Rangers News

2005 Review

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So another year draws to a close and as usual there has been many highs and lows for Glasgow Rangers.

Who can forget the events of May when Rangers won the league against all the odds in a dramatic last day. Or day six of the Champions League group stage when Rangers made history by becoming the first Scottish club to qualify for the last 16.

It’s not all been highs though. Put out of two cup competitions in one year by bitter rivals Celtic, falling 15 points behind leaders Celtic before christmas. Going on a 10 match run without a win – the worst in our history and dropping down to 5TH in the league at one point.

Let’s have a look at the highlights of the year (highs AND lows)…

New signings at Ibrox: Fergie comes home

Rangers splashed out the cash in a sensational January transfer window bringing back Barry Ferguson from Blackburn.

Gers also signed Ronald Waterreus to cover for the injured Stefan Klos as well as Thomas Buffel from Feyenoord and short term signing Soti Kyrgiakos.

Waterreus not only deputised well for Klos, he won his place in the team and a permanent contract. Thomas Buffel has been a brilliant signing while Kyrgiakos who has been great in defence left in the summer but found his way back to Ibrox in August.

Celtic 2 Rangers 1, Scots Cup R3, Jan 9th 2005

A nightmare start to 2005. After drawing against Dundee Utd in the SPL, Rangers faced rivals Celtic in the Scottish Cup third round at Parkhead.

Chris Sutton gave Celtic a first half lead in the 37th minute but Fernando Ricksen brought it back to level terms in the 47th.

It looked like it may be heading for a replay but in the 77th minute John Hartson got the winner for Celtic knocking Rangers out.

Celtic went on to win the cup in May.

Dundee Utd thrashed in CIS Cup

Dundee Utd became a bogey team for Rangers in the 2004/2005 season so Rangers took great pleasure in punishing them at Hampeden in the CIS Insurance League Cup Semi-Final by 7 goals to 1.

Thomas Buffel got his first goal for Rangers while Nacho Novo and Stephen Thomson both bagged a double and Fernando Ricksen and Dado Prso got on the scoresheet as well.

Memorable win at Parkhead

Rangers got a sensational win at Celtic Park in February thanks to Rab Douglas, er… I mean Gregory Vignal who gave Rangers the lead followed by a stunning goal from Nacho Novo.

It was an incredible day and a rare win at the home of our rivals.

LEAGUE CUP WINNERS

Rangers won their 23rd League Cup thanks to another thrashing, this time Motherwell were on the receiving end of a one sided final.

Rangers won 5-1 thanks to goals from Maurice Ross, Nacho Novo, Fernando Ricksen and a double from Soti Kyrgiakos.

TITLE HEADING TO PARKHEAD?

Rangers lost the make or break game against Celtic and it looked like they had handed the title to them.

Two points behind Celtic going into this game Rangers new they had to win but they just weren’t good enough on the day and Celtic raced five points ahead.

Stillian Petrov and Craig Bellamy got the goals for Celtic while Stephen Thomson got a late consolation for the bears.

SINGING IN THE RAIN AT PITTODRIE

Rangers picked up a great victory at a rain soaked Pittodrie to keep up the pressure on leaders Celtic.

Dado Prso got a great double to tie up the points for Rangers after Ferguson’s opening strike was cancelled out by Clark.

SHOCK CHAMPIONS: HIBERNIAN 0 RANGERS 1

Rangers had managed to claw Celtic’s lead at the top back to two points but no one expected them to pip them to the title on the last day.

Gers had a hard game away to Easter Road and Celtic were away to Motherwell but Celtic only needed one point which everyone fully expected them to get.

Celtic fans headed to Fir Park and as expected Celtic took an early lead to set up the party.

Rangers took the lead at Easter Road in the first half thanks to Nacho Novo but with the score going the way of Celtic at Fir Park it wouldn’t have been enough.

BUT! enter Scott McDonald, a little Australian who most Rangers fans probably hadn’t heard of.

Five minutes to play at Fir Park and the league was all but won but up popped McDonald to equalise for Motherwell and send the Rangers end at Easter Road into ecstasy.

Celtic fans were in a panic and then they were in hell as Scott McDonald grabbed a dramatic winner for Motherwell and sent the helicopter in the opposite direction and off to Edinburgh.

The scenes at Easter Road were amazing, Rangers were champions and couldn’t believe it. The scenes back at Ibrox that evening were even better as fans flooded to the stadium to welcome back their heroes.

SUMMER SIGNINGS

Ian Murray was the first new face to arrive in the summer. He arrived from Hibernian on a bosman.

Alex McLeish also eventually brought in Jean Pierre FanFan, Julien Rodriguez, Olivier Bernard, Brahim Hemdani, Francis Jeffers and Federico Nieto.

Soti Kyrgiakos was also brought back at the end of August.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION, OLD FIRM VICTORY

Rangers had a tough game to get through to qualify for the Champions League group stages.

They faced Cypriot team Anothorsis Famagusta, a team that they beat a few seasons ago in the same competition by only one goal over the two legs.

On paper it was a game that Rangers should win easily but they have tripped up in games like this before.

It was comfortable in the end though thanks to a 2-1 win away from home and 2-0 at home.

Rangers were handed a tough draw in the groups with Italian giants Inter Milan, FC Porto and Celtic’s conquerors Artmedia Bratislava.

August was a good month and it was topped off with a 3-1 victory over Celtic at Ibrox.

10 GAMES WITHOUT A WIN INCLUDING 2 OLD FIRM DEFEATS

Without a doubt October-November was the worst period of 2005 for Rangers and perhaps one of the worst in their history.

Rangers went on a miserable run of 10 games without a win. This included back to back defeats to Celtic at Parkhead, one in the league and one in the CIS Cup.

The run also included a defeat against Hibernian and 7 draws against Livingston, Inverness CT, Artmedia (2), Porto, Falkirk and Inter.

The terrible run wasn’t broken until December and it seen Rangers fall 17 points behind Celtic and fall to fifth in the league. The lead is now 15 points but the league is beyond them.

It has also been a low point for Alex McLeish who looked certain to be unemployed for Christmas but credit to a great man who has came through it with his head held high and his job 100% safe.

RANGERS THROUGH TO LAST 16 OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Despite the bad run of games, Rangers amazingly managed to make history by becoming the first Scottish club to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League.

They held Italian giants Inter Milan to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in the last game of the group stage while Artmedia and Porto drew in Bratislava.

It was an emotional night at Ibrox especially with the current status, it was a great achievement and the fans could barely belive what they witnessed.

The Gers were rewarded with a tie against Spanish outfit Villarreal, a tough game but one we could win and we are all looking forward to it.

Overall it was a good year but wasn’t without it’s lows. Here is to an even better 2006!

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Senior Editor