Rangers are regarded as one of the best clubs in British football with a rich history of success. Behind their glory lies a talented group of legends, who left their mark on the club with their actions on and off the pitch.
The Gers, who were founded in 1872, have produced some of the most eye-catching talents in the history of Scottish football.
These players won the hearts of Rangers fans with scintillating performances and have cemented their position in the club’s history books. Some players spent their entire career at Rangers, while others had successful stints after being brought in from elsewhere.
One of the most notable names on this list is Ally McCoist, who also embraced the opportunity to manage the club. McCoist is considered as one of the club’s all-time greats, due to his ridiculous goal-scoring during his 15-year spell in Glasgow, and is now one of football’s best pundits.
With that in mind, here are the greatest Rangers players in football history.
Greatest Rangers players in football history | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Rank | Name | Years at Rangers | Appearances |
1. | Ally McCoist | 1983-1998 | 581 |
2. | Andy Goram | 1991-1998 | 185 |
3. | Jorg Albertz | 1996-2001 | 182 |
4. | Ian Durrant | 1985-1998 | 246 |
5. | Barry Ferguson | 1997-2003, 2005-2009 | 408 |
6. | Richard Gough | 1987-1998 | 427 |
7. | Brian Laudrup | 1994-1998 | 150 |
8. | Davie Cooper | 1977-1989 | 377 |
9. | Jim Baxter | 1960-1965, 1969-1970 | 136 |
10. | John Greig | 1961-1978 | 755 |
10 John Greig
Years at the club: 1961-1978
John Greig was once voted the greatest Rangers player ever, further cementing his icon status. He devoted his entire career to the club, making a staggering 755 appearances.
During this period, he also scored 120 goals. Greig is well known for his leadership both on and off the field, which coincides with his significant accolades that include multiple league title wins as well as domestic cups.
The retired defender was the captain of the Gers when they won the 1972 European Cup Winner’s Cup, beating Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in Barcelona. Greig was a no-nonsense defender, who consistently performed at the highest level.
His relentless work rate and never-say-die attitude ensured he will be remembered as one of the greatest players to wear the blue Rangers jersey.
9 Jim Baxter
Years at the club:1960-1965, 1969-1970
Baxter, regarded as one of the best players in Scotland, was one of the Rangers stars in the 60s’, who brought endless success to the club with his consistent performances. He accomplished a significant feat, winning an incredible 10 trophies in just five years.
Baxter joined the club in 1960 for a record £17,500 at the time. However, his largely successful career was tainted by his off- field antics.
He started drinking heavily after being sidelined with a leg fracture in 1964. A mixture of drinking and betting put a stop to his playing career and he retired at the age of 31.
8 Davie Cooper
Years at the club: 1977-1989
Davie Cooper was a skillful left-winger who had great acceleration that wowed supporters. Cooper played 377 times for Rangers in the 12 years he was in Glasgow.
His incredible goal against Celtic in the 1979 Dryburgh Cup final is considered by many as the greatest goal of all time. The winger also received praise from icons of the footballing world. Dutch legend Ruud Gullit named Cooper as one of the greatest players he had ever played against.
Cooper signed for Rangers in June 1997 at the age of 21. The next decade saw him become a Rangers stalwart, in which he won numerous trophies, such as the Scottish top division on three separate occasions.
7 Brian Laudrup
Years at the club: 1994-1998
Brian Laudrup is regarded as one of the best foreign players to represent the club. The attacking midfielder deservedly ranks among the greatest Rangers players in history, having enjoyed four years of success at Ibrox.
Laudrup played over 100 matches for the Gers, scoring 33 goals in the process. Supporters will forever cherish his electric performance in the 1996 Scottish Cup Final where he scored two great goals and set up three.
During his illustrious playing career, the midfielder also played for the likes of Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Fiorentina and Chelsea before announcing his retirement in 2000. While many Rangers greats served the club over a far longer period, Laudrup is one of the most naturally gifted footballers to ever put on a Rangers jersey.
6 Richard Gough
Years at the club: 1987-1998
Richard Gough cemented his status as one of Rangers’ and Scotland’s best ever defenders with imperious performances during his time at the club. The defender will go down in the history books as the first ever Scot to be sold for over £1m, when he made the move to Glasgow in 1987.
The commanding centre-back quickly established himself as a key player for the Gers, becoming captain of the Scottish giants. As skipper, he helped guide the club to the famous nine titles in a row and over the decade he spent at Ibrox, he made 427 appearances.
Alongside the nine league titles, he also won three Scottish Cups and six League Cups at Rangers and during this period he found the back of the net on 37 occasions. Gough also became a regular member of the national team setup, making 61 appearances for his country.
5 Barry Ferguson
Years at the club: 1997-2003, 2005-2009
Barry Ferguson will be remembered as a Rangers icon for his two successful spells with the club. During his first stint, the young Scotsman won over critics and was named captain of the Gers at just 22-years-old.
Significantly, he won the Writers’ Player of the Year Award twice in three years. Following a disappointing move to Blackburn Rovers, Ferguson returned in 2006 for another three years.
The Scotland international also made 82 appearances in European competitions, which makes him the record European appearance holder at Rangers. During his time at the club he also won the Scottish Premier League, Scottish Cup and Scottish League five times.
Furthermore, he won the treble in 2003, which earned him the honor of SFWA Footballer of the Year.
4 Ian Durrant
Years at the club: 1985-1998
Durrant started his career at Rangers, making his debut against Greenock Morton in 1985. One season later, he became a more involved member of the Rangers squad, scoring in his first Old Firm match.
He stole the show in consecutive Scottish League Cup finals, scoring in both the 1986 and 1987 final and also converting the winning penalty in the latter. During his 14-year stint at the club, he made close to 250 appearances.
His performances helped the club reach the Champions League semi-final during the 1992-93 season. Durrant left the club in 1998, but returned to the Gers in 2005 to take up the position of first-team coach.
3 Jorg Albertz
Years at the club: 1996-2001
Nicknamed the ‘Iceman’, Albertz will go down as the best foreign player to ever wear the blue shirt of Rangers. The German arrived in 1996 for £4m and he is famously known for the great free-kick he scored against Celtic in 1997, which helped the club on the way to their ninth consecutive title.
The midfielder quickly became a fan favorite, scoring two more important goals against Celtic, which revolved around skillful runs from midfield. He made 182 appearances for the club and scored 82 goals, which featured some great strikes from distance.
Following the departure of manager Walter Smith in 1998, the left-footed wizard was frequently left out of the starting lineup by new boss Dick Advocaat. Despite this, his success at the club continued with Albertz contributing to the championship triumphs in 1999 and 2000, as well as winning the Scottish Cup in both of those aforementioned years.
2 Andy Goram
Years at the club: 1991-1998
Born in Bury, Goram started his career with Oldham Athletic and Hibernian, however his prime years came at Rangers during the 90s’. Soon after his move to the Scottish giants, he earned the nickname ‘The Goalie’ due to his fantastic saves, which provided confidence for the rest of the defence.
Quickly, he became a fan favorite and in his Rangers career, he made 185 appearances. In a 2001 poll completed by Teddy Bears fans, Goram was voted as the club’s greatest-ever goalkeeper, beating his successor Stefan Klos.
Although he played for several historical clubs such as Manchester United, he is known for significant achievements in Glasgow, where he became one of the best in his position. Goram gained 43 caps for the Scotland national team and he was also selected for their squads at the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, as well as UEFA Euro 1992 and UEFA Euro 1996.
1 Ally McCoist
Years at the club:1983-1998
McCoist, who began his footballing career at St Johnstone, was one of the deadliest strikers in world football. He became Rangers’ record goalscorer, winning nine successive league championships between 1988 and 1997.
During his time at the club, the striker scored more than 350 goals and became the first Scotsman to win the European Golden Boot award in both 1992 and 1993. McCoist’s accomplishments were recognized when he was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Due to his success with the national team, he was also invited to become a member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame, with the Scot gaining 61 international caps in his career. His impressive goal-scoring record also means he is the fifth-highest all-time goalscorer in the top tier of the Scottish football league system.
Despite a somewhat mixed managerial career, McCoist will forever be remembered as a Rangers great, who guided the club to significant success with his vital goals.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt – correct as of 22/10/2024