Rangers by Numbers

Last updated : 26 September 2009 By thebluenosebear
How your first thoughts in the morning are what's going on at the training ground or how the words to 'Paisley Road West' almost bring me to tears.  They just will never get that you had to be in Manchester or how the idea that the players running out clapping the fans to the theme tune to 'Local Hero' (where it speeds up in the middle) gives me goose-bumps and if they don't they certainly won't get this…

Number '11' is my lucky number, it's the shirt I wore as a kid, it's always had a magic about it and even seeing it on a front door fills me with images of the Hammer powering in thunderbolts, the first time I ever clapped eyes on Davie Cooper and that wee jump he used to do arm in the air after yet another great goal with that beautiful left foot, it makes me think of probably the greatest player I'll ever see in a Rangers jersey Brian Laudrup and how till this day you still see people with the number '11' on their backs and the name 'God' that to me says it all.

Number '10' despite being the month I was born has always reminded me of one thing, a young Ian Durrant in the league cup final of '86, he's timeless in the brilliant blue of that CR Smith strip, arms in the air celebrating his goal as he runs to the fans, the hopes, dreams and excitement of every single one of them on his young shoulders.

Number '9' is McCoist and his robot dance after coming off the bench the Super ones Mullet blowing in the wind.

Number '8' Gazza kissing the ball after his hat-trick against Aberdeen and the big guy with the gray checked shirt celebrating with him after his goal in the east.

Number '7' is Shota and that crazy dance and smile not to mention me screaming myself hoarse after his goal in Copenhagen. 

Number '6' Barry his performance in that Scottish cup final and his mates fingers in the air with the quote about him being buried in that strip.

Number '5' Butch Wilkins in my favourite ever Rangers strip volleying a peach of goal and going daft in a 5-1 drubbing of them even now when he's on the TV I can see him in that strip striking the ball and running to the crowd and then later his face as he grabs Walters and hugs him for creating the fourth.

Number '4' will always be Gough to me. I'm watching the lottery and the number '4' comes out, I don't think 'yes I have that' I think Richard Gough.  My mind flashes images of the great man, lifting trophy after trophy, with tears in his eyes when he lifted the ninth of how he scored one of my favourite Rangers goals of all time in the league cup final against Celtc and of the time when without my specs on I saw a man in a blue shirt race back from an attacking move to stop a certain goal and realise that was Richard Gough in his late 30's passing men 10 years his junior. 

Number '3' - not a player but a performance to lift 3 in a row.  Hateley's towering powerful header, Mark Walters amazing performance and that cross where he's almost on his backside on the touchline and a wee boy going daft in his bedroom hearing it all unfold on the radio and thinking to himself even then there is nothing on this earth like being a Rangers fan.


Number '2' will always be Hutton tearing up Stuttgart at Ibrox and how still to this day I'm sick he was sold.  

Number '1' is The Goalie saluting the crowd the last off the field loving and milking the applause of savouring yet another old firm victory.
 

Someone once said that;

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away"

At some point all of these numbers all of these men and all of these moments have taken mine and you know what I just can't wait till the next batch.