SDM's best Rangers 11

[Boab 73]

SIR DAVID MURRAY is no Vladimir Romanov.

The Rangers supremo doesn't pick the team - that's what he's paid Graeme Souness, Walter Smith, Dick Advocaat, and Paul Le Guen to do over the course of the last two decades.

But he broke the habit of a lifetime over Christmas to choose his all-time greatest 11 who had played for the club - and he went for a team of Scotsmen.

Murray hasn't chosen any of the current squad, although Barry Ferguson was mentioned in dispatches.

He told Rangers TV: "I felt it was important to go for people I've had an involvement with, who are Scottish and who gave long-termvalue to the club.

"It's easy to put in Brian Laudrup, Paul Gascoigne and Mark Hateley but I have looked at it from a different angle.

"I've gone for those who know what Rangers are about and if they had all been playing at the same time what a great team it would have been."

Andy Goram

I was involved in the signing of Andy. He was a great character and there were so many games where he had very little to do and would make one or two exceptional saves and we'd win. He was a great servant to Rangers Football Club and is the best we've seen in our time.

Sandy Jardine

He was a modern-day footballer back then - elegant, stylish, good work ethic. He's probably more suited to today's football. He was a great athlete and he would be outstanding as a right-back or anywhere in the back four.

Richard Gough

He was a great captain with a never-saydie attitude. His bravery was unques tionable and he was a catalyst for the success we saw in nine in a row. He played with passion and commitment and gave the team great stability.

John Brown

He's another who'd have died for the cause. He wanted to play for Rangers. He'd almost gone to Hearts but failed a medical and I remember Wallace Mercer telling me how much he regretted not signing him. He was a great servant.

John Greig

He'd be the left-back. People can talk about the success he had but John held Rangers together when we were living in the shadows of Celtic's nine-in-a-row. He deserves his place as the greatest Ranger.

Willie Henderson

I grew up watching him as a boy and he was just an entertainer. He's a great character. He knew how to beat a player and cross a ball. There was always the comparison with Jimmy Johnstone.

Graeme Souness

He'd be on the phone if I didn't pick him but he'd be in any Scottish team. You need that bit of grit in there and sometimes people need sorted out. Graeme brought me to Rangers and he helped turn round the club's fortunes.

Jim Baxter

I grew up knowing him and he was quality. He was sublime, elegant - he had it all. A wonderful football player. He personified quality on the park. He worked at the club in the suites on match days and everyone was drawn to him like a magnet. The club paid a great tribute to him when he passed away.

Davie Cooper

I came to the club when Davie was coming to the end of his career with us. I'd watched him as a fan. He played more than 500 games for us. He was committed to Rangers. It was a tragic end to a wonderful life and I know he's sadly missed by so many people.

Derek Johnstone

There were many options but I believe he deserves his place. He scored loads of goals and it came down to him or Colin Stein but he played longer for the club.

Ally McCoist

Man and boy, I don't think there's been a better striker for Rangers or in Scottish football. He was just a reliable source of scoring goals and he won many games for us.

Subs: Eric Caldow - A wonderful servant to Rangers at the back.

Ian Durrant - Would have been a world-class player if his injury had not held him back.

Colin Stein - Scored some pretty important goals and was a good, hard-working centre-forward.

Manager: Walter Smith -He'd have won a few games with that team. We have a great working relationship but also a great personal relationship. We are very fortunate he was able to come back and turned us around quicker than any of us expected.

http://www.<No links to this website>/football/spl/...86908-20997995/

[outlaw69uk 123]

great team

[FUDGIE52 9]

Had to laugh at the bit about Souness..............you just would,nt expect a man like SDM to come away with If someone needed sorted out, I know he,s a hardnose business man and he,s prob. sorted a few out himself, but not when hes on about footie.

[jmo21 15]

interesting initial 3 he mentions, everyone can name Laudrup, Gascoigne and Hateley

i would never have put Hateley beside those 2 as obvious choices

Goram would have been mine!

[Barrheadblue 0]

Interesting coming from a man who said he knew nothing about football when he took over us

[superally29 0]

We could argue all day about who would or would not be in our favourite 11, But don't think many would argue that Murray's selection is a pretty damn fine one !!!!