Today we roll back the years to look at three comprehensive victories for the club, including an 8:1 thrashing of a Glasgow rival, a 4:0 win over a division three opponent and a 6:0 win over Queen of the South, who we have in the next round of the Ramsdens Cup. We finish by looking at a cup game against Dundee which took two goals in extra time to secure passage to the next round.
1955 – In 1955, Rangers took on forthcoming Ramsdens Cup opponents Queen of the South at Ibrox in the Scotish League Cup. In front of 50,000 fans, Rangers romped to victory, scoring six goals against the Doonhamers. The goals came through Billy Simpson, Johnny Hubbard and braces for Alex Scott and Neil Arnison.
In March of the same season, Rangers took on Queen of the South again, this time winning 8:0 including five goals from South African Don Kitchenbrand, however the game will be remembered not for the scoreline, but for the fact that it was the first Scottish League game to be played using floodlights!
1904 – Rangers enjoyed a marvellous victory at Ibrox against city rivals Partick Thistle in 1904 winning by eight goals to one thanks to a Finlay Speedie hat-trick, doubles from RC Hamilton and Archie Kyle and a single goal from James Stark. There was a blustery wind at Ibrox, which aided in Rangers racing to a 5:1 lead by halftime in front of 7,000 fans. The gate for the match was £152 with another £15 taken in the stands - changed days!
1932 – There was a hat-trick for Jimmy Smith at Ibrox for Bill Struth's Rangers side and another goal scored by Bob McPhail in 1932, as Rangers romped to victory over East Stirlingshire. Rangers were dominant throughout the match and the Herald surmised a couple of days over the match: "...the visitors had an abundance of pluck and at times they showed clever touches, but they had neither the precision nor power of opponents who all through were playing within themselves."
1986 –Graeme Souness led by example for Rangers in 1986 as his Rangers side needed two goals in extra time against Dundee to secure their place in the Semi Final of the Skol League Cup. Rangers dominated the match throughout after Dundee had Jim Smith sent off in the 21st minute, but the breakthrough didn't come until the 76th minute through Cammy Fraser.
Rangers' player-manager Souness scored an excellent 25 yard goal in the 100th minute of the match after Stewart Forsyth had equalised in the dying seconds of normal time. The match was rounded off in the 116th minute by a third goal scored by the head of Ted "The Tin Man" McMinn.
PICTURE (left to right) Terry Butcher in action for Rangers in 1986, Bob McPhail in action from the 1930's and Johnny Hubbard playing in the 1950s at Ibrox.
