Young players before Rangers Academy was established

[boabie 230]

Look back even further, players came through in the 60s and became world class.

 

That is not my memory cb. Rangers boys club was ran by Aberdeen at one time and although we had a few players come through our own ranks I seem to recall a long period where we bought any player who'd given a reasonable showing when playing against us rather than relying on our own nursery.

[JFK-1 1,677]

Look back even further, players came through in the 60s and became world class.

 

The 60's was an entirely different world from the Scotland of the 2,000s though. In the 60's and especially so during School holidays all day every day no matter where you went there would be boys kicking a ball around. On any patch of grass, any open spread of concrete, on the streets. Anywhere at all and you don't see that anymore.

 

With so many playing all the time you're bound to get some real quality surfacing on a regular basis and in 60's and 70's Scotland we did. Rangers won the cup winners cup with a team composed entirely of Scots which in the semi finals beat a Bayern Munich side containing the core of the German world cup side that would win the world cup just 2 years later.

 

Celtic did the same thing 5 years earlier in the European cup final also with a team composed entirely of Scots. Can you imagine any team composed entirely of Scots getting anywhere in Euro competition now? At that time being in Europe after Christmas was a minimum expectation and something of an embarrassment if not achieved while now it's seen as remarkable if achieved. A bonus not an expectation.

 

I have no doubt there are in Scotland right now many teenagers and young 20's who would have been great footballers if they had grown up like those guys back in the 60's did but instead grew up rarely if ever kicking a ball if it wasn't a digital ball on an X-box. It's simply the way it is now and there is no going back to that.

[boabie 230]

Celtic did the same thing 5 years earlier in the European cup final also with a team composed entirely of Scots , all born in the same phone box.

 

I fixed that for you mate.

[chilledbear 16]

That is not my memory cb. Rangers boys club was ran by Aberdeen at one time and although we had a few players come through our own ranks I seem to recall a long period where we bought any player who'd given a reasonable showing when playing against us rather than relying on our own nursery.

 

Ralphie Brand signed as a schoolboy

Eric Caldow signed as a schoolboy

John Greig signed from Edina Hearts

Willie Henderson signed as a schoolboy

Sandy Jardine first game at 18

Willie Johnston signed from juniors at 17

 

Just a few of hand.

 

I know we signed players who did well against us, but we were never slow at throwing youths into the first team.

[Scott7 5,255]

If I remember correctly the Academy used to be called Queens Park.

[boabie 230]

Ralphie Brand signed as a schoolboy

Eric Caldow signed as a schoolboy

John Greig signed from Edina Hearts

Willie Henderson signed as a schoolboy

Sandy Jardine first game at 18

Willie Johnston signed from juniors at 17

 

Just a few of hand.

 

I know we signed players who did well against us, but we were never slow at throwing youths into the first team.

 

I saw all of those guys play, but the period I refer to was the late 60's onwards CB.

[Uilleam 5,507]

It's not the ones who came through, it's the ones the Club missed: Charlie Cooke, John Wark, Andy Gray, among the most prominent, all Rangers' supporters, from Rangers supporting families. How big was the net, and how wide the mesh?

[colinstein 294]

It's not the ones who came through, it's the ones the Club missed: Charlie Cooke, John Wark, Andy Gray, among the most prominent, all Rangers' supporters, from Rangers supporting families. How big was the net, and how wide the mesh?

 

kenny ?..............

[Uilleam 5,507]

kenny ?..............

 

Aye, him, 'n'a'.

[alexscottislegend 2,090]

Only slightly off-topic, but what do bears think about the idea of entering the Colts in the League? Double benefit for us; regular football against adults, and the fact of a presence in the SFL if we eventually get the chance to join a cross-border league. Think we have been badly hit by the loss of reserve football.