John Greig (1978 to 1983)
John Greig was appointed Manager of Rangers on 24 May 1978, the day after the shock resignation of twice Treble-winner Jock Wallace.
An Edinburgh boy, Greig grew up a Hearts supporter and when a Rangers scout came looking for his signature, it was a tearful Greig who obeyed his father’s instructions and put pen to paper. He could never have imagined the lifetime of devotion to Rangers which would ensue.
Regularly travelling by train from Edinburgh to Glasgow in the company of Rangers greats Jimmy Millar and Ralph Brand, young Greig was schooled in the great traditions of the Club and learned what it meant to be a Ranger. Initially an inside forward, he made rapid progress and broke through to the first team in 1961. With Jim Baxter unavailable for an end of season tour of the USSR in 1962, nineteen year old Greig was included in the squad. Rangers returned home undefeated and with Greig’s arrival as a first team player confirmed.
John Greig’s playing career spanned 18 seasons at Ibrox, switching from inside forward to wing half and latterly full-back. He won five League titles, six Scottish Cups, four League Cups, and three domestic Trebles, played in two European Finals including the European Cup Winners Cup triumph in Barcelona, and reached a total of 772 first-class appearances, the vast majority as an inspirational captain. In a fans poll, he was voted the Greatest Ever Ranger. He was relaxing in the close season following Rangers’ Treble success when he learned of Jock Wallace’s resignation and in a whirlwind, 24 hours had accepted the position of Manager and the end of his playing career.
His first League campaign got off to an inauspicious start, with Rangers winning just one of their first nine games. Away form was inconsistent throughout, but nonetheless, a 1-0 victory over Celtic on 5 May 1979 put Rangers one point clear of their rivals at the top. By then, the League Cup had been won with victory over Aberdeen in the Final, Celtic had been beaten in extra time in the semi finals; and Greig’s side had made it through to the Scottish Cup Final. When Rangers again faced Celtic in the League at Parkhead on 21 May, it was in the knowledge that a win would give them the title, but Celtic despite falling behind and then being reduced to ten men, fought back to win 4-2 and take the prize. The Scottish Cup Final with Hibernian was a long drawn out affair. After a goalless draw and a goalless replay following extra time, Rangers won 3-2 at the third time of asking, with an own goal in extra time settling the Final. Greig had come agonisingly close to a domestic Treble in his first season.
A keen student of the technical side of the game, Greig’s tactical insight came to the fore in the European Cup campaign, where in his first tilt as a manager Rangers eliminated Juventus, overturning a 0-1 defeat in Turin with a magnificent 2-0 win at Ibrox against a side which contained nine members of the Italian World Cup squad. The second round tie with PSV Eindhoven was equally dramatic when following a goalless draw at Ibrox, Rangers inflicted on PSV their first ever home defeat in European competition, coming from a goal down in the opening minute to win 3-2. Alas, the European adventure came to an end in the quarter-final tie with Cologne when although returning from the away leg with just a 0-1 deficit, a 1-1 draw at Ibrox saw Rangers bow out.
If Season 1978/79 was a case of “nearly”, 1979/80 was near disastrous. Despite getting off to a marvellous start with a 3-1 Drybrough Cup Final win over Celtic at Hampden (with Davy Cooper’s goal later ranked as the best ever Rangers goal), the side which had won the Treble under Jock Wallace and so nearly repeated the feat in Greig’s first managerial season was beginning to pass its peak. In the League, Rangers lost 14 of the 36 matches, winning only 4 away from home, and finishing a distant fifth. Rangers were soundly beaten by Aberdeen in the League Cup third round, but did gain revenge by defeating the Dons (who would be that season’s League Champions) to reach the Scottish Cup Final, where a deflected goal in extra time gave Celtic a 1-0 victory. The game would be remembered mostly for the shameful crowd disturbances which followed the final whistle. In the European Cup Winners Cup, Greig’s side was eliminated by Valencia. A 1-1 draw in the away leg gave Rangers hope, but a masterful display by the Spaniards gave them a 3-1 victory at Ibrox.
Season 1980/81 saw numerous player arrivals and departures. Rangers went 15 League games undefeated at the start of the season, including victories over Celtic at Parkhead and Ibrox, but by the finish Greig’s side was in third place behind Celtic and an Aberdeen side who also defeated Rangers in the League Cup. The Scottish Cup did provide silverware, Ally Dawson lifting the trophy after Rangers swept aside Dundee United 4-1 in the replayed Final, with Davy Cooper outstanding. With no European football, Rangers took part in the Anglo-Scottish Cup competition where they were humiliated 0-3 away to English Third Division side Chesterfield after a 1-1 draw in the home leg. The fact that his side bounced back to beat Celtic 4 days later undoubtedly took some of the pressure off the Manager.
Season 1981/82 saw a further transition in the playing squad, including the retiral of Tom Forsyth on medical advice. It also saw the completion of the Ibrox Stadium redevelopment into a 44,000 predominantly seated stadium, the spiralling cost of which depleted the Club financially. The League Cup was won with a 2-1 victory over Dundee United in the Final but a League finish of third and a 1-4 defeat by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final increased the pressure on Greig, the European Cup Winners Cup campaign having ended at the first round stage. The close season saw free transfers given to Rangers greats Sandy Jardine, Colin Jackson and Tommy McLean to add to the earlier departure of Alex MacDonald and the termination of Willie Johnston’s brief return. Tommy McLean was appointed as Greig’s Assistant Manager.
Greig’s side reached the finals of both the 1982/83 League Cup and the Scottish Cup but lost to Celtic and Aberdeen respectively. In the League, Rangers managed one draw in four games against Celtic, losing the other three including both matches at Ibrox, the second a 2-4 defeat having led 2-0 at half-time, and finished in fourth place, 18 points behind champions Dundee United who won by a point from Celtic and Aberdeen. Attendances at Ibrox often dipped below the 10,000 mark. In the UEFA Cup, Rangers impressed in eliminating Borussia Dortmund and then faced Cologne in the second round. Leading 2-1 from the Ibrox leg, Rangers found themselves 2-5 down on aggregate after 21 minutes in Germany and eventually went out 2-6. The Rangers Board had spent significantly on the arrivals of Craig Paterson and Sandy Clark, and although results were well short of what was required, the Board decided to give the Manager their backing and see what the new season would bring. In the close season, Ally McCoist was signed, the transfer funded essentially by the proceeds of the sale of Jim Bett.
Despite making progress in the early stages of the League Cup and the first round of the European Cup Winners Cup, Season 1983/84 saw Greig’s side suffer five League defeats in their opening nine matches and the latest, a 1-2 loss on 22 October at home to a Motherwell side managed by Jock Wallace, prompted a demonstration after the match, the second such demonstration in a season still in its infancy. Greig had tried his best to tough it out, insisting he would take the brunt of the shouting, but in his own words had become a prisoner in his own home. At his lowest ebb, and showing signs of strain, John Greig resigned as Manager of Rangers on 28 October 1983.
Under Greig’s management, Rangers won -
2 Scottish Cups
2 League Cups.
by David Plews
John Greig (1978 to 1983)
John Greig was appointed Manager of Rangers on 24 May 1978, the day after the shock resignation of twice Treble-winner Jock Wallace.
An Edinburgh boy, Greig grew up a Hearts supporter and when a Rangers scout came looking for his signature, it was a tearful Greig who obeyed his father’s instructions and put pen to paper. He could never have imagined the lifetime of devotion to Rangers which would ensue.
Regularly travelling by train from Edinburgh to Glasgow in the company of Rangers greats Jimmy Millar and Ralph Brand, young Greig was schooled in the great traditions of the Club and learned what it meant to be a Ranger. Initially an inside forward, he made rapid progress and broke through to the first team in 1961. With Jim Baxter unavailable for an end of season tour of the USSR in 1962, nineteen year old Greig was included in the squad. Rangers returned home undefeated and with Greig’s arrival as a first team player confirmed.
John Greig’s playing career spanned 18 seasons at Ibrox, switching from inside forward to wing half and latterly full-back. He won five League titles, six Scottish Cups, four League Cups, and three domestic Trebles, played in two European Finals including the European Cup Winners Cup triumph in Barcelona, and reached a total of 772 first-class appearances, the vast majority as an inspirational captain. In a fans poll, he was voted the Greatest Ever Ranger. He was relaxing in the close season following Rangers’ Treble success when he learned of Jock Wallace’s resignation and in a whirlwind, 24 hours had accepted the position of Manager and the end of his playing career.
His first League campaign got off to an inauspicious start, with Rangers winning just one of their first nine games. Away form was inconsistent throughout, but nonetheless, a 1-0 victory over Celtic on 5 May 1979 put Rangers one point clear of their rivals at the top. By then, the League Cup had been won with victory over Aberdeen in the Final, Celtic had been beaten in extra time in the semi finals; and Greig’s side had made it through to the Scottish Cup Final. When Rangers again faced Celtic in the League at Parkhead on 21 May, it was in the knowledge that a win would give them the title, but Celtic despite falling behind and then being reduced to ten men, fought back to win 4-2 and take the prize. The Scottish Cup Final with Hibernian was a long drawn out affair. After a goalless draw and a goalless replay following extra time, Rangers won 3-2 at the third time of asking, with an own goal in extra time settling the Final. Greig had come agonisingly close to a domestic Treble in his first season.
A keen student of the technical side of the game, Greig’s tactical insight came to the fore in the European Cup campaign, where in his first tilt as a manager Rangers eliminated Juventus, overturning a 0-1 defeat in Turin with a magnificent 2-0 win at Ibrox against a side which contained nine members of the Italian World Cup squad. The second round tie with PSV Eindhoven was equally dramatic when following a goalless draw at Ibrox, Rangers inflicted on PSV their first ever home defeat in European competition, coming from a goal down in the opening minute to win 3-2. Alas, the European adventure came to an end in the quarter-final tie with Cologne when although returning from the away leg with just a 0-1 deficit, a 1-1 draw at Ibrox saw Rangers bow out.
If Season 1978/79 was a case of “nearly”, 1979/80 was near disastrous. Despite getting off to a marvellous start with a 3-1 Drybrough Cup Final win over Celtic at Hampden (with Davy Cooper’s goal later ranked as the best ever Rangers goal), the side which had won the Treble under Jock Wallace and so nearly repeated the feat in Greig’s first managerial season was beginning to pass its peak. In the League, Rangers lost 14 of the 36 matches, winning only 4 away from home, and finishing a distant fifth. Rangers were soundly beaten by Aberdeen in the League Cup third round, but did gain revenge by defeating the Dons (who would be that season’s League Champions) to reach the Scottish Cup Final, where a deflected goal in extra time gave Celtic a 1-0 victory. The game would be remembered mostly for the shameful crowd disturbances which followed the final whistle. In the European Cup Winners Cup, Greig’s side was eliminated by Valencia. A 1-1 draw in the away leg gave Rangers hope, but a masterful display by the Spaniards gave them a 3-1 victory at Ibrox.
Season 1980/81 saw numerous player arrivals and departures. Rangers went 15 League games undefeated at the start of the season, including victories over Celtic at Parkhead and Ibrox, but by the finish Greig’s side was in third place behind Celtic and an Aberdeen side who also defeated Rangers in the League Cup. The Scottish Cup did provide silverware, Ally Dawson lifting the trophy after Rangers swept aside Dundee United 4-1 in the replayed Final, with Davy Cooper outstanding. With no European football, Rangers took part in the Anglo-Scottish Cup competition where they were humiliated 0-3 away to English Third Division side Chesterfield after a 1-1 draw in the home leg. The fact that his side bounced back to beat Celtic 4 days later undoubtedly took some of the pressure off the Manager.
Season 1981/82 saw a further transition in the playing squad, including the retiral of Tom Forsyth on medical advice. It also saw the completion of the Ibrox Stadium redevelopment into a 44,000 predominantly seated stadium, the spiralling cost of which depleted the Club financially. The League Cup was won with a 2-1 victory over Dundee United in the Final but a League finish of third and a 1-4 defeat by Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final increased the pressure on Greig, the European Cup Winners Cup campaign having ended at the first round stage. The close season saw free transfers given to Rangers greats Sandy Jardine, Colin Jackson and Tommy McLean to add to the earlier departure of Alex MacDonald and the termination of Willie Johnston’s brief return. Tommy McLean was appointed as Greig’s Assistant Manager.
Greig’s side reached the finals of both the 1982/83 League Cup and the Scottish Cup but lost to Celtic and Aberdeen respectively. In the League, Rangers managed one draw in four games against Celtic, losing the other three including both matches at Ibrox, the second a 2-4 defeat having led 2-0 at half-time, and finished in fourth place, 18 points behind champions Dundee United who won by a point from Celtic and Aberdeen. Attendances at Ibrox often dipped below the 10,000 mark. In the UEFA Cup, Rangers impressed in eliminating Borussia Dortmund and then faced Cologne in the second round. Leading 2-1 from the Ibrox leg, Rangers found themselves 2-5 down on aggregate after 21 minutes in Germany and eventually went out 2-6. The Rangers Board had spent significantly on the arrivals of Craig Paterson and Sandy Clark, and although results were well short of what was required, the Board decided to give the Manager their backing and see what the new season would bring. In the close season, Ally McCoist was signed, the transfer funded essentially by the proceeds of the sale of Jim Bett.
Despite making progress in the early stages of the League Cup and the first round of the European Cup Winners Cup, Season 1983/84 saw Greig’s side suffer five League defeats in their opening nine matches and the latest, a 1-2 loss on 22 October at home to a Motherwell side managed by Jock Wallace, prompted a demonstration after the match, the second such demonstration in a season still in its infancy. Greig had tried his best to tough it out, insisting he would take the brunt of the shouting, but in his own words had become a prisoner in his own home. At his lowest ebb, and showing signs of strain, John Greig resigned as Manager of Rangers on 28 October 1983.
Under Greig’s management, Rangers won -
2 Scottish Cups
2 League Cups.
by David Plews
