Jeff Holmes - Rangers v Celtic: The Gers Fifty Finest Old Firm Derby Day Triumphs

First published by Pitch Publishing, 2019

Pitch Publishing

A2 Yeoman Gate

Yeoman Way

Durrington

BN13 3QZ

www.pitchpublishing.co.uk

Jeff Holmes, 2019

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eBook ISBN 978-1-78531-570-1

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Rangers Football Club means so much to hundreds of thousands of followers the world over. For generations, supporters have picked up the red, white and blue scarf at a young age and followed in the family tradition. Happily wandering down the Copland Road just as their forefathers did. Its that kind of club.

As someone once said, bluenoses are born, not manufactured.

And that means Follow Following when Rangers play pre-season friendlies down south, Scottish Cup ties in the north of Scotland, or European matches in far-flung parts like Vladikavkaz, some 4,000 kilometres from home.

But there is one fixture more than any other that is always guaranteed to get the juices flowing. Since the first encounter in May 1888, it has taken on a life of its own. Now, more than 130 years after the first meeting, Old Firm games are as keenly contested as ever, and that intensity shows no sign of abating.

So, what makes this fixture different from, say, the Merseyside or Manchester derbies, or its equivalents in either Madrid or Buenos Aires?

First of all, its our big game, and while its not quite a matter of life and death, as the late, great Bill Shankly once suggested, its not a kick in the backside off it.

The match means so much to so many people, and win or lose, its about far more than bragging rights. Thats just paper talk.

If Rangers are on, say, a seven- or eight-match unbeaten run against Celtic, then that manifests into power. When we were winning nine titles in succession, the football power in the city rested south of the River Clyde. Even if Rangers werent playing their greatest football, managers like Walter Smith always found a way to beat Celtic. He had their number. His sides normally did just enough, and it wasnt always down to good fortune.

And then there are the resounding victories, such as the 51 mauling in August 1988, when it was a great time to be a bluenose. Mind you, has there ever been a bad time? But Rangers were 51 up a little over an hour into the game that day, and that was the way it ended, much to the chagrin of the great many supporters who sensed a mauling. To this day, some speak with forked tongues about letting them off the hook. They wanted double figures complete and utter humiliation.

The Old Firm match is part power grab, part religious, part territorial, part political, part lots of things. It brings out the best in people, the worst in others. With both clubs having such massive fan bases, then we can expect all kinds of views and emotions, from the sublime to the ridiculous. But even the most moderate among us still craves victory in this fixture over just about any other.

When it comes to the players, some can handle it, while others are found wanting. In a nutshell, it separates the men from the boys.

Rangers great Sandy Jardine once described the Old Firm game as like no other. He added: The build-up starts from the beginning of the week and you train harder and think about the game a lot more than normal. All players are affected. If youre not, youre made of stone.

Then theres the pre-match tension. Its like nothing else. Players who are normally free from bad nerves are jumpy, or stay very quiet. As you change in the dressing room the atmosphere seems to creep under the door and set you tingling. You can hear the crowd building up and the singing gets louder, more intense.

The occasion really gets to you. In fact, its almost a relief to get out on to the pitch and get the game started. Much better than in the dressing room. Once the game is underway its so hectic that you just have to push everything else out of your mind. The game is fast and there is little time to think.

Ive heard a lot of words that describe the Old Firm game: endeavour, excitement, tension, glamour, drama, frustration, joy. Yes, theyre all pretty appropriate.

My greatest memories as a Rangers supporter are of matches against Celtic. Victory in this fixture always means so much more than any other game. From my first Old Firm encounter, in the early 1970s, to the final match of the 2018/19 campaign, Ive enjoyed/hated every single one, and I plan to go on enjoying/hating these fixtures until my number is called. Hang on, maybe they are more important than life itself!

Anyway, enjoy reading this list of cracking Rangers victories.

Jeff Holmes

August 2019

FOOTBALL supporters venturing in the direction of Hampden Park can pop into a once famous old Glasgow ground as they make their way along Cathcart Road. Cathkin Park former home of the great Third Lanark still exists in ghostly form just a mile or so from the national stadium.

You can stand on the terrace, lean against a red crash barrier, and imagine youve travelled back in time. How about to Saturday, 18 February 1893? In your minds eye you will be witnessing a little piece of football history. Well, just about. Technically, the Cathkin Park that remains is the second incarnation, with the original just across the road, but why let the facts

That day, Rangers chalked up their first ever victory over Celtic, their great Glasgow rivals. Ten thousand spectators filed into Cathkin expecting to see a clever Celtic side continue their dominance of the Light Blues. It had been five years since the formation of the Parkhead side and theyd hit the ground running, leaving Rangers, and just about everyone else, trailing in their wake. Thus, backcourt bookies had made the Celts red-hot favourites to land their third successive Glasgow Cup.

Rangers, on the other hand, had yet to win the old trophy despite reaching the first final against Cambuslang. Mind you, they had looked impressive while disposing of Northern, Linthouse, Queens Park and Glasgow Thistle en route to this latest final.

Rangers must have taken heart from seeing Celtic lose just their second competitive game of the season the Saturday before, when Paisley side Abercorn won the Scottish League match 42 at Underwood Park.

With the kick-off just a few minutes away, members of the Glasgow committee found it difficult to hide their disappointment at the turnout, but there were a number of reasons for it. First of all, the weather. It was a dreich afternoon, which had no doubt kept many a supporter indoors. The admission money was also higher than normal, while many fans regarded the result a foregone conclusion.