THE Rangers family is today mourning the loss of club legend, Ronnie MacKinnon, at the age of 83.
Mr MacKinnon, a member of the club’s Hall of Fame, played a fantastic 473 times for Rangers and won nine major honours. His Ibrox career spanned 12 years, and he was also capped 28 times for Scotland.
Ronnie joined Rangers from junior side Dunipace, and in an interview prior to his passing, he recalled how the move came about.
He said: “I was Rangers daft and always wanted to play for them. I dreamt it would happen but never thought it would.
“I had the luck to be playing for a junior team one day and I had a good game. I came into the dressing room after the game, it was at Renfrew Juniors stadium, and they wanted to sign me.
“I went home and the phone went, my mum answered and was all flustered. She told me it was Scot Symon on the phone and I couldn’t believe it!
“I had never seen my mother so happy and I found it hard to sleep that night.
“The next day I went to Ibrox with my dad and was told Mr Symon was waiting for me.
“It was like winning the lottery. I walked in to training and there were all my heroes. I couldn’t believe it; I thought I was dreaming.”
But dreaming he was not – this was very much reality for Ronnie, and after establishing himself in the side and winning Scottish Cups in 1962 and 1963 and the title in 1963, he was a pivotal part in the team which captured the domestic treble in season 1963/64.
Supporters of the side in that era still have little trouble recalling the players from that age - Ritchie; Shearer, Caldow; Greig, McKinnon, Baxter; Henderson McMillan, Millar, Brand and Wilson.
As the 1960s progressed and that side broke up, Ronnie remained a Ranger into two new eras, firstly under David White, and then under Willie Waddell.
Injury to regular captain John Greig meant Ronnie lifted the 1970 League Cup trophy – the club’s first major honour in over four years, before the club set their sights on Europe, and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1972 – Gers and Ronnie having lost in the final of that competition to Bayern Munich in 1967.
Sadly for Ronnie, his Ibrox career was to come to a close in the second round of the tournament on a crazy night away to Sporting Lisbon. While Gers eventually proceeded to the next round despite losing an unnecessary penalty shootout with them leading on away goals at the end of extra-time, Ronnie had earlier left the field having suffered a broken leg.
After 487 appearances, his time came to a close aged just 31, and he moved to South Africa, where he played for Durban United.
On the international front, Ronnie was capped 28 times by Scotland. Two particular matches there stand out – a 1-1 draw with Brazil in 1966 at Hampden, from which an iconic photo of the great Pele remonstrating with Ronnie came; and a year later, when Scotland became unofficial World Champions by defeating England at Wembley 3-2.
In recent years, Ronnie has resided on the Isle of Lewis, and was an honorary member of the Lewis and Harris Rangers Supporters’ Club. Indeed, he would regularly join them on their annual outing to Ibrox.
As recently as Friday, the LHRSC held a benefit night in his honour, which was attended by former players Peter McCloy, Alex MacDonald and Ian Durrant; Rangers Chairman John Bennett, and Chief Executive, James Bisgrove.
Ronnie MacKinnon’s contribution to Rangers was enormous, and he will forever be remembered as a great of the club through his Hall of Fame recognition.
The thoughts of everyone at Rangers are with Ronnie’s widow Elizabeth, his family and his many friends.