Restoring the balance: when Graeme Souness’s Rangers beat Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen.

Rangers v Aberdeen, 27 September, 1986

To say that Sir Alex Ferguson’s relationship with Rangers is complicated is probably one of the biggest understatements in football.

As is well documented, Ferguson grew up in Govan in the shadow of Ibrox Park and was a keen supporter of the club.

His dream of playing for his boyhood heroes came true in July 1967 when he signed for Rangers after successful periods at St Johnstone and Dunfermline. He would make 41 appearances for the club, scoring a very respectable 25 goals.

However his dream moved turned sour after the Scottish Cup final of 1969 against Celtic. Rangers suffered a 4-0 battering at the hands of their most bitter rivals and Ferguson bore the brunt of the fallout after failing to mark Billy McNeil at a corner in the third minute, resulting in the Celtic captain scoring the opening goal.

Ferguson never played for Rangers again, and was made to train on his own before being moved on to Falkirk.

Ferguson maintains to this day that he was made the scapegoat because his wife, Cathy, was a Catholic. His evidence for this claim was that a club director at the time had challenged Ferguson about his wife’s religion and if they had married in a chapel.

This line has not always sat well with some Rangers supporters who are old enough to remember Sir Alex’s time at Rangers. They maintain that, as much as Ferguson was a committed professional, and very harshly treated after that final, the blunt truth was that he just wasn’t good enough to play for Rangers. And Rangers had form on dumping strikers on the back of one bad result – you only have to look at the treatment of Jim Forrest and George McLean after Berwick to see evidence of that.

Alex Ferguson in his final game for Rangers – the 1969 Scottish Cup Final.

Whatever the truth is regarding Ferguson’s sudden departure from Ibrox, his relationship with Rangers changed from that moment on. He remained a Rangers supporter, but there was also an element of hostility towards the club.

Ferguson saw out his playing days at Falkirk and Ayr Utd before moving into management at East Stirlingshire and then St Mirren.

When he took over Aberdeen in 1978, Rangers became the main target in his bid for success.

Ferguson made it his mission that Aberdeen would turn up to Ibrox – and to a lesser extent Celtic Park – and win. It was a mission he succeeded in, turning the Pittodrie club into champions of Scotland on three occasions and famously leading them to success in Europe by beating Real Madrid in the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup final.

Ten days after that famous victory in Gothenburg, Ferguson’s side faced Rangers in the Scottish Cup final. Aberdeen struggled badly throughout the game, but still came out on top thanks to a goal very late in extra time by Eric Black.  

Despite the victory, Ferguson stunned viewers live on TV with an incredible outburst which was scathing of his team and their performance.

Ferguson admits now that part of the motivation for the outburst was the fact that his side had failed to hammer Rangers. He had wanted to twist the knife into his former employers by humiliating them. When Rangers outplayed Aberdeen, putting in a performance that merited victory on the day, Ferguson’s rage prompted an entirely over-the-top reaction which he claims he now regrets.

Sept 1985: Rangers and Aberdeen serve up a typically feisty encounter.

Ferguson would get another opportunity to twist the knife into Rangers a few months after that Scottish Cup victory when, after John Greig was sacked as Rangers manager, Ferguson spectacularly turned down to opportunity to take charge at Ibrox, deciding instead to stay at Aberdeen where he would enjoy further success whilst Rangers continued to toil badly under Greig’s successor Jock Wallace.  

Three years after Wallace’s return, with the league title remaining elusive, he too was sacked and replaced by Graeme Souness.

Souness arrived at a club that would finish fifth, 15 points behind champions Celtic – the same amount of points they were ahead of bottom placed Clydebank.

Something drastic was required to halt the mediocrity that had engulfed the club, and David Homes looked to the former Liverpool captain as the man to provide it.

Souness set about his revolution by bringing in the likes of Chris Woods, Terry Butcher and Graham Roberts as Rangers looked to bring back the glory days. An early test of Rangers league title credentials came on 27^th September at Ibrox as Alex Ferguson returned yet again to Ibrox with his Aberdeen side.

Rangers v Aberdeen was a fixture which carried an edge in Ferguson’s time at the Dons, with several notorious games between the clubs in that period – the most recent of which was at Ibrox in September ’85 when nine man Rangers slumped to a 3-0 defeat on a day that supporters in the old East Enclosure invaded the pitch.

However there was an extra edge to this particular game. Not only did Rangers have the opportunity to lay down a gauntlet to Ferguson and his side, there was also the added dimension that Ferguson had dropped Graeme Souness in final game of the Mexico World Cup against Uruguay just a couple of months before.

Ferguson had stepped up to manage the national side in Mexico after the sudden death of Jock Stein the previous year. Souness was the captain and also the head of the players committee.

Souness had enjoyed a good relationship with Stein, but relations between him and Ferguson were fraught and tensions were never far from the surface during team meetings throughout the tournament.

Graeme Souness in Mexico for the 1986 World Cup – the final time he would represent his country.

On one particular occasion, a meeting to discuss an SFA rule that stated players were only permitted one three minute phone call to their families twice a week led to a blistering and heated face-to-face argument.

Relations were soured even further when, after defeat in the first two games against Denmark and West Germany, Ferguson spectacularly dropped Souness for the final game – ending his international career in the process.

With such a backdrop, the scene was set for a potentially explosive fixture on 27 September. It was Rangers v Aberdeen. Souness v Ferguson. Sleeping giants v provincial upstarts.

Rangers went into the game having already suffered three defeats in their league campaign, the most recent being the previous week against Dundee at Dens Park. They could not afford another slip-up.

The first-half was relatively tame, with the only chance of note falling to John Hewitt who forced a good save from Chris Woods from distance.

The second-half would provide more drama, and it started early on after the break.

In the 49th minute, Ted McMinn cut inside from the left wing past Stewart McKimmie and passed it to Souness on the edge of box. Souness took a touch with right, moved it on to his left before unleashing a shot which flew past Jim Leighton, struck the post before rebounding off Leighton’s back and creeping over the line.

Souness ran to the Copland Rd stand in celebration of a moment that had huge ramifications. Souness had landed a retaliatory blow on Ferguson for his treatment in Mexico. But more importantly, Rangers had landed a blow on a club that had routinely turned them over in recent years.

Rangers took heart from the goal and had chances to increase their lead through McCoist and Souness, but failed to take them.

Aberdeen then slowly crept back into the game with chances of their own, but with ten minutes remaining the clincher came.

Rangers hit on the counter through Ally McCoist after a poor set-piece by the visitors allowed Rangers to break. McCoist ran in on goal and put it wide to Robert Fleck. Fleck returned it to McCoist, taking Leighton out of the equation, which allowed McCoist an easy tap-in.

Whilst McCoist and his teammates celebrated, Aberdeen players furiously surrounded the linesman protesting that McCoist was in an offside position. Future Rangers assistant manager Archie Knox had to be escorted back to the dugout by police such was his anger. But the goal stood and Rangers secured the victory, ensuring they had beaten both Celtic and Aberdeen in the opening weeks of the season.

Souness and Ferguson in the post-match interview.

Walter Smith realised just how big a result this was for Rangers stating: “During the week, Graeme and I had told the players to forget Rangers’ poor record against Aberdeen. We told them all that it was in the past, but really, it was still there, so this victory was an important psychological breakthrough”.

It would be the final time Alex Ferguson managed an Aberdeen side against Rangers. He moved six weeks later on 6 November to take up his post at Manchester United and would watch on from other side of Hadrian’s Wall as Rangers, the club he loved and loathed in equal measures, secured its first league title for nine years under Souness – ironically winning it at Pittodrie, adding extra emphasis to the feeling that the balance of power in Scottish football had been restored.

Ferguson would go on to enjoy huge success at Manchester Utd and is synonymous with the Old Trafford club. However, despite some friction, there is a feeling that he holds a special place for Rangers in his heart, and still speaks fondly of of the club to this day.

RANGERS:  Woods, Nicholl, Munro, Souness, McPherson, Butcher, Fraser, McMinn, McCoist, Durrant, Cooper, SUBS: Fleck, Dawson.

GOALS: Souness (49), McCoist (80)

ABERDEEN: Leighton, McKimmie, Mitchell, Miller, McLeish, Stark, Bett, Connor, Dodds, Hewitt. SUBS: Robertson, Wright.  

REFEREE: J Duncan (Gorebridge)

The secret diary of a Rangers supporter, aged 50 1/4 – 15th August, Servette (a)

For a while now July and August have felt like fraught months for Rangers. From 2018 and the arrival of Steven Gerrard onwards it feels like we’ve been served up an apparently never ending chore of qualification for the Europa League group stage football.

I remember standing in the Lord Nelson pub on Nelson St in Glasgow when Rangers were in Russia to take on Ufa, with qualification for group stage football in Europe at stake of the first time since the events of 2012.

The game was at a ridiculous time in the afternoon, so I bunked off work early, skipped over the squinty bridge and made my way to the Lord Nelson which had procured a stream of the game.

When said stream typically failed after about 10 minutes, you had a ridiculous situation of everyone in the pub resorting to standing round various peoples mobile phones to catch a glimpse the game which, despite the sending offs of Jon Flanagan and Alfredo Morelos, went Rangers’ way.

I remember one punter turning and saying to me at one point “there is no work getting done in Glasgow today, eh?”. And it was hard to disagree with him, it definitely felt like a hefty percentage of the city’s population was currently crowded around a telly, phone or laptop watching the game.

My personal highlight of those qualification nights was probably against Legia Warsaw when Alfredo Morelos scored an injury time winner at Ibrox – provoking huge scenes of joy within the home support, and pissing off a certain Artur Boric in the away end. A cherry on the cake moment if ever there was one!

And here we are again, back in the fraught, nail-biting arena that are European football qualifiers – but this time for the Champions League against Servette.

Artur Boric has a sense that old familiar feeling again – getting pumped at Ibrox!

The mood is mixed after the win in the first leg was not as convincing as we would have liked. The fact that the game is on the BBC Scotland channel also makes me feel uncomfortable.

As most know there has been some issues between the top brass and reporting staff at Pacific Quay and Rangers Football Club. Personally I find how BBC Scotland has conducted itself in its reporting, content and position on Rangers to be nothing other than absolutely embarrassing – and the thought of having to put up with the likes of Jonathan Sutherland and Rob McLean for 90 minutes is not a pleasant one. Still, needs must!

Sutherland opens proceedings by saying it’s a crucial game for Rangers, which will explain why BBC Scotland has decided to only allocate ten minutes of build up for the game. As I said, embarrassing.

The team suggests that Beale is looking towards a counter-attacking threat, with Raskin and Jack sitting and Sima, Cifuentes and Cantwell providing the ammunition for Danilo.

Rangers do what they always seem to do in these games and start reasonably well and look in control of proceedings, before deciding to totally lose control of things fairly quickly.   

Sportscene’s coverage of the game – the less said the better.

The turning point in the first-half is an outstanding save from Jack Butland to deny Timothe Cognat, who was clean through on the Rangers goal. The moment provides further weight to feeling that Rangers have recruited well in replacing Allan McGregor, but it also breathes belief into Servette and their supporters that they can get something from this game – a feeling that is emboldened further when Servette take the lead on 22 minutes thanks to a very decent strike by Kutesa.

The mood in my house is flat at this point as my son and I look on horrified at the events that are unfolding in front of us, events that should have taken a turn for the worse when Souttar is caught trying to play offside, allowing Kutesa to run in on Butland but fail to either score or cut it across to an unmarked team mate in the box. A sliding doors moment in the tie!

Thing are worryingly bad at this stage, made even more so by a shocking open goal miss from Danilo and having to listen to the dulcet tones of Rob McLean and James McFadden barely concealing their absolute joy at the Rangers’ severe discomfort.

It is a relief to go in at half-time just one goal down.

The second-half, however, is a completely different story. Rangers look more composed from the off, and it doesn’t take long before the they have equalised through a very familiar routine.

Nicolas Raskin: different gravy!

Borna sends in another accurate delivery to the box and Tav heads in to give Rangers parity via the much used full-back-to-full-back option. It gives Rangers the foundation and confidence to go an control the second-half.

The main man in that second-half dominance is Nicolas Raskin, who yet again gives a level a performance that makes you believe that if we develop this boy correctly, he could be a star for us before moving on for a decent profit at some point in the future.

We secure the result we need and we move on next to PSV in the play-off – a repeat of last season’s fixture.

We never seem to get the easy route when it comes to qualification for the Champions League, but it is another big night at Ibrox to look forward to and I feel we are looking in better shape now than we were just a week or so ago for such a fixture.

I can’t deny that there is still a nagging concern that we are relying on James Tavernier for goals – and we need the strikers to step up against PSV if we are to have any chance of progression, but there a few more positive signs that the likes of Lammers, Danilo and Dessers are starting to click into gear.  Hopefully they can make the difference against the Dutch side.

It’s another huge night at Ibrox and, even though it is undoubtedly a tricky tie, a win on Tuesday puts us in a good position to go over to Eindhoven and get the result we need to qualify.

I just need to confirm if the Lord Nelson is showing the return tie!

WATP!

The secret diary of a Rangers supporter, aged 50 1/4 – 12th August, Livingston (h)

As per usual, my Saturday morning starts early with a walk with the dog. I had been our for dinner the previous evening to celebrate my daughter’s 16^th birthday, so getting up is a little more difficult than usual.

I find that the quickness of time causes me more and more concern the older I get – I mean, can it really be 16 years since I nearly launched my six week old daughter through the living room ceiling whilst celebrating Lee McCulloch’s goal against Lyon on that famous night in the Champions League? Sixteen years? Really? Time flies!

Friday also brought a nice wee delivery through the post in the form of the programme from the 1979 Drybrough Cup Final between Rangers and Celtic – a game famous for Davie Cooper’s wonder goal where he lobbed the ball over several Celtic defenders heads before dispatching it past Peter Latchford. It is a moment which is part of Rangers folklore – so it is a nice wee addition to the collection.

But back to the Saturday and I have the a couple of options to meet up with mates prior to kick off for a pre-match pint. However domestic responsibilities mean I don’t get into the city until just after 2pm, so it’s a quick pre-match pint on my tod before heading to Ibrox.

Lee McCulloch scores against Lyon – inadvertently causing minor head injuries to my six week old daughter.

Whilst I am enjoying my pint the teams are announced and, again, it looks encouraging. Connor Goldson is out – presumably rested – which allows Leon Balogun to make his first start since returning to the club. Jose Cifuentes also gets his first start, as does the Brazilian Danilo.

Davie Cooper celebrates winning the Drybrough Cup in 1979.

We get off to a great start when we take the lead after just ten minutes, with some great work by Cantwell leading to an opportunity for Lammers to slam home the opener – an opportunity he doesn’t pass up on. 

The early goal is good but I always feel that the second goal is the most important goal for Rangers, and it looks like we’ve got it when Cifuentes scores from a corner after 20 minutes.

But VAR rules he used a hand and the so called Masonic conspiracy in refereeing has a seemingly further dent to its credibility!

Rangers then fall into bad habits and, without playing all that badly, give the impression of a side that is making heavier weather of this game than it should be. This results in the usual mumbles of discontent from an element of the crowd.

The second goal comes late but it brings a debut goal for one of the new signings, which will become a theme of this game.

Borna sends over a great delivery into the box which allows Danilo to head in his first goal for the club and secure the three points – as the goal comes in the 78^th minute, it also allows for a mass exodus of the Subway Loyal!

Having already introduced Matondo and Sima, the second goal provides Michael Beale with the opportunity to make further changes, bringing on Dowell, Sterling and Lundstram which injects further energy in the side as they go on and score another couple of goals before full-time.

Vroni’s on West Nile St – they do a decent pint of Menabrea!

Firstly, Lima gets his first goal for the club after a bit of a stramash in the penalty box allows him to score from close range. Then Dowell scores an absolute peach right on time to put the icing on the cake.

Overall it is a fairly routine victory and a convincing scoreline.

Four goals, four different scorers (all new signings), Butland looks composed, Souttar and Balogun are solid at the back, Cifuentes looks impressive and Cantwell is lively and involved in everything – that’s not a bad day’s work.

That’s not to say there isn’t room for improvement, but those who are saying it’s another sign that Beale and the new signings are all duds are well wide of the mark.

I’m sitting with my mate Keith, who usually sits behind me but he has taken my son’s seat today as his own football career now sees him play on a Saturday for a local amateur side.

This means for the first time in six years he won’t be heading to Ibrox with me on a Saturday. He’s keeping his seat, obviously, but unless it’s a weeknight or a Sunday the chances are he won’t be using it for the foreseeable.

I’m chuffed he’s doing his own thing, and he scored twice on his competitive debut for his new club, but I can’t deny it’ll not be the same him not being there on a Saturday.

On the final whistle Keith and I head to Edmiston House for a pint, but the queue at the bar failing to move so much as an inch in the ten minutes we were stood there provokes us to move to the Rolls Royce Social Club on Beech Avenue – where we get served immediately.

I am hoping to hook up with some of the lads from the Gersnet podcast later but the banter is flowing and time runs away from me. After a couple of hours I head back into city for one final pint in Vroni’s before heading for my train.

I get in at about half nine and pretty much head straight to bed. I have an early rise in the morning as I’m walking a section of the John Muir Way with my daughter – all 25km of it!

I am of course looking forward to it – I just hope my legs have recovered in time to watch Tuesday’s massive game in Geneva!

WATP!

The secret diary of a Rangers supporter, aged 50 1/4 – 9th August, Servette (h)

My day begins with a commute into Glasgow for work. I find commutes to work are always better when you know you have the fitba to look forward after your nine-to-five grind. So the walk from Queen St to my office is a purposeful one that ponders all the opportunity that lies ahead.

It’s Champions League qualifier night, and we are up against Swiss outfit Servette FC – whom I have never seen before, so it’s another club to add to the list of clubs I have watched in the flesh whilst following Rangers in Europe.

These nights are always tense, and have delivered joy and despair in equal measures down the years.

My first real experience of them was in 92/93 against Leeds Utd. I was at Ibrox for the previous round against Lyngby, but that night against the English Champions when we won 2-1 will go down in echelons of Ibrox folklore. The noise when the teams came out of the tunnel will go with me to the grave – and until that fairly recent epic night against RP Leipzig, it stood out as my favourite ever night at Ibrox.

Then there was Parma. The night we shoved it right up the likes of Buffon, Dino Baggio, Ortega and Thuram and served up revenge for them dumping us out the UEFA Cup the previous season. When Claudio Reyna made it 2-0 that night the scenes were ones of absolute hysteria. Another night that will stay with me ’til the end.  

But I have also felt the other side of the Champions League qualifier sword, with the night against AEK Athens probably being the sorest I can remember.

Two down from the first-leg, there were high hopes that the new signings Basile Boli and Brian Laudrup would dig us out the hole we had found ourselves in. But it was not to be and a goal by Toni Savevski two minutes from half-time killed the tie stone dead and ensured we were out of Europe’s top competition before it had really got started – and back in those days there was no safety net of falling into the UEFA Cup!

Brian Laudrup: hero, legend – couldn’t save us from AEK Athens.

With work done, I head from my office to a boozer on Queen St for a pre-match pint, awaiting the arrival of my son. When he arrives we chew the fat over Saturday’s defeat, possible team selection and that I had witnessed some bloke get properly lamped by another bloke on Argyle St on my walk to the pub. I don’t want to advocate violence, but it was as deserved a second prize as I’ve seen anyone take – to the point there were a few cheers by the afternoon shoppers when he copped it.  

The team news comes out on the official club accounts and it looks better than the eleven selected on Saturday at Rugby Park – out goes Lundstram, Dowell and Sima, in comes Jack, Cantwell and Lammers. 

We are slightly late leaving the pub for the subway and as a result we miss the first goal. I actually believe at the time we have contrived to miss two early goals as there are two huge cheers – it’s only when I get to my seat that I realise the first huge cheer was for the penalty claim, the second cheer was for the actual goal.

Despite missing the goal I’m quite happy as the opening stages are encouraging, we look a far better outfit than the one that limped about Kilmarnock and when Rangers go 2-0 up on 15 minutes, thanks to a goal from Cyriel Dessers, all in the garden looks rosy.

We shouldn’t dismiss how good a goal it was either, with great contributions from Souttar and Borna creating the conditions that allowed for the Nigerian internationalist to score his first goal for the club. On a night of few positives, this is one of them.

“Nobody in here can know I’m looking at!”

We then pass up a great opportunity to go three up – and potentially kill of the tie – when Lammers misses a sitter that seemed easier to score. Not taking that chance proves crucial as within two minutes we’re subject to a VAR review for an alleged handball in the box by Dessers. The ref goes to the screen and we all know what is coming when that happens.

Those who know me best know I am not the greatest supporter of VAR, and one of my main criticisms of it is that it is supporters in the ground who are the only ones in the dark over what is happening. As the ref studied the screen, I look around me and see a sea of confused faces wondering what the review is in relation to and relying on texts and messages from mates watching the game at home to get the details. It feels really off to me that the only punters who are out the loop in these moments are the ones who got off their arses and paid top dollar to be at the game. And if that isn’t bad enough, Bedia scores from the spot and suddenly we’re in a game.

The second-half is more of the same huff and puff from Saturday and the crowd becomes restless and the groans and moans start to increase in volume. Even when Servette go down to ten Rangers can’t seem to create enough quality chances to extend their lead – although Mall in the Servette goal does produce several decent saves, and one very good one from a Lammers effort.  

Rangers fail to break their Swiss opponents down and the final whistle brings a sense of frustration that we couldn’t extend our lead. A tight scoreline means it’s all to play for next week in Geneva.

Paul Gascoigne: club legend despite a pish start!

The sense after the game is one of disappointment, and even some anger aimed at Beale and the new signings. But I was reminded of a previous Champions League qualifier I had attended 28 years previously to the day when Rangers beat Anorthosis Famagusta 1-0 at Ibrox – a game that saw Paul Gascoigne make his competitive debut for the club.

On the night Rangers were really poor, as was Gascoigne, and after the game there were the usual groans and moans. But we progressed to the group stages that season and Gascoigne went on to win us 8-in-a-row with a hatrick against Aberdeen in that famous game at Ibrox that secured the 95/96 title.

I guess what I’m saying is that discouraging signs early in campaigns aren’t necessarily a sign that the team isn’t going to perform well over the season or win trophies – the same goes for new signings, early struggles are often just that.

My son and I leave the stadium and head for a light refreshment at the Louden Tavern to allow the queue at the underground to recede. I bump into an old work colleague in the beer garden and we chat about old times. When I worked with him I was barely in my 30s and didn’t have any kids, now I’m standing here talking to him with my 18 year old son who is enjoying a pint. He too is an older, more domesticated version of himself with a wife, a kid and all that comes with that. It is a sharp reminder that time flies.

It’s been a disappointing night but nothing has been won or lost yet, and it’s all to play for next week in Geneva. And before that we have the opportunity to get three points against Livingston on Saturday at Ibrox and help get the new players bedded in further.

So lets keep the heid and get behind the team.

WATP!  

The secret diary of a Rangers supporter, aged 50 1/4 – 5th August, Kilmarnock (a)

New cast – same movie.

It’s finally here, the start of the football season. I say ‘finally’ but the reality is that the gap between one season and the next seems to get shorter and shorter every year. It feels odd to be a football fan and complain that there is too much football, but the older I get the more I feel the game has suffered from over-saturation in the Sky era, to the point that I actually quite enjoy the summer break when it comes – no matter how short it is.

My summer break this year was in Cornwall with the missus, daughter and dug. It was nice few days of walks, pasties, sightseeing, listening to Radio 2, watching Wimbledon and the occasional pint of Korev. I can’t say I really missed football or Rangers at any point during my break – and as the final whistled shrilled on Saturday at Rugby Park, it is easy to understand why!

It was largely felt that this would be a summer of change at Ibrox. A season of zero trophies last term necessitated that change had to come. For the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent it felt they had long outstayed their time at the club, for Allan McGregor, a club legend, it also felt like he had stayed a year or two too long. It was time for a change.

So it was a summer of out-with-the-old and in-with-the-new as club brought in a glut of new signings – including Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Leon Balogun, Sam Lammers, Kieran Dowell, Cyriel Dessers and Danilo – giving supporters hope that serious title challenge could be mounted this season.  Pre-season had not entirely gone to plan, but surely they would be ready come day one at Rugby Park?

My day started early as it always does on a Saturday morning. Up and out with the dug for a 5k walk, then home to some breakfast and a bit of Radcliffe and Maconie. It was then off to catch the noon train to Glasgow and specifically Shawlands to take in Pollok v Kirkintilloch Rob Roy. I arrive about 50 minutes prior to kick-off, which allows me the luxury of a pint and a read of the matchday programme in Loks Bar and Kitchen.

The plan is to take in as much of this game as possible, before leaving with approx. ten minutes to go to allow me to catch a train back home to meet my son and a mate to catch the Rangers game at 5:15pm. It feels like a perfect plan, but a hint is given at the Pollok game that this is not gonna be an enjoyable day of football.

When I leave after about 80 minutes Pollok are 3-1 up and seemingly home and hosed – so I leave happy in the belief that three points have been secured. However by time I get to Pollokshaws East station, a two minute walk from the ground, Twitter informs me that Rob Roy have made it 3-2 and are back in the game. Within two minutes of boarding my train for Glasgow Central it is 3-3, and that is how it finishes. Pollok have someone managed to grab a draw from the jaws of victory, not the result I was looking for and it gives me the fear for Rangers’ visit to Kilmarnock.

My journey back home is interrupted by World Cycling Championship’s in Glasgow. I can’t say I am a huge cycling fan, I mean aren’t they are all just ripped up junkies in ill-fitting lycra always looking for ways to out-cheat the other guy? I could be wrong in that assertion, but that I miss my intended train because of them does not endear me any further to their cause.

Pint and programme

Despite getting a later train than intended, I successfully hook up with my son and mate and we head to a local hostelry to take in the game. The nerves have really kicked in since the teams have been announced and we have all seen that John Lundstram is starting.

Lundstram performed heroically in Rangers’ run to the Europa League Final last year, but it is fair to say he has not reached anywhere near those levels for a considerable amount of time. For most fans he was viewed as part of the problem last season, that we have signed so many new players and we are still starting with him brings a heavy dose of unease, which will be justified by the end of the game. We can only hope that former manager Steven Gerrard comes in with a £40m bid to usher him away to the gold rush that is the Saudi Arabia Pro League – a move that even members of the Rangers LGBT+ community surely wouldn’t protest against!

The first half is a chore. Games at Killie usually are; plastic pitch, their defensive set up…etc, but it does feel that Rangers make these games more of a chore than they should be. After about 20 minutes there are uneasy glances between the three of us – this is starting to feel like a game we have seen many times before.

Ian Ferguson dons the gloves on the opening day defeat to St Mirren in 1989.

No goals at the break and the feeling is that was dire but that there must be a reaction in the second half, but unfortunately that is not the case. Instead we get the same slow tempo, side-to-side football that was served up in the first half – and for long periods of last season.

When the Rangers defence fall asleep at a throw-in that allows Brad Lyons to nip in and give Kilmarnock the lead it confirms the fears all three of us had been contemplating; this might be a new cast, but we were watching the same horror movie we had all seen so many times before.

The new cast huffed and puffed but rarely threatened to get an equaliser, let alone a winner, and the new season had delivered that old feeling of disappointment at the first time of asking. Day one and we are already chasing Celtic.

I have seen Rangers teams lose on the opening day before and then go on to win the title. Graeme Souness lost a couple, once at Easter Rd and another against St Mirren at Ibrox when Ian Ferguson ended up in goals due to an injury to Chris Woods, but the margins or error in those days were far greater than they are now and defeat on the opening day provides Michael Beale with an early headache as he tries to wrestle the title back from Celtic.

Champions League: To be or not to be?

Next up are the Swiss outfit Servette and the challenge of qualifying for the Champions League. As I write this I am hearing Rangers could face PSV Eindhoven in the play-off match if they progress, who we eliminated to reach the group stages last season.

Former Rangers midfielder Malik Tillman is on course to join PSV, which already has me fearing the scenario of him scoring a last minute winner for PSV securing Champions League riches for them and consigning us to Europa League poverty.

Yip, day one and the fear and loathing has started already.

Don’t you just love it?

WATP!

“I want you to do what you do best – make hits”: The story of Let’s Dance

David Bowie in the Carinda Hotel for the Let’s Dance video.

The date is 17 March, 1983.  The location, London’s 5-star Claridge’s Hotel.

Within one of its luxury suites, a gathering of the world’s music press has assembled to hear a major announcement from one of the world’s biggest stars of the past decade. When David Bowie enters the room he looks tanned, relaxed and has the demeanour of a man who had just spent his last pound on the winning lottery ticket.

Bowie had gathered the world’s musical press to announce his new album, Let’s Dance, as well as a supporting tour, the Serious Moonlight Tour. Now 36, Bowie was entering what would become a pivotal moment of his career. He looked like a man with a rejuvenated lust for life, and with good reason.

For starters, he had just signed a new deal with EMI America which was reportedly worth £17m. His deal with RCA had expired in 1982, much to both Bowie and RCA’s relief. In his last few years with the label Bowie had not felt entirely supported, particularly through the Berlin Trilogy years of Low, “Heroes” and Lodger.  “I didn’t like them because they didn’t like me” was his summarisation of RCA at the press conference.

David Bowie entertains the press at Claridge’s Hotel, 17 March, 1983.

To add to this, MainMan, the company set-up to look after Bowie’s affairs by former manager Tony DeFries, had been wound up the previous year in the high court, bringing an end to Bowie’s royalty obligations to a man he no longer trusted after the relationship turned sour in 1975 when Bowie discovered he did not solely own the publishing rights to his own songs. The new deal with EMI provided Bowie with much needed financial security after years of financial mismanagement and disagreement with DeFries.

In addition, Bowie was now also free from his ex-wife Angie after their divorce was finalised two years previously, with Bowie securing custody of their son, Duncan.

This meant when Bowie faced the press that day in a swanky suite in Claridge’s, he was literally at a crossroads in his life. Free from RCA, a record label he no longer felt supported by. Free from financial obligation to a former manager he had long since trusted. And free from a marriage that had been a strain on both parties for a significant period of time.

But Bowie was also free in another sense. He now felt free from the requirement to make a certain type of record. He was a man with a new sense of purpose that very much chimed with the direction of traffic in 1983. Bowie, the champion of the avant-garde, was now out for something that his most recent albums had largely failed to achieve: commercial success.

The dawn of the 80s had seen the arrival of new wave, the New Romantics and a spate of bands like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet who were neither ashamed of obtaining wealth, nor of flouting it. Now Bowie wanted his piece of the action.

As a man approaching 40 with a chaotic history on the finances front, perhaps he sought security, particularly after winning custody of his son. Perhaps he felt he had to right the perceived wrongs with his deal with DeFries and MainMan, and recoup some of the losses he felt he’d sustained. Whatever the reason, Bowie was about to become ruthless in his pursuit of wealth.

The first part of attaining the commercial success he desired meant a change of line-up. Out went long-time producer Tony Visconti and in came Nile Rodgers to co-produce. When Bowie approached Rodgers he requested the Chic star do the same for him that he had done for every other act he had worked with. “What is that?”, enquired Rodgers. “You make hits”, replied Bowie.

Bowie with co-producer Nile Rodgers

Out also went guitarist Carlos Alomar, who was replaced with Stevie Ray Vaughan, a relatively little known blues guitarist from Texas whom Bowie had seen at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

The album was recorded in the Power Station studios in New York over 17 days in the December of 1982, and released on 14 April the following year to huge critical and commercial success. Much of that success was down to the lead single from the album, which was released a month before the album hit the shelves.

‘Let’s Dance’ was the first song recorded for the album and would become the fourth of Bowie’s five number one singles.  It captured everything that Bowie was looking to achieve with Let’s Dance, aiming for feet rather than heads. Charles Shaar Murray heaped praise on the single in the NME stating: “Let’s Dance’ is easily this year’s biggest single; every time it comes up it creates an instant impression of sheer scale. The sounds are huge, the emotions it contains gigantic. You should catch this beat, but be careful what you catch it with.”

Another key component for the success of the ‘Let’s Dance’ single was its video, which was filmed in Australia; a country that Bowie loved but was not afraid of criticising. Speaking on the treatment of the indigenous Aboriginal population, he stated: “As much as I love this country, it is probably one of the most racially intolerant in the world, well in line with South Africa.”

Terry Roberts and Jolene King in the Let’s Dance video.

If the lyrics on Let’s Dance – album and single – avoided political comment, the video for the single  ‘Let’s Dance’ took on the thorny issue of race, and in particular the treatment of Aboriginals in Australia, with Bowie hiring Terry Roberts and Jolene King – two Aboriginal performers – to star in the video.

The video was primarily shot in the New South Wales town of Carinda, with Bowie performing in the local hotel in the sweltering heat whilst the its patrons look on in a mild state of disgust. Roberts and King’s role depicted them as a young Aboriginal couple struggling to make a life for themselves in white Australia. Bowie’s own words on the video were blunt. It was, he said, “a direct statement about integration of one culture with another” Direct statement or not, the video was a huge success and became a staple on MTV, helping to increase the popularity of the single and making it one of the standout hits of 1983.

The famous Carinda Hotel – location for the Let’s Dance video.

‘China Girl’, an Iggy Pop cover, and ‘Modern Love’ were also released as singles, both making it to number two and giving Bowie his most consistent run of successful singles in the UK chart. But despite this commercial success, Let’s Dance marked the end of Bowie’s golden period. Never again would he replicate the levels he achieved between Hunky Dory in 1971 and Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) in 1980, where he released 11 albums of which six have legitimate claims to being genuine classics.

The avant-garde was gone, as were the various characters he adopted through the 70s. Bowie was now very much his own man, weird no more, and a serious businessman who was fully aware of his own worth and commercially available at the right price – as was proved with his horrendous Weird Science inspired Pepsi advert where he duetted with Tina Turner and sang a modified version of ‘Modern Love’.  

Let’s Dance is a long way off Bowie’s greatest album, but it remains the most commercially successful of his entire back catalogue – which was the aim when he asked Nile Rodgers to make him “a hit”. The goal of commercial success was achieved, but it brought about the end of Bowie’s golden period and the critical acclaim.

As someone who was keen to secure his financial future after the past money disputes with Tony DeFries, and musical differences with RCA, maybe Bowie felt it was time to embrace the wealth accumulating mood of the 80s and make an album that would provide him with financial security rather than appreciation from the critics.

Whatever the reason, on his death in 2016 Bowie’s estate was worth an estimated £230m. There were other shrewd business activities to come in the future that helped add to his bank balance, most notably his Bowie Bonds scheme in 1997, but the seeds to accumulating the level of wealth his estate matured at were undoubtedly planted with Let’s Dance.

Bowie’s Pepsi advert with Tina Turner.

Super Ally serves notice of intent: When Rangers won the 1984 League Cup final

The Rangers players celebrate their win over Celtic.

It is quite rare that a recently appointed manager is provided the opportunity to lift silverware in the first few months of their reign, but that is the prospect facing Michael Beale on 26 February when he faces Celtic in the Viaplay Cup Final.

Victory will provide silverware and the foundation to push for more titles, defeat will leave the club and supporters with further feelings of disappointment.

The situation is not too dissimilar to the one faced by Jock Wallace back on Sunday, 25 March, 1984 when he took Rangers to Hampden to face Celtic in the Skol Cup final. It would be a day that would secure Wallace his first trophy since returning to the club, and one that introduced the world to a certain Alastair Murdoch McCoist.

Wallace had returned to Rangers in the November of ’83 after they had suffered a catastrophic start to the 83/84 campaign. The season opened at Ibrox to St Mirren on 20 August where a 1-1 draw, thanks to a Robert Prytz penalty, was all Rangers could muster.

If that draw was disappointing then what followed was an outright disaster as Rangers lost their next three games against Celtic, Hearts and Aberdeen. The defeat against Celtic provided one memorable moment, however, with the aforementioned Ally McCoist, recently signed from Sunderland, scoring his first Old Firm goal after a mere 27 seconds.

Rangers recovered some form, but by October John Greig was under huge pressure and back-to-back defeats against Dundee at Dens Park and Motherwell at Ibrox forced the club to take decisive action. John Greig was sacked, with Tommy McLean put in temporary charge as they attempted to recruit firstly Alex Ferguson from Aberdeen, then Jim McLean from Dundee Utd. When both refused the advances of Rangers, the club looked to former manager Jock Wallace.

Wallace was appointed on 10 November at a point when Rangers were on a run of four straight defeats. His arrival couldn’t stop that run stretching to a fifth consecutive defeat as Rangers lost 3-0 at Pittodrie on 12 November.

Rangers ended the run of defeats with a 0-0 draw against Dundee Utd at Ibrox on 19 November. Wallace was re-introduced to a delirious Ibrox support prior to the game, whom welcomed home the man who had secured two trebles in his previous spell as manager as if he were some sort of footballing messiah.

Wallace also done his cause with supporters no harm by briefly reintroducing the traditional black and red socks (pictured above), an undoubted nod to a support that treasures tradition more than most. The draw was mildly disappointing on the day, but Rangers would embark on a run of form in the league which would not see them lose again until April against Celtic.

As impressive as that run was, it could not undo the damage the early season form had inflicted on the league campaign and Rangers would finish in fourth place behind winners Aberdeen, second placed Celtic and third placed Dundee Utd – winning only 15 of their 36 games.

The Scottish Cup campaign also came to anticlimactic end after a quarter-final 3-2 home defeat to Dundee a week prior to the League Cup final against Celtic. To make matters worse, Ian Redford was sent off in the closing stages meaning he would miss the final the following week.

Jock Wallace outside Hampden – battle fever on!

Rangers saved their best form for the League Cup and reached the final thanks to topping Group 2 with six wins out of six against Hearts, Clydebank and St Mirren, scoring 18 goals on the way without conceding. They then took Dundee Utd on the semi-final over two legs, drawing 1-1 at Tannadice and winning 2-0 at Ibrox – with the aforementioned Ian Redford scoring a brilliant 35 yard lob to make it 2-0 and seal a place in the final.

Despite this supreme form in the League Cup, Rangers entered the fray at Hampden on 25 March knowing that failure to win on the day would mean ending the season empty handed – the pressure was on. Not that Jock Wallace looked like a man under pressure prior to game, giving his infamous “battle fever” speech to a waiting TV crew.

The day would belong to one man – Ally McCoist. As previously stated he had already struck against Celtic earlier in the season, but this final would see 21 year old make history – not to mention taking home the match ball.

Rangers started the better of the two teams, and John MacDonald had an effort cleared off the line in after seven minutes as Rangers looked to grab the early initiative. The day may be remembered for McCoist hat-trick heroics, but Bobby Russell’s contribution on the day should not go unnoticed. He put in an excellent performance and it was he who was fouled for the 44^th minute penalty which would give Rangers the lead.

Cooper played a delightful ball to Russell in the box who took it past Murdo MacLeod, forcing him to bring the Rangers midfielder down. Referee Bob Valentine pointed to the spot and McCoist made no mistake from 12 yards to put Rangers one up.

All McCoist scores from the spot.

Just before the hour mark Rangers found themselves in dreamland when they went 2-0 up. Peter McCloy hit a huge kick upfield, Sandy Clark outmuscled Roy Aitken to head in the direction of the onrushing McCoist, who made it 2-0 and put Rangers firmly in the driving seat.

But Celtic struck back seven minutes later with a well worked free-kick which set up Brian McClair to halve the deficit and bring the Parkhead side back into the match.

Rangers held on and looked like they had done enough to win the cup until the dying seconds when McCoist was judged to have fouled Murdo MacLeod in the box, allowing Mark Reid to hammer home a last gasp equaliser from the spot and take the game into extra time.

Tiredness was now creeping into proceedings and that was certainly how it looked when Roy Aitken lazily slammed into the back of Ally McCoist in the 104^th minute, giving Bob Valentine the opportunity to point to the spot for the third time in the match. Ally McCoist stepped up to secure his name in the history books with an Old Firm final hat-trick, but watched in horror as Pat Bonner guessed correctly and saved his initial kick – but McCoist confirmed his place in history by scoring the rebound to ensure a Rangers victory with a 3-2 scoreline.

For McCoist it marked the beginning of an illustrious career at Ibrox which would see him score 355 goals, win ten league titles, one Scottish Cup and nine League Cups. He would also win two European Golden Boot awards in 91/92 and 92/93.

For Jock Wallace the win would not be the springboard to further success everyone had hoped for. He would lead Rangers back to Hampden for the final of the same competition sevenths months later where an Iain Ferguson goal would secure the trophy against Dundee Utd – a win that would turn out to be Wallace’s last honour with Rangers.

Despite a bright start to the 84/85 campaign, Rangers would again finish in fourth position, winning only 13 of their 36 games. Dundee would yet again end the Scottish Cup dream, with future Ranger John Brown scoring the winner on what was an infamously dreadful day for a Ally McCoist.  

The 85/86 campaign would prove to be even worse for Wallace. Hibs ended Rangers’ hold of the League Cup in October, Hearts brought the Scottish Cup campaign to an premature end at the third round stage in January and by April Rangers had already lost 12 league games and would eventually finish in 5^th place – the same amount of points away from bottom placed Clydebank as champions Celtic.

It was obvious that changes had to be made and the club acted on 6 April after a home defeat to Spurs in a challenge match, sacking Wallace and replacing him with Graeme Souness.

It was a sad end for Wallace, a man who had served the club so well in the past. However that victory against Celtic remains a significant one in the club’s history, not to mention in the career of a Ally McCoist. We can only hope for a similar result on Sunday.

Rangers – McCloy, Nicholl, Dawson, McClelland, Paterson, McPherson, Russell, McCoist, Clark, McDonald, Cooper. Subs – McAdam, Burns

GOALS: McCoist 44 (pen), 56, 104 (pen)

Celtic – Bonner, McGrain, Reid, Aitken, McAdam, McLeod, Provan, McStay, McGarvey, Burns, McClair, Subs – Sinclair, Melrose

GOALS: McClair 67; Reid 89   

Referee – Bob Valentine

Attendance – 66,369

Do you remember the first time?: The story of an Old Firm debut and an eight goal thriller at Ibrox

Dave MacPherson challenges Pat Bonner. Ibrox Stadium, 22 March 1986

It is often said that the first time is the most memorable, and in my experience it is hard to disagree with that logic. For example, it was recently the 40^th anniversary Kings of the Wild Frontier, the second and most successful album by Adam and the Ants – which coincidently was the first album I bought.

I was only eight when the album was at its pomp in 1981, but I was so besotted with them I felt compelled to use my own pocket money to buy it. Every album bought and gig attended since can be traced to that purchase, and I often remind myself of that whenever I stick it on. It is not my favourite album of all time, but it certainly the most important and most memorable.

The first game of football I attended was a Ross County game around 1979. At that stage of my life I was living in the Highlands in the Easter Ross town of Alness. We had moved there from Glasgow in 1973 when my dad secured work in the aluminium smelter in Invergordon.

It was whilst awaiting a train at Dingwall station that the roars and cheers from Ross County’s adjacent Victoria Park pricked the ears of my dad. Despite my protests, he took me over the bridge and into the then Highland League ground. I can’t remember the opposition or score, but I can vividly recall the strong smell of alcohol and nicotine that emanated from the corrugated iron covered terracing behind the goal.

My first Rangers game came against Morton around 1981 on one of our many trips back to Glasgow to visit family. When we moved to Cumbernauld in 1983 my then burgeoning interest in Rangers took a further leap and my dad, who was by now unemployed, took me to games when he could on the supporters bus that left from the Twa Corbies pub in Carbrain.

After I had been to a few games at Ibrox my ambition focussed on bagging my first Old Firm game. It took a few years, but the day finally came on 22 March, 1986 – a day which provided an incredible scoreline: Rangers 4 Celtic 4.

At the time Rangers were in the midst of one their worst seasons in living memory. On the day of the game they had already lost eleven games, and would go on to lose another three before the end of the season meaning they lost more games than they won in 85/86 and would finish a very lowly fifth – beating Dundee to the last UEFA Cup spot by solitary goal.

Celtic were not having the best of times either, trailing Hearts in the title race. But they would rally and sneak a title win in one of the most dramatic last day’s before helicopters entered the equation and completely changed the dynamic of dramatic last day’s.

By 1986 my family had moved to Falkirk after my dad had secured permanent work again in the iron works factory at Carron. He procured tickets for my Old Firm debut through a contact at the Grangemouth Rangers Supporters Club, at that point the biggest Rangers supporters club in Scotland, and I was in!

The first thing it should be said about the game was the weather, which was horrific. It literally poured from the heavens all day, making the pitch a quagmire of such proportions that the players would probably have been grateful for an artificial pitch as pathetic as Livingston’s instead of the Ibrox mud bath they were presented with!

The second thing is this was one of the final “traditional” Old Firm games. Within a few weeks Graeme Souness would arrive at Ibrox to launch his revolution on Rangers and Scottish football which would slowly introduce a more global feel to these occasions. In our recent victory at Celtic Park we started with two Scots in the starting eleven – Celtic fared slightly better with three.  On this day only Pierce O’Leary stood as the solitary non-Scot. So it was an old money derby – exclusively Protestant Rangers versus predominantly Catholic Celtic.  

The game started in typically ferocious fashion, with neither side really taking control of proceedings. So it felt like Rangers were hard done by when Maurice Johnston opened the scoring on 21 minutes, reacting well to a mishit shot by Murdo MacLeod and cooly passing it past Nicky Walker into the bottom corner. When Celtic went 2-0 up through Brian McClair eight minutes later it felt like it could be a long day for Jock Wallace, unknowingly taking part in his final Old Firm game, and his players.

Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result. And such an act of insanity provided Rangers with route back into the game. Willie McStay received a warning early in the game from referee Davie Syme for a bad foul on Ted McMinn. A few minutes later he received a booking for a foul on the same player. He saw red on the 33rd minute when he crocked McMinn yet again, seemingly incapable of taking heed of Einstein’s advice. All of a sudden Celtic’s position of strength had been slightly chipped away at. Cammy Fraser took a shovel to that position a minute later when he headed in an Ally McCoist cross to make it 2-1. It stayed like that until half-time, setting up a fascinating second-half.

Three minutes into that second-half it looked as though Tommy Burns had put enough distance between the sides to secure the three points when he was put through by Johnston and slotted home to make it 3-1. But if supporters felt they had been treated to everything this game would offer, they were very much mistaken as Rangers went about turning the game completely on its head in a frantic 15 minute spell.

First, Ally McCoist scored a screamer from 20 yards after latching on to Nicky Walker lump up the park and firing low and hard past Pat Bonner. The less said about his celebration the better! Then Robert Fleck equalised on 59 minutes when his shot was deflected in to set up a very interesting last half-hour.

Rangers only had to wait a further four minutes before they took the lead thanks to Cammy Fraser again. Davie Cooper, who had replaced Ted McMinn, swung in one of his trademark corners. Bonner came to clear but his punch was weak and landed at that head of Dave McKinnon, who headed it high and towards goal where Fraser jumped on the line to head it in and make sure.

The scenes where I was sat in the Copland Rd front, just to side of the goal Fraser had scored in, where a joy to behold. The old boy in the row behind – who I didn’t know – lifted me up in celebration, and he, my dad and me scoffed at the punter next to us who had upped and left when Burns made it 3-1 to Celtic. I’ve always wondered what his reaction was when he heard it was now 4-3 to Rangers. Given the numerical advantage, it felt like I would secure a victory in my first experience of Glasgow’s age old rivalry – and a seven goal thriller victory at that.

But just when Rangers felt they were in a strong position and closing in on victory, Celtic sucker-punched them with a screamer of a goal from Murdo MacLeod making it all level again at 4-4.

The remaining 20 minutes could not separate the teams and as the final whistle blew there was an unusual feeling of both sets of supporters going home happy with their lot. Even Celtic manager Davie Hay felt content enough to praise the performance of referee Davie Syme – adding to the feeling we had witnessed something more akin to an event in history than a mere game of football.  

It was the first time since 1957 that there had been a 4-4 draw in the Old Firm derby, and the drama didn’t end there. Archie MacPherson later claimed that after the game Jock Wallace belted out a rendition of the Sash in the boardroom in the presence of the Celtic directors, much to the embarrassment of Rangers chairman David Holmes. The incident allegedly led to Holmes phoning club owner Lawrence Marlborough demanding he be given the authority to make the changes at the club he felt were necessary to bring back success.

Fifteen days later Rangers were dismal in friendly match at Ibrox against Spurs and within 48 hours, on 8 April, Rangers announced that Jock Wallace had been removed from his position and replaced by Graeme Souness.

The appointment of Souness would herald a revolution, a new era of success and a new cosmopolitan age where one of Celtic goal-scorers on 22 March 1986 would one day soon feel comfortable enough to cross Glasgow’s great divide.

But that is a story for another day.  

Rangers: Walker, Burns (D Ferguson), Munro, McPherson, McKinnon, Durrant, McMinn (Cooper), Russell, Fleck, Fraser, McCoist.

Goals: Fraser 34, McCoist 52, Fleck 59, Fraser 63.

Celtic: Bonner, W. McStay, Whyte, Aitken, O’Leary, MacLeod, P. McStay (McInally), Burns, Archdeacon (Grant 46), McClair, Johnston.

Goals: Johnston 21, McClair 29, Burns 47, McLeod 70. Sent Off:- W McStay 33.

Att: 41,006

Porto win provides some ‘salt in the soup’ and a growing sense of normality

It’s the 6th of April 2014 and the venue is Easter Rd. As the final whistle blows I, along with thousands of other Rangers fans, leave the ground stunned, traumatised and dazed. John Baird’s goal four minutes from the end of extra time has won Raith Rovers the Ramsdens Cup at the expense of Rangers, and the hits that have felt relentless since the financial implosion of 2012 just keep coming.

It is hard to articulate the mood at Easter Rd after that game. I ended up in a sit-down Edinburgh chippy with my dear match-going friend, who is sadly no longer with us, and we could see no end to the mess that Rangers had got themselves into.

On many occasions during the “journey” the damage inflicted upon the club by David Murray, Craig Whyte, Charles Green and the rest felt permanent, a one-way street that led into a cul-de-sac of mediocrity from which Rangers would never negotiate a way out of.

What made this situation worse was all this was happening at a time when my boy was taking an interest in Rangers. The club has always played a big and special role in my life. The baton passed to me by my dad and uncles was one I supposed to pass down to my boy. But that baton looked more than a little bit battered and tattered when his time came.

Granted, I too had to been passed a bit of a shell of a club in the early eighties when the bug started to bite. John Greig was struggling to replace an ageing side with the players of sufficient quality, whilst the club undertook the large task of redeveloping Ibrox at a huge cost. The league title hadn’t passed through Govan since the days of punk and, despite Greig’s ability to win the odd cup, attendances were down and there was a general malaise at the club. It took the arrival of a former Liverpool captain and European Cup winner to bring back the glory days – and how he brought them back.

The arrival of Graeme Souness ensured that my late teens and 20s were trophy (and hangover) laden. And with that came huge European nights at Ibrox.  Dynamo Kiev, Leeds United, Brugge, Marseille, Parma, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, PSV, Dortmund and others all came and left with either their tails placed firmly between their legs, or a feeling that they had gotten lucky to escape with a draw. These nights felt like a rite of passage for a young supporter. Getting to see some of the best players in the continent coming to Ibrox and show off their wares.

Leeds Utd was the first real big European night for me, and even to this day, 27 years later, it still has an ability to give me goosebumps when I talk about it. The noise when the teams came out was, for me, the loudest I have ever heard the old stadium. That boom was pierced by our now assistant manager, Gary McAllister, when he gave Leeds an early lead. Rangers came back to win the match, and secured the tie at Elland Rd a couple of weeks later. The victory led to further famous nights against Marseille, Brugge and CSKA Moscow.

Then came the Champions League nights of the Advocaat era. It started with the vanquishing of Parma, who were Uefa Cup holders and boasted the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Lilian Thuram, Fabio Cannavaro, Dino Baggio and Ariel Ortega in their ranks. Yet they still left Ibrox battered. The Bayern Munich game was another huge night, and only a lucky deflection from a last minute free-kick pulled the Bavarians out from the jaws of defeat. When PSV arrived a few weeks later, Advocaat’s side – and Michael Mols in particular – were motoring. By the night’s end, the 4-1 victory had me seriously thinking we had a chance of winning the competition outright.

Then there was Dortmund in the Uefa Cup and THAT goal from Rod Wallace. Then Messi and co arrived in 2007 and found Sasa Papac and co too big an “ant-football” force to break down. There were so many nights, so many memories, and it was a continuation of what had gone before. Many a night I’d hear my dad and uncles talk about big European nights under the lights in the 60s and 70s. They had their time, I was having mine and future generations would also feast at the top table with some of the footballing giants.

Then 2012 happened, and Rangers were cast off to the footballing backwaters. The road back was bumpy and, on occasions like Raith Rovers flooring us in the Ramsdens Cup final, it felt like this new road was the new normal. As my son took an interest, I genuinely feared he’d never get to experience the golden nights I had experienced.

Even when we did eventually get back to the top flight and qualify for Europe again, the Progres Niederkorn fiasco made it feel like just further extension of the platforms we could be humiliated on. The hits just kept coming.

Then another former Liverpool captain and European Cup winner arrived.

The arrival of Steven Gerrard was a huge moment in the reviving of the days of old. His stature alone galvanised the club and reintroduced an element of glamour which had been missing for far too long. At the first time of asking Gerrard succeeded in getting Rangers back to the group stages of European competition. Finally, after years of only experiencing European nights via other clubs on Sky and BT Sport, the boy would have his chance to experience a big European night at Ibrox.

Rapid Vienna were the opponents, and as a spectacle it would not disappoint. Rangers went a goal down, but quickly drew level through Morelos. For long periods the game felt like it was on a knife edge. Then with a few minutes remaining Rangers were awarded a penalty. The tension as Tav placed the ball was unbearable. Not only did I want Rangers to score for obvious reasons, but I was desperate for the boy to get a memorable experience. When Tav scored the scenes in the Govan rear were those of a support who had been starved of such moments for a long time. The night was polished off when Morelos secured the win with a few seconds remaining – and the boy had his first big European night.

This season Gerrard succeeded again in securing participation in the group stages of the Europa League. The night it was secured against Legia Warsaw was another night to remember. Between mad Polish fans setting off pyro en-masse and temporarily brining a halt to proceedings, and Morelos’s last minute winner securing passage to the group stages, there was much to enjoy – and another memory had been secured.

Then came Feyenoord. A club I would consider to be a proper football club – and a giant of old. I finished work early, arranged to meet the boy in the city centre and we headed to Hard Rock Café for some pre-match chat and drinks – savouring the atmosphere that had come with a decent away following from Holland. Thanks to a decent strike from Sheyi Ojo we secured another great win and European memory.

Then came Thursday night and the arrival of Porto – the most decorated Portuguese club and two times European Cup and Uefa Cup winners. Again, a proper European club for the boy to see – and one which had reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.

They had come to Ibrox twice before and lost on both occasions. Firstly in 1983 when Sandy Clark and Davie Mitchell scored the goals in a 2-1 win, and then in 2005 when goals from Peter Lovenkrands, Dado Prso and Sotirios Kyriakos secured a famous 3-2 win in the Champions’ League group stages.

There is one survivor in the Porto squad from that game 14 years ago. Pepe scored both Porto goals that night at Ibrox, and is now back in Portuguese football to wind down his career after a successful spell at Real Madrid.

Again I meet the boy in the city centre after clocking off work earlier than usual, although on this occasion we do not indulge in any pre-match drinks (I’m driving) and we head straight to Ibrox. By the time the teams come out, the noise – although not quite Leeds Utd or Parma levels – is substantial and it feels like another epic night is on the cards.

However Rangers don’t start well and it takes an incredible goal-line clearance from Glen Kamara to stop Porto from taking an early lead. For long periods in the game it feels like Rangers are playing second fiddle and, without being in too much danger, look ragged in possession compared to their Portuguese opponents.

That continues for a period in the second-half and the boy and I have both come to the conclusion that it is starting to look like a 0-0 draw, similar to the game against Villarreal at the same stage of the competition last season.

And then it happens.

Tav makes a decent fist of a challenge and slides the ball out to Ryan Jack on the wing. Jack heads to the by-line and looks inside before cutting a cross back to Alfredo Morelos. Morelos lets the ball come across him, takes a touch to set himself and then cracks a tremendous effort past the despairing Marchesin in the Porto goal to make it 1-0.

It’s a sublime finish from the Columbian who it is claimed can’t score in the “big games”.

The goal gives Rangers a precious lead, and changes the tempo of the game. Within four minutes Steven Davis, who is playing his 250th game for Rangers, has made it two and the limbs in the Govan rear are substantial. Rangers see the game out and secure the three points, put themselves in contention for European football after Christmas for the first time since 2011 and the boy and I have another memorable European night to savour.

No club has a divine right to anything, but there is no doubt that clubs like Rangers are better suited to these occasions than most – and it felt like an abomination during those dark days that we were not playing on such a platform. And on a personal note, it felt like my boy was being denied something previous generations had taken for granted.

But thanks to a former Liverpool captain and European Cup winner these nights have returned. And if all goes to plan they might even still be here as 2019 becomes 2020.

European football after Christmas would be another first for the boy – and set up the potential for further European nights and memories. And I personally can’t wait to experience them. After the famine of the journey, it is time to enjoy the feast of the recovery.

For young supporters like my son these nights represent catching up on lost time. He was denied these types of nights for far too long, and he is entitled to feel enthralled at their return – they are, after all, the salt in the soup of life. The moments we all treasure with friends and loved ones in a shared experience of supporting our club.

All he needs now is to see Rangers win a major trophy and another memory and step on the road to full recovery will have been achieved.

Over to that former Liverpool captain and European Cup winner.

Fighting the good fight: 40 years of The Specials and 2-Tone

A Specials audience during the infamous 2-Tone Tour of 1979.

 

On 4 May 1979, the country watched as a luxury Rolls Royce pulled into Downing Street in central London carrying the newly elected Prime Minister to No 10. When Margaret Thatcher got out of the car to address the assembled media and nation, she reassured them with a now famous St Francis of Assisi quote.

“Where there is discord, may we bring harmony”, she said. “Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith. And where there is despair, may we bring hope.”

Thatcher came to power after a series of pay disputes between Jim Callaghan’s Labour government and the trade unions, leading to the infamous winter of discontent where public sector strikes led to rubbish remaining uncollected – famously building up above head height in London’s Leicester Square – and the dead remaining unburied.

A vote of no confidence was raised against Callaghan and his government which precipitated a general election and gave Thatcher a way in. Her victory was a seen by many as a step in the right direction in controlling the unions at a time when it was felt they were badly out of control, however many more feared for what was to come.

At the same time Thatcher’s ambitions were coming to fruition so were the somewhat more modest ambitions of Jerry Dammers. The son of the Dean of Bristol Cathedral, Dammers was middle-class, socialist and a huge music fan who had harboured ambitions of putting a band together for some time.

He had recruited Terry Hall (vocals), Lynval Golding (guitar), Horrace Panter (bass), Neville Staple (percussion) and Roddy Radiation (guitar) for his group The Specials (initially known as The Special AKA) mainly from covers bands doing the rounds in his native Coventry at time.

Dammers’ vison for The Specials was that they would be a socially and racially inclusive band which would fuse ska, punk, rock and reggae to create a new and vibrant sound which was unique to them. Inspired by The Clash, he wanted to take the do it yourself ethos of punk and apply it to a new sound.

“Punk was a bit of a musical dead to me”, he said. “I went to punk gigs but enjoyed the reggae they played between sets more. I thought the Sex Pistols played boring power rock, though I related to the punk lyrics and anarchic attitude. People felt able to write their own songs about their own lives”.

In the summer of 1978 The Specials had supported The Clash on their ‘On Parole Tour’ and quickly cemented a reputation of being a brilliant live act in the process. It also introduced the band to Bernie Rhodes, The Clash’s manager, who also set about running the affairs of Dammers and the rest of The Specials.

Dammers saw Ska as The Specials unique selling point. Ska had arrived in the UK in the 60s thanks to the huge amount of Jamaican immigrants in the country who first arrived in Britain as part of the Windrush generation in the 40s.

The UK government had encouraged immigration from countries of the British Empire and Commonwealth immediately after the second world war to help the country deal with labour shortages due to the heavy losses sustained during the conflict. Many from Jamaica took the opportunity to come to the UK for a better life and opportunities – bringing their culture and music with them.

In the early 1950s Jamaican DJ Duke Vin set up a his own sound system in Ladbroke Grove – arguably becoming the first mobile DJ in the UK in doing so. Not long after he encountered a rival in Count Suckle. Both were in huge demand, being hired by West Indians up and down the country to play the clubs and pubs. The music of choice for Vin and Suckle were mostly tunes from US R&B artists like Fats Domino, Shirley and Lee, Louis Prima and Smiley Lewis which were imported to the UK from Jamaica.

In May 1964, the Jamaican teenager Millie Small reached number 2 in the charts with her version of ‘My Boy Lollypop’. This gave many in the country their first taste of Jamaican Ska music, however many club’s in west and south London had already set up hugely successful Ska nights. These nights didn’t just prove popular with those who had made their way over from the Caribbean, but also with British Mods who took to enthusiastically collecting Prince Buster singles on the Blue Beat label, as well as taking tailoring tips from their new found Caribbean friends. This love of Ska in the UK was continued by the suedeheads and skinheads. Dammers’ vision for The Specials was that, in his words, they “continued the line”.

With a solid reputation as a live act established, Dammers’ next move was to release a single. Rather than wait on one of the current major or independent record labels, Dammers followed a route first tried by Buzzcocks with their ‘Spiral Scratch’ EP. Unable to secure a record deal, Buzzcocks founded the New Hormones label themselves to get their record on the shelves. Following this blueprint, Dammers formed the 2-Tone label to get ‘Gangsters’, the first single by The Specials, released and in the shops.

‘Gangsters’ is a reworking of Prince Buster’s 1964 record ‘Al Capone’, and is allegedly about an incident on a French tour when The Specials were held responsible for damage to a hotel which another band had caused. The song was a huge success and broke into the top 10 in August 1979. This gave Dammers and 2-Tone the foundation they needed. As well as 2-Tone giving The Specials the opportunity to record and release material, it would also be the label which introduced the country to Madness, The Beat, The Selecter and Bad Manners.

Madness would only have one release on 2-Tone before signing for Stiff Records, but not before being involved in the infamous 2-Tone Tour – a 40 night run which stretched through of autumn of 1979 which showcased The Specials, Madness and The Selecter.

The Specials, Madness and The Selecter arrive in Glasgow.

 

 

Prior to that, in June, The Specials had entered TW Studios in Fulham to record their self-titled debut album. The process would last about month and was produced by Elvis Costello. The feeling was that all Costello needed to do was capture the sound and energy the band produced in a live environment onto vinyl.

The body of work that Dammers had compiled for the album was politically loaded and heavily promoted social and racial equality. This was reflected in songs like ‘It’s Up to You’, ‘Concrete Jungle’ and ‘Doesn’t Make it Alright’ which centred around race and racism, whilst tracks like ‘Too Much Too Young’, ‘A Message to You Rudy’ and ‘Blank Expression’ focussed on issues facing the working class youth at that time.

On its release on 19 October it was initially felt that Costello had failed in his remit of capturing the energy of The Specials live performances, with Melody Maker complaining of ‘missed potential’ in the final product. The songs felt slower in tempo and thinner in sound than their live compatriots, with the best example of this being ‘Too Much Too Young’. The released single version was a live version taken from a London show from the autumn 2-Tone Tour. It is punchy, danceable and ferociously upbeat compared to the slower, pedestrian and thinner album version.

But despite the perceived issues in the production many were pleased with the results, with NME stating: “Although the predominant musical influence is black (ska, bluebeat, reggae and soul), it’s wrapped in ferocious rock’n’roll: the kind of hybrid that so many other British bands have tried to contrive but, in comparison, failed to make convincing … This album embraces two decades of black and white music, gives it perspective and then goes on to reflect the modern rock’n’roll culture … It’s the kind of album that’s musically fathomless and it will probably establish The Specials as true hopes for the ’80s.”

The album should have been the starting point for The Specials as it had established them, and 2-Tone, as the pioneers and leaders of a philosophy and movement. As the 70s became the 80s there was never a stronger need for a band who promoted social and racial equality like The Specials, but the relentless schedule strained relations and the cracks were beginning to show by the time the band released their second album ‘More Specials’ in October 1980.

By 1981 the policies Thatcher and the Tories had set about implementing two years previously were starting to take effect. More than 2.5 million were unemployed, with 6,000 joining the dole queue on a daily basis, and race relations in the country had reached a low point culminating in riots in Brixton and Toxteth.

It was proving to be a difficult year for The Specials, too, with the band teetering on the brink of splitting up and in-house relations hitting rock bottom – with Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Neville Staple in particular starting to feel they needed out. All three were already hatching plans to move on, and would go on to form Fun Boy Three, but not before contributing to The Specials greatest moment – ‘Ghost Town’.

‘Ghost Town’ is a remarkable record which skilfully and cleverly manages to capture the mood of bleakness that Thatcher’s industrial declined Britain had created in 1981. Dammers cites scenes witnessed whilst on the road touring More Specials as the inspiration for the song.

“You travelled from town to town and what was happening was terrible”, he said. “In Liverpool, all the shops were shuttered up, everything was closing down … We could actually see it by touring around. You could see that frustration and anger in the audience. In Glasgow, there were these little old ladies on the streets selling all their household goods, their cups and saucers. It was unbelievable. It was clear that something was very, very wrong.”

‘Ghost Town’ was released on 12 June 1981, and it acted almost as a social commentary as it rose to the top of the charts during a summer which witnessed some of the worst inner city rioting the UK had witnessed in years.

“When I think about Ghost Town I think about Coventry”, said drummer John Bradbury, who sadly passed away in 2015. “I saw it develop from a boom town, my family doing very well, through to the collapse of the industry and the bottom falling out of family life. Your economy is destroyed and, to me, that’s what Ghost Town is about.”

‘Ghost Town’ would prove to be The Specials final act, and they self-imploded not long after. They reformed in 2009, minus Dammers, and have continued to tour since. Staple left in 2012, with Byers (aka Roddy Radiation) following suit and bowing out not long after. The death Bradbury in 2015 meant that on the latest tour earlier this year only Hall, Golding and Panter remained from the original line up.

Forty years on there is still much to love about The Specials and 2-Tone. The Specials created a sound that was unique to them, they wrote about political and racial issues which helped educate a generation and more. 2-Tone, meanwhile, gave a platform to bands like Madness, The Beat, The Selecter and more, it created a philosophy and movement that championed social and racial equality, and it even had its own dress code of pork-pie hats, Ben Sherman & Fred Perry shirts, Harrington jackets and Doc Martin boots.

But perhaps the most lasting legacy of The Specials is that their music is still relevant and still resonates today. It is hard to listen to a song like ‘Ghost Town’ and not apply it to modern day Britain, and if you listen to any given song from The Specials’ debut album then there is a good chance you will find yourself asking if things related to equality, race and class have improved any over the last 40 years.

If you’re like me you will probably come to the conclusion that they haven’t. But when you listen to The Specials you are also reminded that there are people out there fighting the good fight.