We Are Rangers Anthem

Lore & Background

Rangers have won the Scottish League title 55 times, the Scottish Cup 34 times, the Scottish League Cup a record 28 times and the domestic treble on seven occasions. Rangers won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972 after being losing finalists twice, in 1961 (the first British club to reach a UEFA tournament final) and 1967. The club has lost a further two European finals, the UEFA Cup final in 2008 and the UEFA Europa League final in 2022. By number of trophies won, Rangers are one of the most successful clubs in the world. Rangers has a long-standing rivalry with Celtic, the two Glasgow clubs being collectively known as the Old Firm, considered one of the world's biggest football derbies. The rivalry is linked to sectarianism in Glasgow, with Rangers and its fanbase being associated with Protestantism and British unionism. Rangers had a policy from the First World War until the late 1980s of refusing to employ Catholic players and staff. With more than 600 Rangers supporters' clubs in 35 countries worldwide, Rangers has one of the largest fanbases in world football. The club holds the record for the largest travelling support in football history, when an estimated 200,000 Rangers fans arrived in the city of Manchester for the 2008 UEFA Cup final. An estimated 100,000 fans arrived in Seville for the 2022 UEFA Europa League final. One of the eleven original members of the Scottish Football League, Rangers remained in the top division continuously until a financial crisis during the 2011–12 season saw the club enter administration and the original company liquidated with the assets moved to a new company structure. The club was accepted as an associate member of the Scottish Football League and placed in the fourth tier of the Scottish football league system in time for the start of the following season. Rangers then won three promotions in four years, returning to the Premiership for the start of the 2016–17 season; in their climb through the Scottish lower divisions, Rangers became the only club in Scotland to have won every domestic trophy. In 2020–21 Rangers won their first Scottish championship in ten years, a then world record fifty-fifth league win which also stopped rivals Celtic's quest to break the domestic record of nine titles in a row.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hum over the rain-slicked pitch as the players emerge from the tunnel, the air heavy with the scent of wet concrete and anticipation. 'We Are Rangers.' It feels less like a melody and more like a collective heartbeat. In the stands, a father grips his son's hand, pointing to the crest on a jersey that has been worn for three generations. As the chorus swells, the divide between the legends of old who once walked these halls and the new generation taking the pitch dissolves completely. For those few minutes, rivalries and worries vanish; there is only the shared, electric truth that nothing else matters but standing fast.

Reader's Guide

Rangers were formed by four founders – brothers Moses McNeil and Peter McNeil, Peter Campbell and William McBeath – who met at West End Park (now known as Kelvingrove Park) in March 1872. Rangers' first match, in May that year, was a goalless friendly draw with Callander on Glasgow Green. David Hill was also a founder member. In 1873, the club held its first annual meeting and staff were elected. By 1876, Rangers had its first international player, with Moses McNeil representing Scotland in a match against Wales. In 1877, Rangers reached the Scottish Cup final; after drawing the first game, Rangers refused to turn up for the replay and the cup was awarded to Vale of Leven. Rangers won the Glasgow Charity Cup the following year against Vale of Leven 2–1, their first major cup. The first-ever match against Celtic took place in 1888, the year after the East End club's establishment. Rangers lost 5–2 in a friendly to an opposition composed largely of guest players from Hibernian. The 1890–91 season saw the inception of the Scottish Football League, and Rangers, by then playing at the first Ibrox Stadium, were one of ten original members. The club's first-ever league match, on 16 August 1890, resulted in a 5–2 victory over Heart of Midlothian. After finishing joint-top with Dumbarton, a play-off held at Cathkin Park finished 2–2 and the title was shared for the only time in its history. Rangers' first-ever Scottish Cup win came in 1894 after a 3–1 final victory over rivals Celtic. By the start of the 20th century, Rangers had won two league titles and three Scottish Cups. During William Wilton's time as match secretary and then team manager, Rangers won ten league titles. Taking over as manager after William Wilton's death in 1920, Bill Struth was Rangers' most successful manager, guiding the club to 14 league titles before the onset of the Second World War. On 2 January 1939, a British league attendance record was broken as 118,567 fans turned out to watch Rangers beat Celtic in the traditional New Year's Day Old Firm match. Leading the club for 34 years until 1954, Struth won more trophies than any manager in Scottish Football history, amassing 18 league championships, 10 Scottish Cups, two League Cups, seven war-time championships, 19 Glasgow Cups, 17 Glasgow Merchant Charity Cups and other war-time honours. During the wartime regional league setup (in which t

Did You Know?

• Rangers' home ground, Ibrox Stadium, was designed by stadium architect Archibald Leitch and opened in 1929.
• Rangers won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972.
• Rangers have won the Scottish League title 55 times.
• The club holds the record for the largest travelling support in football history, with an estimated 200,000 fans in Manchester for the 2008 UEFA Cup final.

Origins and Early Foundations

Rangers Football Club traces its humble beginnings to March 1872 in Glasgow, Scotland, born from a conversation among four teenage boys walking through West End Park. Moses and Peter McNeil, alongside Peter Campbell and William McBeath, formalized their vision for a new team shortly after this meeting. By May of that same year, the club played its inaugural match against Callander on Glasgow Green, resulting in a goalless draw. Although often colloquially called Glasgow Rangers, this was never the official designation. The fourth-oldest club in Scotland quickly established itself within the local sporting landscape, securing its first major trophy, the Glasgow Charity Cup, by 1876. A pivotal moment occurred in 1890 when Rangers became one of the founding members of the Scottish Football League, playing at the original Ibrox Stadium. Their early dominance was evident as they shared their first league title with Dumbarton and secured their maiden Scottish Cup victory against rivals Celtic in 1894.

Managerial Dynasties and Domestic Dominance

The club's history is defined by periods of sustained excellence under legendary leadership, most notably Bill Struth. Taking charge in 1920 following William Wilton's death, Struth became the most successful manager in Scottish football history, guiding Rangers to an unprecedented eighteen league championships over his thirty-four-year tenure. Collectively, these eras contributed to Rangers becoming one of the most decorated clubs globally, amassing fifty-five Scottish League titles, thirty-four Scottish Cups, and a record twenty-eight League Cup victories. This domestic supremacy was further highlighted when they became the only club in Scotland to win every available domestic trophy during their remarkable climb back through the lower divisions following financial difficulties.

European Ambitions and Continental Finals

Rangers' reach extended far beyond Scottish borders, marking them as pioneers for British football on the European stage. In 1961, they made history as the first British club to reach a UEFA tournament final, contesting the Cup Winners' Cup against Fiorentina. Although they fell short in that match and again in 1967, their persistence paid off in 1972 when they finally lifted the European Cup Winners' Cup. The club's continental journey has been marked by both triumphs and heartbreak, including reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup in 1960 where they suffered a record aggregate defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt. More recently, Rangers contested two major finals: the 2008 UEFA Cup final in Manchester and the 2022 UEFA Europa League final in Seville. While both matches ended in defeat, these appearances underscored the club's consistent ability to compete at the highest level of European competition over several decades.

The Old Firm Rivalry and Global Fanbase

Rangers shares a historic and intense rivalry with Celtic, collectively known as the Old Firm, which is considered one of the world's greatest football derbies. This fixture is deeply intertwined with Glasgow's social history, often linked to sectarianism and religious divides, with Rangers traditionally associated with Protestantism and British unionism. For much of their history, from World War I until the late 1980s, the club maintained a policy refusing to employ Catholic players or staff. Despite these complexities, the club boasts one of the largest supporter bases globally, with over 600 official clubs across thirty-five countries. The passion of this fanbase is legendary; they hold the record for the largest travelling support in football history, with an estimated 200,000 fans traveling to Manchester for the 2008 final and another 100,000 arriving in Seville for the 2022 European clash. This global following remains a defining characteristic of the club's identity.