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Our Second Greatest Striker ?


tannerall

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Statistically speaking, it's Bob McPhail who is the club's second top goalscorer.

I would say the most talented striker I have seen in a Rangers shirt in my memory (last 8 years or so) is Nikica Jelavic but I certainly wouldn't go as far as saying he's our second greatest striker ever.

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In my lifetime, in order...

Hateley

Negri

Johnston

Mols

Prso

Arveladze

Jelavic

Wallace

Novo

Miller

Drinkell

Fleck

Boyd

Although my mind changes often and I may edit this on reflection!

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Bob McPhail.

McPhail was signed by Rangers in 1927 for a then substantial fee of £5,000 and went on to become one of the most prolific strikers ever to play for the club, scoring 261 goals in 408 appearances. He made his first appearance for Rangers on 13 August 1927 in a 3-2 win over Aberdeen atPittodrie. He netted his first goals on 3 September 1927, a double in a 5-1 win over St Johnstone at Ibrox. Rangers won both the League title and the Scottish Cup in McPhail's first season with the club and McPhail scored a total of 23 goals in 42 appearances, including a goal in the 4-0 win over Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final.

McPhail continued to be an important member of Rangers' team in what was a highly successful period for the club. During McPhail's 12 years at Ibrox, he won 9 League championships and 6 Scottish Cups - a joint record number of Scottish Cup wins for a Rangers player (Dougie Gray also won 6) and a record shared with former Celtic stars Jimmy McMenemy and Billy McNeill. He scored a total of 230 League goals for the club, a record which stood for over 50 years before being broken by Ally McCoist in 1997.

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Is there really a debate about this 225 goals in 234 games is unsurpassed for a Rangers player.

Jimmy Smith

Smith moved from East Stirlingshire to Rangers in 1928 and made his debut against Hamilton Academical in March 1929. He only featured twice in his first season at Ibrox and only played once the following season, and scored in a 3-1 win against Dundee. In season 1930-31, he scored a remarkable 21 goals in 21 games, including 5 in an 8-0 defeat of Clyde, as Rangers won the League championship for the fifth season running.

After Rangers missed out on their sixth successive League championship in season 1931-32, during which Smith had scored 5 goals in 8 games, the championship returned to Ibrox the following season and Smith finished top scorer with 34 goals, including 4 hat-tricks.

In season 1933-34, Smith and striking partner Bob McPhail, notched up 72 goals between them in 47 games as Rangers continued their dominance of Scottish football. Smith also collected his first Scottish Cup medal, scoring in a 5-0 defeat of St Mirren in the final at Hampden.

Success for Smith and Rangers continued. The League title was again won in 1934-35 with Smith scoring 43 goals in 38 matches, including 6 in a 7-1 defeat of Dunfermline Athletic. He also collected his second Scottish Cup medal, scoring twice in the 2-1 against Hamilton Academical in the final. Rangers went on to win two of the next four League championships before World War IIand Smith was Rangers' top scorer in three of the four, including 31 goals from 38 games in the 1936-37 success.

Smith continued to play for Rangers during the unofficial matches played during the War but retired from football upon the return of official domestic football in 1946-47. After he retired he continued as a club trainer then chief scout until 1967.

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