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Rangers Man


quinty

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In recent weeks and months I've seen the term 'Rangers Man' being used as an insult. Maybe it's time to remind ourselves of a true 'Rangers Man'. This is the obituary published in the Independent.

Jock Wallace was a giant of Scottish football. No other description can do justice to the man who ended Celtic's domination of the game in the 1970s and who, as manager, led Rangers to two domestic trebles within three years, the Glasgow club winning the League title, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Wallace had a frightening growl but a soft centre. The abiding image of him is that of the clenched fist, signifying the character he built into his teams - character which emanated from the man himself.

Before his successful first period at Ibrox from 1970 to 1978, Wallace had already ensured for the Glasgow club an unwanted place in the history books. As manager and goalkeeper of Berwick Rangers he defied the big name stars in the Rangers team of the time to help his side inflict perhaps the most embarrassing defeat in the history of the club, a 1-0 reverse in the 1967 Scottish Cup.

However Wallace more than repaid his debt to the club in subsequent years. He was appointed coach to the Rangers manager Willie Waddell in 1970 and with the help of the sand dunes of Gullane, on the Ayrshire coast, he helped shape the side which was to win the 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup. Leaning on his army background with the King's Own Scottish Borderers, Wallace reduced international football players to quivering wrecks after punishing training sessions on the Gullane sands. The exercise and the military precision with which he approached the job paid rich dividends.

Wallace ascended the marble staircase into the manager's office to succeed Waddell less than a month after the Cup Winners' Cup triumph and three years later, in 1975, he took Rangers to the League title to end Celtic's nine-in-a-row League run. It was Rangers' first title for 11 years and with his own team in place - he sold stars such as Colin Stein and Willie Johnston from Waddell's side - Wallace's new battalion won the domestic treble.

If his place in the history of Rangers was by then assured Wallace went further, repeating the feat two years later before stunning everyone in Scotland by leaving Rangers to join Leicester City in 1978. The reasons for his departure were never revealed. Despite creating a giant hill of earth at Leicester to recreate the dunes of Gullane, he failed to achieve success in England, returning to Motherwell, then back to Ibrox between 1983 and 1986. However, he failed to recapture his magic there, and gave way to the Graeme Souness era. He saw out the rest of his career at Seville, then Colchester.

Despite his achievements in football, Wallace fought the biggest battle of his life against Parkinson's disease, with which he was afflicted for many years. Against his toughest enemy he displayed both dignity and the character for which he will be remembered. Although he lived in Spain latterly his heart remained in Scotland, in particular at Ibrox, and he was given a rapturous reception from Rangers supporters on a recent visit there.John (Jock) Wallace, football player and manager: born Wallyford, Midlothian 6 September 1935; married 1960 Daphne Martin (one son, one daughter); died Basingstoke, Hampshire 24 July 1996.

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Who used the term Rangers man as an insult?

If only the Rangers men hadn't fucked about as much and really had the money to buy the club.

They could have made it instead.

no wonder they're beeling.

Just an example; maybe not an insult per se, couid have said 'a derogatory term'.

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Just an example; maybe not an insult per se, couid have said 'a derogatory term'.

Probably being pedantic here, but when using the term 'Rangers men' towards these chancers the intend is to highlight the point that they are not in fact Rangers men at all but merely use it as a cloak to suit their agenda.

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I don't think you should look at it like that quinty.

People using the term 'rangers men' when highlighting those who stood static as our club needed them more than ever of course should not smear this term when talking about our former greats and managers.

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Oh, and btw, I loved Jock Wallace as a man and a manager. A real Rangers man, when my dad first started taking me to games in the mid-late 70's it was when the Big man was in his prime BUT when he came back the 2nd time pre-Souness it was a disaster and he was a shadow of his former self.

I'd love him in that dressing room now though.

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Points taken chaps.

My aim was just to remind us all about a real 'Rangers Man'. If you broke Big Jock in two he'd have Rangers written right through him like a stick of rock. Re-reading the article I think I was at the game where he ' was given a rapturous reception from Rangers supporters on a recent visit there' was heading for main stand when someone pointed out 'Big Jock' standiing over by the fences outside the main entrance. There were guys with weans on their shoulders pointing out the great man to them.

'THIS ONE'S FOR THE TROOPS'

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Just an example; maybe not an insult per se, couid have said 'a derogatory term'.

No I certainly didn't use it as a derogatory term or any such thing.

Quite the reverse.

It was a jibe at the twallies who describe others as Rangers Men to attempt to give them credibility by association.

It's just a blatant attempt to get fans on their side and is an insult to true Rangers Men.

They cheapen the term IMO.

Christ;, they even call one of the board members that brought us here a Rangers man to try and make him more palatable to fans.

True Rangers Men would never do anything that risked wrecking the club.

That includes starving the club of funds when it is on the verge of liquidation.

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No I certainly didn't use it as a derogatory term or any such thing.

Quite the reverse.

It was a jibe at the twallies who describe others as Rangers Men to attempt to give them credibility by association.

It's just a blatant attempt to get fans on their side and is an insult to true Rangers Men.

They cheapen the term IMO.

Christ;, they even call one of the board members that brought us here a Rangers man to try and make him more palatable to fans.

True Rangers Men would never do anything that risked wrecking the club.

That includes starving the club of funds when it is on the verge of liquidation.

As I said Guardian, this was just an example, not having a go at you in particular, my OP was about the cheapening of the term. No offence meant to you.

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I pass Gullane and it's infamous sand dunes every time we go to North Berwick, many years ago I attempted to run up them.

Wish our current management team would take the squad there next pre-season.

I stay in Haddington and trained there when I played football. Is the new trainer guy not doing a good job?

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As I said Guardian, this was just an example, not having a go at you in particular, my OP was about the cheapening of the term. No offence meant to you.

Fair play mate.

Looks like we were both making the same point in a different way.

No offence taken. I hate the way they are cheapening the term too.

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Crowd and singing = Magnificent (tu)

Shivers down my back

I think that was the day he used the we have the battle fever on expression.

He wasn't well treated by Rangers when he attended games after 86. He paid to get into the Main Stand but just shows he really was a Ranger.

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No I certainly didn't use it as a derogatory term or any such thing.

Quite the reverse.

It was a jibe at the twallies who describe others as Rangers Men to attempt to give them credibility by association.

It's just a blatant attempt to get fans on their side and is an insult to true Rangers Men.

They cheapen the term IMO.

Christ;, they even call one of the board members that brought us here a Rangers man to try and make him more palatable to fans.

True Rangers Men would never do anything that risked wrecking the club.

That includes starving the club of funds when it is on the verge of liquidation.

That's a fair point, but there were plenty on here saying 'look where Rangers men have got us'' as if 'non-Rangers' men would automatically be a better thing.

To some on here the term just means jobs for the boys and overspending, irrespective of suitability to take us forward.

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I have in my Rangers drawer a very nice handwritten note from Jock Wallace. I wrote to him when he left Rangers 2nd time around to thank him and wish him well - he replied by return a very nice wee letter and the content just proved beyond any doubt - Jock Wallace the quintessential Rangers Man!

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I can just imagine what Big Jock would've had to say to Mini Murray and Malky never mind the SoS.

A real Rangers man doesn't need to run around telling everybody he is one, his actions speak for him.

This (tu) he would have booted all these wankers and the google-eyed one down the marble staircase. Was in his company twice. A gentleman and yes Quinty --- A REAL RANGERS MAN.

A angers legend we all agree and yet a man admired and respected in places as far afield as Leicester and Seville. Perhaps there is something to be said for 'HONESTY, LOYALTY, INTEGRITY and CHARACTER' traits sadly missing around Ibrox these days.

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