The Scottish League began its inaugural season in 1890-91. By then the club was playing at Ibrox having played previously at Burnbank and Kinning Park.

Ranger’s first League game was played on the 16th August 1890 when they beat Hearts 5-2. they finished that season equal on points with Dumbarton and as a play-off game could not separate the two clubs the Championship was shared.

They achieved success in the Scottish Cup beating Celtic 3-1 in the 1894 final, Dumbraton 5-1 in 1897 and Kilmarnock 2-0 in 1898. In 1898-99 Rangers won their first Championship in style winning all eighteen of their games – a unique achievement. This was the first of four successive title wins. The 1899 season saw the club move to its present ground.

On the football front Celtic were gaining in strength and the early 1900’s saw them dominate the League.

After World War One Rangers dominated Scottish football winning the championship 15 times in 21 years, under the managership of firstly William Wilton and then the legendary William Struth. Struth managed the club for 34 years winning 18 League Championships, 10 Scottish Cups and two League cups. In 1927-28 they won the double for the first time.

After the Second World War there was another trophy to win following the setting up of the Scottish League cup. In 1948-49 Rangers became the first team to win the treble.

The club played in Europe for the first team in 1956-57 when they participated in the European cup. In 1961 they became the first Scottish side to reach a European Final when they lose 1-4 on aggregate to Florentina. In 1967 they lost 0-1 after extra time to Bayern Munich in the Cup Winners Cup final.


In 1971 there occurred the blackest day in Rangers history when following an Old Firm game on January the 2nd 66 people died and 140 were injured in a terrifying crush. The task of leading Rangers back out of the shadows fell to Willie Waddell.

The club finally won a European trophy when they beat Moscow Dynamo 3-2 at Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium in 1972. However it was not until 1974-75, with Jock Wallace as manager, that they broke a long period of Celtic domination and won the Scottish Championship once more.

In 1975-76 season saw the advent of the Scottish Premier League which the club duly won. They also won the Scottish cup and the League Cup, a feat they repeated two years later. Following Jock Wallace’s resignation the clubs supply of honours dried up.

It wasn’t until the arrival of Graham Souness as manager and David Murry as Chairman that the club enjoyed another golden era. First with Souness as manager and then with Walter Smith as his replacement they won the title nine times in succession.

James Gordon played in every position during his career with Rangers.
William Wilton, the clubs first manager, - died the day after the final game of the 1919-20 season following a boating accident.


1909 saw the infamous Harpden riot after the Scottish Cup Final replay ended in a draw. The crowd expected extra-time and when the players left the pitch they vented their spleen by setting fire to the stadium.


Rangers signed their first Englishman in 1909 when they signed goalkeeper Herbert Lock from Southampton.


1890-91 season saw Ranger and Dumbarton share the Championship – the only time this has happened.


Their first game against Celtic was a friendly in May 1888 when they lost 2-5.
In 1887 Rangers played in the English F. A. Cup – losing to Aston Villa in the semi-final.


In 1879 Rangers played Vale of Leven in the Scottish Cup : The match ended in a 1-1 draw but Rangers were so upset when they had a goal disallowed that they refused to turn up for the replay.


Rangers didn’t play in the inaugural Scottish Cup, won by Queen’s Park.
The Ranger name was taken from an English Rugby Club