2007–08 Rangers F.C. season

Overview

Rangers played a total of 68 competitive matches during the 2007–08 season. It was Walter Smith's first full season at the club since 1997–98. The early season priority was qualification for the group stages of the Champions League and this was secured with hard-fought victories over FK Zeta and Red Star Belgrade.

Rangers were drawn in Group E with Barcelona, Lyon and Stuttgart. The group stage started well, with the first two matches resulting in victories, over Stuttgart and Lyon. A home draw with Barcelona left Rangers with seven points after three games, but the last three matches all resulted in defeat, meaning Rangers finished third in the group and entered the UEFA Cup. However, the European adventure continued for Rangers as they progressed to the semi-finals of the competition by beating Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and Sporting Lisbon. They then reached the final with a penalty shootout victory against Fiorentina. They played Zenit Saint Petersburg, managed by formed Gers boss Dick Advocaat, in Manchester on 14 May. Rangers lost the match 2–0, with over 200,000 fans in the city to see the game. When asked if the SFA should have extended the season to benefit Rangers, Ally McCoist said: "They were a disgrace. It was embarrassing. I think the Russian federation cancelled Zenit's three or four games previously. I think we played something like eight games in eighteen days. It might just sound like sour grapes, but no: any other country in the planet, the association would have helped the team. If you're asking me if it was wrong, it was completely and utterly wrong." The season was in fact extended until Thursday 22 May. Rangers had also had a domestic league game postponed to aid their European campaign which resulted in fixture congestion towards the end of the season.

On the domestic front, the race for the Scottish Premier League continued until the final matchday of the season. Both Celtic and Rangers were tied on 86 points going into their games (against Dundee United and Aberdeen respectively) on 22 May 2008, but Celtic were top of the table due to having a +57 goal differential, six ahead of Rangers. This did not prove to be decisive, as Celtic beat Dundee United 1–0 while Rangers surrendered their hopes of landing the championship with a 2–0 defeat away to the Dons. The club had had a ten-point lead in late March, although their nearest rivals, Celtic, had games in hand at the time. However having to play four competitive matches (including a UEFA Cup Final) in the last eight days of the season proved just too much of a problem for Rangers to overcome.

The club appeared in its first final since 2005. They played Dundee United on 16 March 2008 and won the League Cup on penalties. The match was tied 2-2 after extra time, with both goals coming from Kris Boyd who also scored the winning spot kick.

They also reached the final of the Scottish Cup for the 49th time. They beat St Johnstone 4–3 on penalties in the semi-final after the score was tied at 1-1 after extra time. The club played Queen of the South in the final on 24 May 2008 and won the match 3-2 thanks to goals from DaMarcus Beasley and a double from Kris Boyd.

Players

Squad information

Transfers

In

Total spending: £10.32m

Out

Total spending: £9.79m

Squad statistics

Top Scorer

Last updated: 24 May 2008

Source: Match reports

Only competitive matches

Disciplinary record

Last updated: 24 May 2008

Source: Match reports

Only competitive matches

Club

Board of directors

Coaching staff

Other staff

Matches

Pre-season and friendlies

Boyd Burke Novo McCulloch McCulloch Gutic Šebo

Scottish Premier League

Novo Ferguson Cousin Barrett Whittaker Cousin Boyd Darcheville Darcheville Broadfoot Darcheville Webster Cuéllar Collin Beasley Tall Stewart Ivaškevičius Naismith Boyd Ferguson Novo Robson Cuéllar Darcheville Boyd Whittaker McCulloch McCulloch Porter Boyd Cousin

Ferguson

Cousin Boyd Whittaker Whittaker Naismith Boyd Deuchar Naismith Burke Boyd Darcheville Novo Novo

Adam Boyd

Novo Hunt Cuéllar Novo Boyd Cuéllar Hesselink Cousin Whittaker McDonald Robson Novo Darcheville Darcheville Darcheville Mackie

Scottish League Cup

Boyd Cuéllar Boyd Boyd Darcheville Boyd de Vries

Scottish Cup

Hutton Boyd Boyd McCulloch Boyd Novo Burke Beasley Boyd Thomson

UEFA Champions League

Hutton McCulloch Darcheville Cousin Beasley Messi Pardo Marica Ferguson Benzema Benzema

UEFA Cup

Davis Whittaker Zyryanov

Competitions

Overall

Scottish Premier League

Main article: 2007–08 Scottish Premier League

Standings

Results summary

Results by round

UEFA Champions League

[[2007–08 UEFA Champions League#Group E|Group E]]

References

References

1. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJftaIBp_7o "Si Ferry Meets... Ally McCoist"] - Open Goal, YouTube, published on 16 April 2018
2. (2 May 2008). "Uefa win triggers delayed climax".
3. (3 December 2007). "SPL moves Gretna game to aid Gers".
4. McGuigan, Thomas. (16 March 2008). "Dundee Utd 2-2 Rangers". BBC Sport.
5. Lindsay, Clive. (24 May 2008). "Queen of the South 2-3 Rangers". BBC Sport.
6. (30 May 2007). "Walter backs Murray on cash charge". Herald & Times Group.
7. (27 June 2007). "Smith leaves Killie for Rangers". BBC Sport.
8. (27 June 2007). "Rangers clinch Beasley transfer". BBC Sport.
9. (29 June 2007). "Webster extends Ibrox loan deal". BBC Sport.
10. (6 March 2007). "Rangers sign Buddies' Broadfoot". BBC Sport.
11. (9 May 2007). "Rangers sign striker Darcheville". BBC Sport.
12. (1 February 2007). "Rangers seal Gow summer transfer". BBC Sport.
13. (6 July 2007). "Rangers clinch signing of Cuellar". BBC Sport.
14. (7 July 2007). "Carroll signs one year Gers deal". BBC Sport.
15. (6 July 2007). "Robinson heads to Morton on loan". BBC Sport.
16. (11 July 2007). "Rangers seal McCulloch transfer". BBC Sport.
17. (1 August 2007). "Whittaker in £2m Rangers switch". BBC Sport.
18. (9 August 2007). "Cousin completes Rangers switch". BBC Sport.
19. (31 August 2007). "Naismith makes late Rangers move". BBC Sport.
20. (31 August 2007). "Rangers win race to sign up Faye". BBC Sport.
21. (1 September 2007). "Rangers Sign Youth Trio". BBC Sport.
22. (30 January 2008). "Gers sign Ipswich Goalkeeper". BBC Sport.
23. (30 January 2008). "Rangers snap up defender Dailly". BBC Sport.
24. (31 January 2008). "Fulham's Davis loaned to Rangers". BBC Sport.
25. (27 January 2008). "Airdrie snap up defender Campbell". BBC Sport.
26. (27 January 2008). "Sagar moves on from Porthmadog". Dailypost.co.uk.
27. (8 May 2007). "Concern over Klos, Prso swansong". BBC Sport.
28. (22 June 2007). "Cardiff capture Rae and MacLean". BBC Sport.
29. (20 July 2007). "Gilmour among triple Queens haul". BBC Sport.
30. (27 June 2007). "Svensson joins Caen from Rangers". BBC Sport.
31. (1 August 2007). "Sionko signs Copenhagen contract". BBC Sport.
32. (22 August 2007). "Sebo offloaded to Valenciennes". BBC Sport.
33. (24 August 2007). "Murray completes move to Norwich". BBC Sport.
34. (18 January 2008). "Ehiogu completes move to Blades". BBC Sport.
35. (30 January 2008). "Spurs complete signing of Hutton". BBC Sport.
36. (31 January 2008). "Derby capture goalkeeper Carroll". BBC Sport.
37. (20 September 2007). "Appointments at Ibrox". Johnston Press.
38. (1 August 2007). "Stewart nets Gers coaching role". BBC Sport.