t be forgotten by the Ibrox faithful.
9
Paul Gascoigne
Midfielder, 1995-1998
Of all the players on this list, Paul Gascoigne’s time at the club is the shortest, lasting only three years and compiling just 104 matches, but boy, what an impact he made.
The 1995/96 campaign saw Gazza at his very best, taking games by the scruff of the neck and leading the Gers towards their eighth successive league title.
His crowning glory came against Aberdeen. He netted a hat-trick at Ibrox with a stunning solo goal among one the finest efforts of his career which sealed the league title.
The next two seasons saw the Englishman create fleeting moments of joy, but there is no doubting he was exactly the signing required by Walter Smith to give the Gers that added edge as they chased immortality.
8
Brian Laudrup
Winger, 1994-1998
Brian Laudrup spent just four seasons at Rangers, yet he won six major trophies and gave the club the spark they needed after a difficult 1993/94 season.
The Dane would go on to make 150 appearances, netting 44 goals, which included five goals against Celtic, further endearing himself to the supporters.
There is no doubt he is arguably one of the best foreign players to feature in Scotland, if not the best. How Smith managed to lure him to Glasgow is anyone’s guess, but it was the greatest signing he would ever make.
7
Jim Baxter
Winger, 1960-1965, 1969-1970
Jim Baxter was signed by Rangers in 1960 for a fee of just £17,500. It was a Scottish record at the time – but it was money well spent.
Between 1960 and 1965, “Slim Jim”, as he was known to the supporters, won three league titles, three Scottish Cups and four League Cups, as Rangers became the dominant force in Scotland. Baxter’s impact was impressive, especially in ties against Celtic.
Indeed, across 18 Old Firm games, the winger lost just twice, showcasing how good the squad was in the early-to-mid-60s.
He left in 1965, spending time with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest before returning to Rangers in 1969. His second spell wasn’t as kind as the first, but his impact on that wonderful Rangers side was simply excellent.
6
Andy Goram
Goalkeeper, 1991-98
Andy Goram was voted the club’s greatest goalkeeper in 2001, and it is hard to argue. Over seven years at Ibrox, Goram’s shot-stopping ability undoubtedly helped Smith and his team fend off Celtic to win nine league titles in a row.
His save against Pierre van Hooijdonk in 1995 has to be seen to be believed, as he kept out a goal-bound effort from just yards away to prevent the Dutchman from scoring.
Such was his stature for the Gers, former Celtic manager Tommy Burns stated that “Andy Goram broke my heart” would appear on his gravestone.
Nicknamed ‘the goalie’ by those at Ibrox, Goram passed away in July 2022 after a short battle with cancer. There hasn’t been a ‘keeper like him since.
5
Barry Ferguson
Midfielder, 1997-2003, 2005-2009
Reared from the academy, Barry Ferguson made his senior debut on the final day of the 1996/97 season and didn’t look back.
He slowly became a key figure in the club’s recent history, helping the Gers to trebles in 1998/99 and 2002/03, captaining the side during the latter.
A £7.5m move to Blackburn Rovers didn’t exactly work out and Ferguson was back at Ibrox 18 months later. His second spell wasn’t as productive, yet he still led the club to the UEFA Cup final in 2008 and won another six major trophies.
Some say the Light Blues have never produced another academy talent like him, with Ferguson among the greatest players to adorn the shirt.
4
Richard Gough
Defender, 1987-1997, 1997-1998
Richard Gough is one of only three players to have played a part in every single one of the nine-in-a-row title wins, establishing himself among the greatest players in the club’s history in the process.
Gough was a no-nonsense centre-back who was a commanding presence at the heart of the defence. He often played through the pain barrier for the club, further endearing himself to the Ibrox faithful. Across 11 years at the Light Blues, Gough won 18 major honours.
He left in the summer of 1997, just weeks after lifting the coveted ninth league title in succession, moving to America. Such is the mark of the man, Gough returned to Rangers a few months later to help Smith as an injury crisis engulfed the squad, showing his true passion for the club.
3
Sandy Jardine
1966-1982
Sandy Jardine ranks second in the list of all-time appearances for Rangers, just behind John Greig, demonstrating how much of an impact he had across several generations.
Jardine’s 674 games came over a 16-year period, taking in three decades and five different managers. During this spell, he won 14 trophies, including the 1972 Cup Winners’ Cup, as the club battled for domestic supremacy with Celtic during his spell.
Jardine passed away in 2014, with his lasting legacy having a stand named after him, with the Govan Stand renamed the Sandy Jardine Stand in his honour.
2
Ally McCoist
Forward, 1983-1998
Ally McCoist is Rangers’ greatest-ever goalscorer. Across 581 competitive matches, ‘Super Ally’ scored a staggering 355 goals for the Gers.
The impact of some of his goals is also legendary. Take the winner in the 1993 League Cup final, for example. Returning from a broken leg, McCoist netted a stunning acrobatic effort to claim the cup for the Gers.
His header against Leeds United in 1992 helped the club secure a place in the Champions League group stages, while few can forget his final Old Firm goal in the 1998 Scottish Cup semi-final and the emotional celebration that followed.
McCoist could score from anywhere, such were his finishing skills. His legacy stretched into coaching and management with the Ibrox side too, assisting Smith between 2007 and 2011 before managing Rangers from 2011 to 2014.
The Light Blues will never have another striker like him.
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1
John Greig
Defender, 1961-1978
John Greig is the epitome of Rangers Football Club. Making his debut in 1961, Greig amassed a club-record 755 appearances over the next 17 years, leading the club to three domestic trebles while captaining the team to their only major European honour in 1972.
Greig’s impact stretched way beyond his playing days. He managed Rangers for five years between 1978 and 1983, winning two Scottish Cups and two League Cups, although he wasn’t able to win a league title in that spell.
Greig was named the ‘Greatest ever Ranger’ in 1999 before being named the club’s honorary life president in 2015.
