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Bugger - i hoped nobody had noticed !!!

Perth Saints and Well Sinners. I was betwixt and between. On Saturdays, I wanted to emulate Alfie Conn but on Sundays it was Al Green who took me to church. Albert Greene was pure Arkansas gospel and I had paid my local record shopkeeper in Cadzow Street, Hamilton an extra quid for an import of an album entitled, 'Green is Blues'. Hi Records was Willie Mitchell's own label and the single, 'Tired of Being Alone' was attached to the album sleeve. The record shop owner told me to keep the single because, "nobody listens to this pysh". Jethro Tull had the UK number one album and I received further advice, "this is what's happening". Ian Anderson was not my type of flautist. Al and Alfie would have to wait, I played for my school in East Kilbride and took a solid flat of the boot, nylon studs showing on my right ankle. A couple of hours later, I started for Fir Park Boys' Club in Motherwell. I was subbed at half time, attended Hairmyers for an X-Ray and, was told my ankle bone had been chipped. I missed Alfie at Ibrox that afternoon against St Johnstone. Sandy Jardine and Colin Stein also missed out, returning from Turin with ankle injuries. They needed Al Green on prescription. In front of 25,000, Rangers fielded - McCloy, Denny, Mathieson, Greig, Jackson, Smith, McLean, Conn, D Johnstone, Johnston, I MacDonald. St Johnstone - Robertson, Lambie, Coburn, Rennie, Gordon, Argue, Leslie, Rooney, Pearson, Connolly and, Fraser. Big DJ notched in the 39th minute and Tommy McLean completed the scoring on the hour mark, for a comfortable 2-nil victory. Monday morning arrived and my ankle had ballooned. I was back at the Accident and Emergency where a soft cast was applied. I was given a wooden crutch and took a ton of playground abuse. Jardine and Stein got it worse, both were selected for the Scottish League fixture at Ayrsome Park, Middlesbrough against the English League midweek. Sandy was named Skipper and led a team of cobalt blue jerseys, including Stein on to a most heavy Teeside pitch. Colin opened the scoring in a 3-2 defeat for the Scots. The Blades Tony Currie glided across the surface scoring a double and setting up Man City's Doyle for the winner. Saturday arrived and we were due at Fir Park for the Scottish Cup quarter-final. I was swinging on a crutch, both Jardine and, Stein faced late fitness tests. All three of us made the game. Obviously, I had not played for Motherwell's official youth club(no separate entity) that day and was thus denied my usual place in the Enclosure and denied my free pie and bovril. I paid into the terracing and in a strenuous effort to secure a view of the pitch amid a bumper 30,000 attendance, I found myself leaning on my support on top of the pie hut roof. I had climbed with the aid of the floodlight pylon. Had Al Green ever suffered tis much for his art? Motherwell ran out - Fallon, Muir, Whiteford, Forsyth, McCallum, Watson, Campbell, McInally, McCabe, Lawson and, Heron. Rangers took to the sunshine - McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, Jackson, Smith, McLean, D Johnstone, Stein, MacDonald, and, Johnston. I have stated before that Bobby Hewitt's 'Well side were well balanced and as Jock Wallace oft' said, they had a ton of character. Lawson was a poacher, McInally is Alan(Rambo)'s auld man and a real handful and, the football came from Jim McCabe and Sammy Campbell. The steel in the Steelmen was provided by Tam Forsyth, Jumbo Muir and, Whiteford. The weak point was former Sellik Keeper, John Fallon and he would prove pivotal in the tie. The first half was calm, we emulated the Turin approach. We retained possession comfortably, creating a few opportunities and, when Doddie planted the ball into the net on the 33rd minute it was no surprise. There were eight of us on the pie stall flat roof and we drank in the spring sunshine one zip in the lead at half time. There existed a phenomenon in Scottish football in those days, half-time saw a migration from one end to the other, a determination to be behind the goal your team was shooting into. Another half-dozen joined us roof dwellers. First period Rangers became increasingly unrecognisable as the second period progressed. Jim McCabe found Brian Heron rushing beyond a clearly labouring Sandy Jardine and, the former Ranger calmly finished a minute before the hour. The game had changed, 'Well were all over us like a rash. We could not stop the crosses into our box and when the diminutive Northern Ireland internationalist, Sammy Campbell killed another desperate clearance and stroked it past a slow to get down McCloy, we all chorussed where was Billy Mathieson? Seventeen minutes to go and we were out the Cup. An increasingly relevant point of discussion was the stability of our defence as opposed the stability of the pie stall roof. We were twenty yards from the exit and another dozen and a half were sharing our uninterrupted vista. The Police vacated and closed the eatery, stopped any further incursions and, furiously demanded we all get down. A Kirky Lawson effort was parried by the gas metre, Dave Smith cleared left and Johnston was off and running into a Bobby Watson body check. The Referee awarded the free kick, a touch off to Mathieson and he decided to turn back from a challenge but quickly turned the other way and got off a high floaty cross to the back stick. There were six minutes remaining when Colin Stein rose to head the ball back across John Fallon into the 'Well net. The equaliser was the last I saw, the ensuing mayhem caused the pie stall to collapse. The result was a dozen injuries, some serious breakages but fortunately nothing near fatal. I was hanging on to to a pylon cross support minus my crutch. The replay at Ibrox was nine days away, in between we had the return leg of the European Cup Winners Cup quarter-final and a league fixture at Ibrox against Morton. In those two games, another pie stall would be demolished and Colin Jackson would notch an unfortunate double. But hey, as Al Green sang, 'Let's stay Together'.

Look....I'm buzzing the noo....I don't usually sing at matches but tomorrow i will be singing and making as much noise as my old vocal chords can handle...mon the Rangers.

A shocker and a coupon buster .

This anniversary is one great marketing opportunity we should be selling everything from baby clothing to stuff for pensioners, make hay while the sun shines . And if not then heads should roll.

Braga 3 - Benfica 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8kM838fi_M

Yup, obvious he was carrying an injury in last few weeks and we've running into the ground - this was the inevitable outcome

Well done he deserved it

An interesting tact taking the side of the abusers over victims. Disappointed in Australia.

That was so well deserved. What a season he had.

Only thing that irks me is that Morelos didn't come back with that injury---he left with it.

IMHO, much of the side should pick itself .... McGregor Tavernier - Goldson - Balogun - Bassey Lundstram - Jack Sakala - Ramsey - Kent Roofe

I'd prefer to have Defoe than Itten! It is what it is, maybe push Arido through the middle with Roofe or Kent? Maybe even see Arfield further forward. We have players who can hurt them and Braga, but need a formation that will suit the options. We'll see just how astute Gio is as a manger over next few weeks starting on Sunday and see if he learnt anything from the drubbing at Parkhead.

One issue is our late game options go from Roofe to Sakala or Itten. Europe may well be where we really miss him.

Alfie is a huge loss not just for Sunday but for the next few weeks. With his absence, will see a change of formation as for all Roofe / Fashion have to over, they ain't a "lone striker"? Can't see Itten featuring so limited in options. I also can't see Roofe being able to play Sunday, Thursday, Sunday given his fitness record.

Finally, after a somewhat understandable delay due to various pandemic reasons, we've managed to present Connor Goldson with his prize for last season's PotY award. Thanks to @Scott7, @Yorkie Bear, @Bluedelland @blueflagfor their contributions to the beautiful crystal and to everyone else for their continued support of our website. Shout out to the @RangersFCSLOand Nick Thomson at Rangers for their help in making sure Connor received his award.

We always really miss Morelos but he is hardly ever injured. Had to happen at some point.

If we have any aspiration of winning this league then we need to send a clear message by scudding them like they did to us at their midden. That will make them have to re-think before we meet in the semi and the return league match.

I can't really claim to "enjoy" these games against Celtic. Unless we establish a comfortable lead during the game, it will be the usual nerve-shredding ordeal and, as always, the aftermath will be either agony or ecstasy. That said, I think we should win this one.

The Fruit of the Dead. In Greek Mythology, the Pomegranate is known as the fruit of the dead; it was said the plant arose from the blood of Adonis. John Greig was intent upon having more than a bite at one particular pomegranate, midfielder Claudio Sala. Unlike the rest of his Torino team mates, Sala had played on the Saturday before. He was Italy's number ten and had participated in the Azurri's 2-1 defeat in Greece. Rangers had endured a tough game at Rugby Park, and the Skipper had taken it upon himself to be Rangers raging boar to Torino's Adonis. The Gods would not smile upon a bad seed. As Greig clattered into Sala, Willie Waddell held his head in his hands. Assistant Manager, Jock Wallace punched the air. The reactions of the vast majority of the 35,000 crowd inside the Stadio Comunale was a mixture of anger and respect. Rangers were worthy opponents, they had worked out the main man. Waddell had addressed the players before leaving the team Hotel in Asti, he told them to forget the Club's three previous meetings with Italian opposition. It was all about the future, if Rangers could win the tie they would win the European Cup Winners Cup. Peter McCloy later revealed Waddell took him aside as they were boarding the team coach and offered, "it's simple, don't concede tonight and we are through". The Captain's tackle from centre laid down a marker and Torino - Castellini, Mozzini, Fossati, Zecchin, Cereser, Agroppi, Rampanti, Ferrini, Pulici, Sala and Bui took note. Rangers lined up as - McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Greig, Jackson, Smith, McLean, D Johnstone, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston but played the Catenaccio system. Dave Smith wore number six, DJ wore number eight; the Aberdonian played the Sweeper role whereas the Dundonian in possession sat in front of Colin Jackson, out of possession he slotted in beside him. Smith's range of passing was the key, as soon as a Torino attack broke down, Smith pinged off to willing runners, Johnston and Stein. The Antipasto was delicious for all Bluenoses, Sala stayed tackled and Rangers served up a first half fiesta of possession football. Torino looked good enough to eat, they abandoned their Granata jerseys for the then Italian Cup winners traditional all white ensemble with red, white and, green tricolour badge. On the 12th minute, Dave Smith found an advancing Mathieson and WullieWanFit ghosted past two defenders before crossing deep to the back stick. An on rushing Bud Johnston did not have to break stride, clinically slamming the ball into the back of the pokey. Torino attempted to get their game going but every attack fell on the eighteen yard line with, either DJ intercepting a pass or Dave Smith taking a touch before passing into midfield or further. There was a fright just before the break, DJ matched Ferrini's run into the box and his challenge coincided with the Italian falling to the turf. Referee Kamber waved play on. A half time 0-1 lead did not flatter Rangers, Torino boss, Giagnoni decided width was the answer. He substituted full back, Fossati for left winger, Toschi. On the hour mark it paid off, Toschi's left foot drive was deflected goalward by centre forward, Pulici. The deflection wrong footed McCloy but Bomber Jackson followed the ball to the goal line. Unfortunately, his attempt at a swinging clearance bulleted the ball high into the net. There were thirty minutes left and expectation was a rested Torino to power on against a tiring Rangers. The Teddie Bears provided the Afro Gato, continuing possession football brought jeers and horns, the double espresso arrived courtesy of Bud, two opportunities to restore the lead. The game finished 1-1 and the action transferred to the tunnel. Johnston had given Torino full back, Mozzini a torrid evening. Eventually he caught Bud in the tunnel and promised the Fifer he would break his legs in a fortnight's time at Ibrox. Bud admitted relief at the appearance of Jock Wallace who shoved the Italian away with an accompanying, "fcuk off". Gustavo Giagnoni stood at the mouth of the tunnel and paid Rangers two big compliments, "I've never seen a fitter team' and, "they came here and played the Italian game, beautifully". Waddell proclaimed DJ to be, "the new John Charles". The Italian press whilst acknowledging Giagnoni's compliments were livid with the Referee, "the Scots are rough, there should have been one if not two penalties awarded, the Swiss Ref' was lenient", wrote Bruno Perucca of La Stampa. Sala remained quiet. On the Charter flight home the next morning, Rangers learned they were not dining alone at the Euro table. Sellik had won 1-2 in Hungary against Ujpest Dosza, BBC Scotland showed that game live in glorious black and white. The colour was all Rangers as the mercurial winger, Wullie Henderson was waiting at Ibrox with his legal representative, big Juve and Sellik man, Joe Beltrami. Wullie wanted to remain a Ranger, the Club was intent on transfer listing him and, Big Joe had enjoyed climbing the marble staircase.

Scotland should forfeit the match

The Maryhill Magyars