Black history month - your favourite black Rangers players.

evo14 said:
Since it’s black history month, it seems a good time to remember the black men who have contributed to our club over the years. I’m 36 so there’s some players I know of but don’t have much of a memory of (Such as Mark Walters), but I’ll go through just a few of the notable mentions.

Walter Tull - Long before even my grandmothers time, but Rangers first black player and the first black officer in the British Army. A genuine inspiration of a man who, given the time he lived in, must have worked incredibly hard to get to his position.

In my lifetime -

Rod Wallace - I remember being underwhelmed when Dick Advocaat was buying half the Dutch national team then signed some dude on a free from Leeds. Boy, was I wrong. 41 goals and 5 trophies in 2 years and was one of my favourite players around that time. Had a big Rod Wallace poster on my bedroom wall. You could have put him on your coupon to score every week in that first season.

Marvin Andrews - What more can I say? Admittedly not the best player, but a fantastic man and a great ambassador for our club. I’ve spoken to him a few times and a nicer man you could not meet. He’d climb Everest without a question if you told him it’d make £20 for charity. His speech at Ricksen’s funeral could have brought a tear to a glass eye.

Jean-Alain Bounsong - We only had him 6 months and I thought he was a genuinely world class defender who would walk into any squad in the world. Went on to do very well at Newcastle (and earned us a nice fee into the bargain), Jueventus and Lyon.

Ugo Ehiogu - Came in with Walter Smith and with Davie Weir, and rescued our defence. Also scored an overhead kick v the scum at a Parkhead. Also loved this quote….

"But going to a club like that we didn't even discuss a contract really. It was just, 'do you want to play for Rangers?' When Walter Smith is on the phone asking you that the answer is always yes.“

Jean Claude Darcheville - An integral part of our squad on the road to Manchester. Always liked him at Middlesbrough and didn’t know until years later that his wife and kids were killed in a car crash during his time there. His miss against Lyon was a blessing in disguise that year. I remember seeing him go mental in friendlies a few times too!

Daniel Cousin - His attitude at times was honking but on his day he was brilliant. I remember thinking Walter Smith was off his head starting Cousin and Miller v Celtic at Parkhead (Cousin having been out of favour for a bit, and Miller hadn’t scored for us yet) only for the pair of them to rip Celtic apart in a 4-2 win.

Sone Aluko - Again, another underwhelming signing who turned out to be outstanding. He had it all, skill pace and a penchant for spectacular goals - his opening goal in the 3-2 win over Celtic was one of my favourite ever goals.

James Tavernier - The Captain who I’ll be telling my grandchildren stopped the 10. Stayed with us through very testing times and scored a barrel load too. His contribution to Rangers, on and off the park, over the last 6 years have been priceless.

A few notable players who perhaps didn’t quite do so well for us were Basil Boli. I remember being really excited as he brought a lot of prestige with him but never seemed to settle with us and only stayed a year (I think). I was also excited when we signed Emerson. Not sure what happened under Big Eck but he never done anything of note other than scramble the ball across the line in a CL game v Panathanikos. Oddly, I seen him play in a CL game v Hearts a few years later for AEK Athens and he ran the show, couldn’t believe it was the same player.

Obviously there are literally dozens I’ve missed - even Aribo, Kamara from our current squad - but I’d be here typing all day otherwise. What day ye gents of FF? What black players, for you, have been important to Rangers over the years?
Click to expand...
Marvin Andrews the most charismatic and iconic!
 
Sooty was tremendous for us. Big Marv won us the league that season
Kamara and Alfie in today’s team
 
evo14 said:
Since it’s black history month, it seems a good time to remember the black men who have contributed to our club over the years. I’m 36 so there’s some players I know of but don’t have much of a memory of (Such as Mark Walters), but I’ll go through just a few of the notable mentions.

Walter Tull - Long before even my grandmothers time, but Rangers first black player and the first black officer in the British Army. A genuine inspiration of a man who, given the time he lived in, must have worked incredibly hard to get to his position.

In my lifetime -

Rod Wallace - I remember being underwhelmed when Dick Advocaat was buying half the Dutch national team then signed some dude on a free from Leeds. Boy, was I wrong. 41 goals and 5 trophies in 2 years and was one of my favourite players around that time. Had a big Rod Wallace poster on my bedroom wall. You could have put him on your coupon to score every week in that first season.

Marvin Andrews - What more can I say? Admittedly not the best player, but a fantastic man and a great ambassador for our club. I’ve spoken to him a few times and a nicer man you could not meet. He’d climb Everest without a question if you told him it’d make £20 for charity. His speech at Ricksen’s funeral could have brought a tear to a glass eye.

Jean-Alain Bounsong - We only had him 6 months and I thought he was a genuinely world class defender who would walk into any squad in the world. Went on to do very well at Newcastle (and earned us a nice fee into the bargain), Jueventus and Lyon.

Ugo Ehiogu - Came in with Walter Smith and with Davie Weir, and rescued our defence. Also scored an overhead kick v the scum at a Parkhead. Also loved this quote….

"But going to a club like that we didn't even discuss a contract really. It was just, 'do you want to play for Rangers?' When Walter Smith is on the phone asking you that the answer is always yes.“

Jean Claude Darcheville - An integral part of our squad on the road to Manchester. Always liked him at Middlesbrough and didn’t know until years later that his wife and kids were killed in a car crash during his time there. His miss against Lyon was a blessing in disguise that year. I remember seeing him go mental in friendlies a few times too!

Daniel Cousin - His attitude at times was honking but on his day he was brilliant. I remember thinking Walter Smith was off his head starting Cousin and Miller v Celtic at Parkhead (Cousin having been out of favour for a bit, and Miller hadn’t scored for us yet) only for the pair of them to rip Celtic apart in a 4-2 win.

Sone Aluko - Again, another underwhelming signing who turned out to be outstanding. He had it all, skill pace and a penchant for spectacular goals - his opening goal in the 3-2 win over Celtic was one of my favourite ever goals.

James Tavernier - The Captain who I’ll be telling my grandchildren stopped the 10. Stayed with us through very testing times and scored a barrel load too. His contribution to Rangers, on and off the park, over the last 6 years have been priceless.

A few notable players who perhaps didn’t quite do so well for us were Basil Boli. I remember being really excited as he brought a lot of prestige with him but never seemed to settle with us and only stayed a year (I think). I was also excited when we signed Emerson. Not sure what happened under Big Eck but he never done anything of note other than scramble the ball across the line in a CL game v Panathanikos. Oddly, I seen him play in a CL game v Hearts a few years later for AEK Athens and he ran the show, couldn’t believe it was the same player.

Obviously there are literally dozens I’ve missed - even Aribo, Kamara from our current squad - but I’d be here typing all day otherwise. What day ye gents of FF? What black players, for you, have been important to Rangers over the years?
Click to expand...
Mark Walters
 
Mark Walters was my first favourite footballer. I was a kid, just at the point where football was becoming an obsession.

It's no over exaggeration to say he's the player that made me love football. I was born a Rangers fan, but he made me love the game.

His treatment is also how I realised racism was a thing, which was a big deal to a kid. I didn't understand it then, and to a degree I don't now.
 
Absolutely love Rod Wallace and Marvin Andrews. Two of my all time favourites. My first games were 97-98, but the next season was when I first saw us winning stuff and Wallace was a big part of that.

Feel genuinely grateful to Big Marv. 04/05 was my first year of uni and living away from home. Took some amount of shite in halls during the run in. Particularly after the OF loss at Ibrox. We had the last laugh.
 
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Big like choosing your favourite album this one minute it’s this player next it’s another .

I’m finding it impossible to decide so I will take it this minute and say James Tavernier
 
Tav for me.

The captain that brought us 55. I'm amazed people would pick Rod Wallace over him if I am honest, I loved wee Rod as well but the captain has had a far bigger impact on our club.
 
Scooby said:
I can't pick a favourite as there are too many to choose from.

But one I would like to add to that list is Madjid Bougherra.

He was brilliant for us, and he understood what it meant to play for our club.
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Can’t believe I missed Boogie. Great player for us during Walter Smith’s second spell with us.
 
Arguably my favourite Rangers photo of all time is Marvin Andrews on his knees, arms up to God after winning the league in 2005.

Love that guy.

Mark Walters Tav, Alfie, Gio VB, Rod Wallace

CB pairing of Boumsong and Boli would have been interesting.
 
i loved Mark Walters when i was younger. Gutted when we sold him.
Now it's Alfie, named our cat after him. :)
 
Mark Walters , he was brilliant , can’t believe the op missed him oot !!! :eek:

There’s been so many , but Alfredo morelos for me , I think he’s an absolute superstar with constant shit he puts up with
 
andy17x said:
That November/December we went 4-2-4 with DMB, Boyd, Miller and Novo and tore everyone apart!
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If I recall correctly, wasn’t that during the time that Boyd needed one more goal to be the top SPL scorer? We played Dundee Utd and won 5-0, he scored a hat trick and DMB was outstanding.
 
Superb OP, great read.

All my favourite players already mentioned. Rod Wallace being my absolute favourite.
 
andrews-helicopterday1a.jpg


one of the most iconic images in our history....

Big Marv's oration at Fernando Ricksen's memorial service was beautiful, straight from the heart and delivered with love. What a man.
 
Mark Walters was very good and dealt with ridiculous amounts of racist abuse. Rod Wallace was a great goalscorer. Big Ugo as I got to know him when he became a Trustee of a charity I set up in London, and was just an all round good guy. Marvin gets a vote for being different class. I thought Rangers may do something to celebrity ' Black history month ' Apologies if they have and I missed it.
 
Mark Walters

He was solely responsible for every wee Scottish lad trying to perfect the double shuffle or step over as it’s referred to know

Not only was he a phenomenal player he had enormous character to not let the most blatant crowd racism ever witnessed in Scotland defeat him!
 
Mark Walters will always be special as he was such an exciting, maverick player

Rod Wallace - slipped into the club quietly among other bigger name signings and arguably was the most important we signed that summer - always endeavour, plenty of goals
 
Another for Mark Walters. I was only a nipper when he was here but was absolutely mesmerised by the twists and step-overs.

I've heard Goram say before that if we'd had Laudrup or Gazza in 92/93 we'd have gone all the way in Europe - same if we'd still had Walters imo. What a player.
 
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