Gersnet Rangers All-time XI | Day 9: Forwards

[CammyF 6,787]

Far too many to list, but for me, it's Parlane and McCoist. Derek Parlane was my 1st Rangers hero so has to get the nod over Hateley. 

 

 

 

 

[Tannochsidebear 2,315]

Like most, it has to be Super Ally plus one. What a difficult choice. Hateley the obvious one and will probably win the vote but the start and end of his Rangers career were both dismal, so i'm going to go for Morelos. On top form he bullied defenders, linked up, could score from anywhere and while he didnt have a great record in OF games, (much like Boyd who I nearly went for) his European record was phenomenal.

 

McCoist & Morelos

 

As a footnote, this is the only player of this Century that gets my pick. 23 years into the 21st Century, which is more years than I went to see Rangers in the 20th Century (15), but with the way the TV money is king in football now, the quality of player we can attract and/or develop/keep has gone down and down.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Tannochsidebear

[Sutton_blows_goats 4,208]

McCoist and Hateley

[Scott7 5,172]

@26th of foot is a wise man. He heeds the guidance of his illustrious forebears, what a pedigree. I thought I’d follow his example and with the aid of the ouija board I asked my old man what he thought. The answer from the spirit world without a moment’s hesitation, Lawrie Reilly and Joe Baker. Should have known. Dad was a Spider but the Hibs were his other team.

 

So, using my own skill and judgement:

Willie Thornton but there’s no Willie Waddell on the wing. 
Don Kitchenbrand and Maxie Murray scored plenty but there were better to follow.

Jimmy Millar and Ralph Brand - say no more.

Jim Forrest a player who was more than just a goal machine.

Derek Parlane deserved better than Ally Scott or Martin Henderson as his assistant.

DJ probably the most versatile of the lot.

McCoist and Hateley, the perfect partnership and the bookies’ favourites. There was no type of goal Super couldn’t score from the sublime to the ridiculous 

Robert Fleck. I didn’t understand why Souness preferred Hateley. I found out when that famous header went in.

Durie and Drinkell - workers but goal scorers too.

Negri and Mols - ah, what might have been.

Prso and Jelavic would have been a prolific pairing.

 

You would have to be blind not to pick McCoist and Hately but I choose Millar and Brand (Where’s that damn dog with my white stick?)

 

Jimmy Millar could leap and power in headers like DJ and Hateley. His work rate never slackened. No defender had an easy afternoon with Millar on the park.

 

Ralph Brand, the ultimate craftsman goalsmith. I can’t remember him scoring from distance nor did he get a lot with his head but from every part of the penalty area, left or right side Ralphie would rifle them into the corner. Crackshot.

[onevision 1,447]

Derek Johnstone and super ally 

Edited November 22, 2023 by onevision

[compo 6,141]

On a goals per game bases I think it would be Sam English and Jim Forrest 

[Franc Ergs 1,352]

McCoist and Hateley .

[weebluedevil 1,172]

Tough decision but will go with McCoist and Hateley. 

[26th of foot 5,836]

My Grandfather was ten years of age when Rangers secured the 1899 league championship and, he never let us forget it. Uniquely, Rangers won every league game that season and the club skipper, Robert Hamilton played every game as centre forward. His record over ten seasons is remarkable, reaping 184 goals in 209 appearances and notching another 15 goals in 11 Scottish internationals. According to the auld lad, Robert just wanted to shoot from anywhere on the pitch. 

Robert was a genuine lad o'pairts, finished football and entered tertiary education, became a teacher the a Headteacher, became a Councillor in his native Elgin for a couple of decades, spending the last several as the town's Lord Provost. He concluded as Chair of Moray Education Board. The club should honour Robert C Hamilton's legacy.

 

Jimmy Fleming holds a few club records to this day; highest scorer in a single match(9), the most goals in the Scottish Cup(44) and, in a Queen of the South game at Ibrox he ran from the Rangers bye-line to the Queens six yard line, evading between six and a dozen tackles(dependent upon the number of wee goldies my Grandfather had consumed) before finishing high into the net. He scored 220 goals in 267 appearances over ten seasons.

 

Another of this era with fantastic stats is Willie Reid, 195 goals in 240 appearances then, there is Jimmy Smith with 249 goals in 258 appearances and again, Bob McPhail with 261 in 408 appearances. 

 

My old man did not care for Jimmy Smith, referred to him as a bully. He loved Willie Thornton, Millar and Brand but, particularly lionised Jim Forrest. We know Jim was the John Lawrence decreed scapegoat for Berwick'67 and Dad was strong in his opinion that Jim's absence in Nuremberg cost the club the ECWC later that year. Jim was prolific scoring 145 goals in 163 games. I remember as an eight year old being in awe of his figures in 1965, 57 goals in a season. Jim only spent five and a half years at the club.

 

My first real Rangers hero was Colin Stein, signed for £100,000 from Hibs in 1968. He notched two hat-tricks and a double in his three games against Hibs, Clyde and, Arbroath. We felt we were on to something amid the dark days of Jock Stein domination. Colin was a forerunner for Morelos, sure he had a temper and never backed down to challenges presented by opposition defenders. Colin missed the League Cup final 1-0 victory over Sellik because the Chair of the Disciplinary Committee, Sir Bob Kelly(also Celtic Chair) suspended Stein for six weeks which finished the Monday after the Saturday final.

Waddell turned him into the Lone Ranger, support when it arrived came from Bud Johnson. This combination grabbed the necessary goals to secure the ECWC in '72. Colin chased down everything and this was never better epitomised on Christmas day 1970 at Easter Road. Shivering on that old high terrace, the snow fell in injury time with game locked at nil-nil. Stein went on a long run to get on the end of a ball into the box, knocking it into the net. He returned to the same pitch and superbly headed Rangers towards our first title in 11 years.

 

Derek Parlane was the King of Ibrox Park for a time, notching a five goal haul and a four goal spread against the Pars and Killie respectively. He vied continually with DJ for the number nine spot. Derek Johnstone was a remarkable player whether it be in defence, midfield or, attack. DJ's 210 goals must contain the reminder that at least half of his 549 appearances were not as centre forward.

 

We come to Hateley and McCoist. They are correctly remembered fondly as the partnership and I believe if Ally had not broke his leg on international duty in Lisbon, they would have secured Rangers the big one in season '92-'93.  They were special. Mark could do it all, run in behind and beyond defences and score with either foot or head. Ally missed as many as he notched but importantly was always in position to miss in the first place. Ally's exceptional record is unrivalled at the club, 355 goals in 581 appearances. He had at least a dozen partnerships up front in his 15 seasons at Rangers.

 

My front pairing is McCoist and Stein.

 

 

[Scott7 5,172]

Colin, Colin, Colin Stein - how did I miss him off my list? I saw his debut for Hibs and I knew they had a player.

 

It’s still M&B, though.