THE WHO STOPPED
Gers squad will be legends in fans’ eyes for finally ending wait
I’VE got to be honest, I shed a tear at the weekend.
Having watched the journey Rangers have been on in the last decade like every other supporter, then to finally see them crowned champions again, it hit me right at the back of the throat.
This team deserve to be held up with the very best of them as heroes.
And to see Steven Gerrard leading the celebrations with a Klinsmann across the home dressing-room floor summed up the outpouring of ecstasy from everyone. It has been a long and, at times, hard 10 years.
I played in some fantastic Rangers sides, especially in the late 90s and early 2000s, and obviously the team that got to the UEFA Cup Final. I achieved some special things.
But see this group of players and the management team, they will go down as legends.
This season they have simply been on a totally different level.
This achievement has got to be right up there with nine in a row and all the other great title wins, simply because of the dominance Celtic have had since Rangers came back into the top flight.
Winning nine in a row is incredible but stopping a 10th can be every bit as impressive.
This has got to rank up there with Rangers’ greatest triumphs.
Nobody can say Rangers don’t deserve all the plaudits.
And it could get even better with the Scottish Cup and Europa League still to play for.
There are heroes all over Ibrox, from the players to the management and directors. When it comes to selecting 10 who have done more than anyone else to stop Celtic hitting the 10, that’s difficult.
But these 10 figures deserve a special mention.
DAVE KING, DOUGLAS PARK, GEORGE LETHAM AND GEORGE TAYLOR
I’ll start with a foursome because King and the Three Bears started the fightback for real when they came into power at Ibrox six years ago.
They took control from people who were not right for the job and with the club facing an uncertain future.
King came in and steadied the ship to get it heading back in the direction fans wanted.
He also appointed Gerrard, which was to become massive.
That was the start of everything the fans are now celebrating.
Douglas Park is now chairman. Rangers have got a guy in charge who knows how to run businesses properly. He has always been in the background but has come to the fore now. You will see his influence more and more.
STEVEN GERRARD
An obvious one. I would put his management team in brackets too. Rangers had to get that managerial appointment right in 2018 and they took a gamble on an untried manager... but how it’s paid off. Gerrard is a hero now. He was given time to get it right and you can see Rangers are reaping the benefits.
He had to get not just his team in place but his philosophy. After three years he has delivered what everyone was craving and with an impressive playing style.
The way he handles and carries himself is what Rangers are all about. He’s got the bug and I’m certain he will be here for another few years.
Legendary status has already arrived at his door and Gerrard will want to deliver more trophies and take Rangers back into the Champions League.
STEVEN DAVIS
An unbelievable signing on a free transfer just over a year-and-a-half ago. People questioned his age but this season the 36-year-old has been an absolute stand-out.
He brings a calmness and dictates a game of football. As a fellow midfielder, I love watching him.
He is absolutely key to Rangers and his experience, in terms of having been there and done it, would also have been crucial.
ALFREDO MORELOS
I have always stuck up for Morelos for a reason – he is absolutely crucial to the team. We all know about the discipline problems but he is a risk worth taking for me.
With him in the team Rangers are far better, it’s as simple as that. And in recent weeks you have seen signs of maturity in him.
He has been outstanding. Morelos is a throwback to strikers who love the physical side and this season his all-round play has improved. He’s scored big goals at important times and I’m delighted for him. I think he will now be tempted to stay on too.
ALLAN McGREGOR
Greegs earns you 15 to 18 points a season. What more can you say than that? At 39, he is still just a phenomenal goalkeeper. A born winner, which was needed at this crucial time for Rangers. He knows what the club mean to so many people and nobody was more delighted than me to see him take my European appearance record.
CONNOR GOLDSON
I always liked Goldson but thought there was a mistake in him. Not this season. He has been a manmountain. He has played every game. Incredible.
To have come through heart surgery before he came up to Rangers, then to produce what he has on the park, says it all for Goldson. Another leader of men, he has come up with big goals in this title-winning season.
JAMES TAVERNIER
Dubbed a “serial loser”, he has thrown all those remarks back in the doubters’ faces. He has led from the front and proven to be a true captain. He has been there since the Championship days. I always thought he was a good player but this season he has really come to the fore. His goal return of 17, added to his assists, has been crucial. It’s easy to hide when you get criticised but he has never done so and is now a title-winning captain. Go and milk it. That’s my 10 but I’ve got two very special mentions on top. Two guys who mean the world to me and to whom Rangers mean the world. David Lavery, the masseur, and Jimmy Bell, the legendary kitman. These two guys have been through it all. They were among the first people I texted because I know how much it means to them. They’re not just Rangers employees but Rangers fans too.