|
.
|
Photographs &
memories of the famous RANGERS
FC
|
European Cup-Winners Cup |
Barcelona
Bears
Page1 - Page2.
- Page3 - Page4 -
Page5
Rangers' European Cup-Winners' Cup victory on 24 May
1972, when we defeated Moscow Dynamo 3-2, felt like it had
been a long time coming. It was the Light Blues' 14th
campaign in European football, stretching back to a European
Cup match against Nice at Ibrox on 24 October
1956.Furthermore, the final clash against the Russians in
Barcelona was Rangers' 83rd European competitive tie, and in
reaching the final Willie Waddell's men became the first
team to record three final appearances in the
Cup-Winners' Cup.
Barcelona itself had seen an invasion of Rangers
fans: 110 charter flights, 203 buses and many more
travelling independently brought the Rangers support to
around 16,000. In contrast, Moscow Dynamo were backed by
around 400 fans.
In terms of playing personnel, Colin Jackson had broken down
in training, his ankle unable to withstand further rigour,
but on the plus side captain John Greig had recovered and
was set to make his return from injury.
It was a terrific final under the new floodlights of the
Camp Nou for the attacking football that was played, though
the numerous invasions by exuberant Rangers fans and the
subsequent heavy handedness of the Spanish police marred
Rangers' greatest moment.
|
|
'The Barcelona Bears'
 |
|
Team autographs from the back of the above
photograph
 |
|
| 1st round |
15 Sep 1971 |
Rennes ( France) |
1 |
v |
1 |
Rangers |
| |
28 Sep 1971 |
Rangers |
1 |
v |
0 |
Rennes |
| 2nd Round |
20 Oct 1971 |
Rangers |
3 |
v |
2 |
Sporting Lisbon ( Portugal) |
| |
3 Nov 1971 |
Sporting Lisbon |
4 |
v |
3 |
Rangers |
| Quarter final |
8 Mar 1972 |
Torino (Italy) |
1 |
v |
1 |
Rangers |
| |
22 Mar 1972 |
Rangers |
1 |
v |
0 |
Torino |
| Semi-final |
5 Apr 1972 |
Bayern Munich (Germany) |
1 |
v |
1 |
Rangers |
| |
19 Apr 1972 |
Rangers |
2 |
v |
0 |
Bayern Munich |
|
Round 1- 2nd leg
28 Sep 1971 |
Round 2 - 1st leg
20 Oct 1971 |
Quarter final 2nd leg
22 Mar 1972 |
|
 |
 |
 |
| Semi-final |
5 Apr 1972 |
Bayern Munich (Germany) |
1 |
v |
1 |
Rangers |
| |
19 Apr 1972 |
Rangers |
2 |
v |
0 |
Bayern Munich |
|
Semi-final 2nd leg at Ibrox 19th April 1972
Captain John Greig was injured and Dave Smith, that fabulous left half, was
stand-in skipper.
Seen here welcoming Bayern Munich captain Franz Beckenbauer |
|
|
Rangers won the 1972 European Cup-Winners' Cup the hard way,
beating some great sides on the way to Barcelona and in the final itself. 24
May 1972
Camp Nou, Barcelona Attendance: 24,701
Rangers: McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson,
Greig, Johnstone, Smith, McLean, Conn, Stein, MacDonald, Johnston
( other members :-Penman, Parlane, Jackson, McKinnon, Denny, Fyfe )
Moscow Dynamo: Pilgui, Basalaycev, Dolmatov, Zykov, Dolbonosov (Gerschkovich),
Zukov, Baidazhnyi,
Jakobik (Eschtrekov), Sabo, Mahovikov, Evriuschkin
|
Rangers 3
(Johnston 2, Stein) |
.v |
Moscow Dynamo 2
(Eschtrekov, Mahovikov) |
| The score at half-time was
2-0. |
|
|
 |
Rangers won the Cup-Winners' Cup in season '71/'72 for a number of reasons.
First, there was absolute determination in the camp. Captain John Greig
has spoken of his team's will to win, especially for the long-suffering Rangers
fans who had stuck by the team “in the dark seasons without success”.
Secondly, Rangers seemed able to raise their game for the European matches that
season. Domestically, the Light Blues had had an abysmal start to their season,
Thirdly, their European experience eventually paid off in terms of tactical nous.
Willie Waddell varied his team's system considerably, depending on players
available to him and on what he had seen on his spying trips abroad. Three times
they managed 1-1 scorelines away from home, scoring nine goals on foreign soil
in total. All four home matches were won
Lastly, aggression, skill and a fabulous work rate characterised this Rangers
side. Colin Stein and Willie Johnston fronted 5-3-2 and 4-4-2 formations, their
duty to close down opposition defenders' space drummed into them by Waddell and
assistant manager Jock Wallace. With Greig driving the team on, Colin Jackson
and Derek Johnstone defending with vigour, and Dave Smith, Scotland's Player of
the Year that season, having returned in September 1971 from two broken legs in
the space of a year, displaying composure and superb distribution of the ball,
the elements for victory were there. |
As the years have passed and memories fade, the controversy surrounding the
crowd trouble has lessened and what is remembered is that a team of Scottish
players played and beat the best that France, Portugal, Italy, West Germany and
the Soviet Union had to offer.
History books point to the fact that this was one of the great European Finals
where one side blazed into the lead only to be pegged back and nearly caught in
the second-half by a determined opposition |
|
 |
Barcelona Bears
Page1 -
Page2.
- Page3 - Page4 -
Page5
.
|
