2010–11 Rangers F.C. season

Overview

Rangers played a total of 55 competitive matches during the 2010–11 season. With financial problems at the club ongoing, the summer began for Rangers with several players leaving the club. With a limited transfer budget and a small squad. Walter Smith had to decide whether to increase the number of playing staff or improve the starting eleven, he opted for quality.

Both sides of the Old Firm began the season with eight league wins in a row, however, with the sides meeting on matchday nine something had to give. Rangers claimed a 3–1 victory over Celtic and took early control of the league. A 1–1 draw at home to Inverness CT the following weekend ended Rangers 100% start to the season and a home defeat to Hibernian inflicted the team's first league defeat of the season, the first of five. The cold spell in the winter of 2010–11 saw many postponements and for long spells Rangers were behind Celtic but with games in hand. In the third league meeting between the Old Firm, Celtic came out on top and mathematical lead the table, for the first time that season. However Celtic's advantage was short lived after a loss to Motherwell the following week. This allowed Rangers to regain top spot, but 3–2 loss to Dundee United at Ibrox followed by a 0–0 draw in the final Old Firm fixture left the title in Celtic's hands, with just four matches remaining. There was to be a final twist in the league season, on 3 May Celtic lost a rearranged match away to Inverness and so with three matches remaining Rangers had a one-point lead. Smith's side went on to win all three fixtures, scoring 11 goals, and claimed the club's 54th league championship.

In the domestic cup competitions Rangers won the League Cup after beating Celtic 2-1 AET. However, Rangers lost 1–0 to Celtic in the fifth round replay in Scottish Cup. The match was marked by several incidents, three Rangers players were sent-off and Celtic manager Neil Lennon and McCoist were involved in a pitch side bust up.

In Europe, Rangers automatically qualified for the UEFA Champions League group stages for the second season in a row. They drew Manchester United, Valencia and Bursaspor. Rangers were unbeaten in their first three group stage games, with a 0–0 draw at Old Trafford, a 1–0 victory over Bursaspor at Ibrox and a 1–1 draw at home to Valencia. A 3–0 defeat in Spain to Valencia followed by a 1–0 loss at home to Manchester United ended Rangers chances of qualifying for the last 16, but third place and a spot in the UEFA Europa League was already secured with Bursaspor having failed to pick up a point in five games. In the last group match Rangers drew 1–1 in Turkey, giving Bursaspor their first Champions League point. However, Rangers did make it to the last 16 of the Europa League, beating Sporting Lisbon on away goals in the last 32 but lost to PSV Eindhoven on aggregate.

On 6 May 2011, it was confirmed that David Murray had sold his controlling interest in the club (85.3%) to Wavetower limited for £1, a company owned by businessman Craig Whyte.

Players

Squad information

Football Squads (for player's number)|date=April 2013}}

Transfers

In

Total spending: £5.95m

Out

Total income: £4.4m

New contracts

Squad statistics

Top scorers

Last updated: 15 May 2011

Source: Match reports

Only competitive matches

Disciplinary record

Last updated: 15 May 2011

Source: Match reports

Only competitive matches

Club

Board of directors

Coaching staff

Other staff

Matches

Pre-season and friendlies

Miller Miller Naismith

Scottish Premier League

Naismith

Miller Miller Miller

Miller

Miller

Miller Naismith Miller

Miller Jelavić Maguire Maguire

Naismith

Davis Miller Weiss

Miller Miller

Naismith Miller

Rankin Dickoh

Weiss

Sammon Miller Miller

Saunders Weiss Miller Samaras Whittaker Weiss Edu Jelavić Jelavić Jelavić Hutchinson Jelavić Healy Hooper Commons Lafferty Papac Jelavić Clancy Naismith Russell Goodwillie Naismith Whittaker Dillon Gomis Whittaker Jelavić Lafferty Davis Jelavić Naismith Naismith Lafferty Davis Stevenson Lafferty Naismith Lafferty Jelavić Lafferty

Scottish League Cup

Cardle Lafferty Bougherra Lafferty Jelavić Lafferty Naismith Naismith Naismith Izaguirre Jelavić

Scottish Cup

Lafferty Whittaker Whittaker Naismith Forster Brown Bougherra

UEFA Champions League

Soldado Tino Costa

UEFA Europa League

Edu Djaló

Competitions

Overall

Scottish Premier League

Main article: 2010–11 Scottish Premier League

Standings

Results summary

Results by round

UEFA Champions League

[[2010–11 UEFA Champions League group stage#Group C|Group C]]

References

References

1. (20 August 2010). "Nikica Jelavic's arrival empties transfer kitty at Rangers". The Guardian.
2. (27 February 2011). "Motherwell 2-0 Celtic". BBC Sport.
3. (15 May 2011). "Photo gallery - The story of the 2010/11 SPL title". BBC Sport.
4. Campbell, Andy. (20 March 2011). "Celtic 1-2 Rangers". BBC Sport.
5. (2 March 2011). "Celtic 1-0 Rangers". BBC Sport.
6. (17 May 2010). "Rangers sign former Manchester City teenager Andrew Mitchell". Daily Record.
7. (13 August 2010). "Rangers sign striker James Beattie from Stoke". BBC Sport.
8. (19 August 2010). "Vladimir Weiss joins Rangers from Man City on loan". BBC Sport.
9. (1 September 2010). "Never mind the width, feel the quality at Rangers". Evening Times.
10. (20 August 2010). "Rangers sign Rapid Vienna's Nikica Jelavic for £4m". BBC Sport.
11. (31 August 2010). "Aberdeen agree swap with Rangers for Velicka and Foster". BBC Sport.
12. (9 November 2010). "Winger Salim Kerkar signs Rangers deal". BBC Sport.
13. (30 January 2011). "Striker David Healy joins Rangers from Sunderland". BBC Sport.
14. (31 January 2011). "Arsenal loan Kyle Bartley to Rangers". BBC Sport.
15. (11 May 2010). "Looking For Pastures New". Rangers F.C..
16. (5 July 2010). "East Fife sign ex-Rangers defender Scott Durie". BBC Sport.
17. (23 July 2010). "Peterhead boosted by two new signings". Evening Express.
18. (24 May 2010). "Oxford sign left-back Kinniburgh". BBC Sport.
19. (21 May 2010). "Rangers forward Nacho Novo will join Sporting Gijon". BBC Sport.
20. (9 May 2010). "Trio destined for Ibrox departure". BBC Sport.
21. (2 June 2010). "Norwich swoop for Rangers' Smith". BBC Sport.
22. (28 May 2010). "Striker Kris Boyd to leave Rangers in summer". BBC Sport.
23. (5 July 2010). "Middlesbrough sign former Rangers striker Kris Boyd". BBC Sport.
24. (8 July 2010). "Forfar borrow keeper from Rangers". BBC Sport.
25. (17 July 2010). "Rangers' Kevin Thomson makes Middlesbrough switch". BBC Sport.
26. (21 July 2010). "Danny Wilson completes moves to Liverpool from Rangers". BBC Sport.
27. (2 February 2011). "Stirling stays on at Stirling". Scottish Football League.
28. (21 January 2011). "Kenny Miller completes switch from Rangers to Bursaspor". BBC Sport.
29. (21 January 2011). "Transfers - January 2011". BBC Sport.
30. (28 January 2011). "Carlisle United sign Rangers striker Rory Loy". BBC Sport.
31. (31 January 2011). "Andy Reid and James Beattie captured by Blackpool". BBC Sport.
32. (1 February 2011). "Wrexham capture Jordan McMillan on loan". BBC Sport.
33. (10 February 2011). "Perr in Bairns loan deal". Rangers F.C..
34. (28 May 2010). "Striker Kris Boyd to leave Rangers in summer". BBC Sport.
35. (21 June 2010). "Kirk Broadfoot to stay on at Rangers". BBC Sport.
36. (30 June 2010). "David Weir agrees new Rangers contract". BBC Sport.
37. (8 July 2010). "Rangers extend Jordan McMillan contract until 2012". BBC Sport.
38. (2 September 2010). "No.1 aim for kid gloves Scott Gallacher in Rangers mission". Evening Times.
39. (12 August 2010). "Year we go as Andrew Shinnie starts top team push". Evening Times.
40. (12 August 2010). "Lee McCulloch signs Rangers contract extension". BBC Sport.
41. (4 November 2010). "Neil Alexander signs new Rangers deal". BBC Sport.
42. (2 December 2010). "Rangers starlets pen new two-year deals with Ibrox club". Daily Record.
43. (10 December 2010). "Kenny Miller set to quit Rangers in January transfer window as talks over new contract reach dead end". Daily Record.
44. (13 December 2010). "Rangers remain hopeful of retaining Steven Naismith". BBC Sport.
45. (22 December 2010). "Naismith signs new Rangers deal". BBC Sport.
46. (4 January 2011). "Two-year deal is Jamie Ness's reward". Evening Times.
47. (9 March 2011). "Jamie Ness agrees Rangers contract extension". BBC Sport.
48. (9 March 2011). "Hutton extends stay at Rangers". BBC Sport.
49. (11 April 2011). "Defender Bougherra turns down Rangers extension". BBC Sport.
50. (6 May 2011). "Craig Whyte completes takeover of Rangers for £1". BBC Sport.
51. (15 May 2011). "Right time to leave Rangers". BBC Sport.
52. (7 January 2011). "Alan Main joins Rangers coaching staff". Rangers Media.
53. (28 May 2010). "Norwich City appoint Ewan Chester as new chief scout". BBC Sport.
54. (8 March 2011). "Murray and Bomber back". Rangers Football Club.
55. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/9140081.stm Original date was 29 January 2011 - postponed due to Rangers League Cup semi-final]
56. [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2011/01/11/rangers-rearrange-inverness-clash-for-next-tuesday-86908-22841634/ Rescheduled date was 2 March 2011 - rearranged following the postponement of Rangers match against St Mirren, who had a Scottish Cup replay]
57. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/9243413.stm Original date was 4 December 2010 - postponed due to freezing weather and heavy snowfall]
58. [http://www.rangers.co.uk/articles/20110303/killie-match-switched_2254024_2306580 Original date was 16 April 2011 - rearranged due to Rangers outstanding postponed matches being unplayable, all opponents were playing in Scottish Cup]
59. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/9324049.stm Original date was 29 December 2010 - postponed due to weather conditions]
60. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/9428470.stm Original date was 20 March 2010 - postponed due to the League Cup Final]
61. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_prem/9294496.stm Original date was 18 December 2010 - postponed due to water damage at Ibrox Stadium]
62. [http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/rangers/2011/01/11/rangers-rearrange-inverness-clash-for-next-tuesday-86908-22841634/ Rescheduled date was 18 January 2011 - postponed due to St Mirren's Scottish Cup fourth round replay]
63. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9230595.stm Original date was 28 November 2010 - postponed due to freezing weather and heavy snowfall]
64. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/9303158.stm Rescheduled date was 21 December 2010 - postponed due to heavy snowfall]
65. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/scotland/9303158.stm Second rescheduled date was 3 March 2011 - postponed due to Rangers Scottish Cup fifth round replay against Celtic]