Ignacio Javier Gomez Novo signed for Rangers on 6th July 2004.
Affectionately known as Nacho, the 22 year old would embark on his Scottish adventure in the Summer of 2001 after spending the early part of his career playing in Spain’s lower leagues. Whilst his dream may well have been to pull on the famous blue shirt of Rangers, he would initially have to be content with different shades of blue spending the first three years representing Raith Rovers and Dundee respectively.
He proved to be successful at both of these Clubs despite clearly having to adapt to a different style of football. A more than credible 18 league goals were scored for Raith Rovers, a side that would find themselves rooted to the bottom of what is now the Scottish Championship. This was enough to secure a move to the top flight in Scotland and 26 league goals (in 71 league appearances) for the Dark Blues would justify their faith in signing Nacho.
The summer of 2004 would be an eventful one for Nacho and one that will define his time in Scotland. With Rangers now feeling the financial constraints and manager Alex McLeish having to cut costs, attacking players of the calibre of Ronald de Boer and Michael Mols had recently departed. The imminent arrival of 'Bosman' signing Dado Prso had helped to appease the support but it would be fair to say that speculation surrounding the potential arrival of Novo had not greatly excited. That would all change when our rivals from Glasgow's east end showed their hand and Nacho arrived at Parkhead for talks. These swiftly ended with Nacho (politely) saying "no thanks", instead choosing to join up at Ibrox (a new hero and a new song was born)!
An early European goal came in Moscow against CSKA but league goals were proving harder to come by. He had drawn a blank on his competitive debut in a goalless draw at Pittodrie on the opening day of the 2004/05 campaign (there would be slightly more drama on the final day)! Novo and Prso started the first 6 league matches of the season but with the Spaniard still to get on the scoresheet he found himself occupying the bench on his return to Dens Park on 26th September 2004. As is often the case in football, he would come back to haunt his former side coming on to score both goals in a 2-0 victory. As the understanding between Novo and Prso continued to develop, the partnership flourished and goals started to flow. Prso would end the season with 18 in the league but Nacho would go one better, and the significance of that one extra goal was huge.
It came at Easter Road on ‘Helicopter Sunday’ as Rangers clinched the title in the most dramatic fashion imaginable. Nacho's goal had won the Championship (with a helping hand from Motherwell’s Scott McDonald) and he now had a league medal to go with the league cup winners medal he had secured two months earlier when he played and scored in the 5-1 demolition of Motherwell at Hampden. He would score an impressive 25 times in all competitions including strikes in home and away victories over Celtic, surely exceeding even his own expectations.
His pleasing knack of scoring against Celtic continued when he netted the third goal in a 3-1 win during the first encounter of season 2005/06 . Another crucial away goal in Europe came against Anorthosis Famagusta and Champions League football was secured with a 3-2 aggregate win. That Champions League campaign proved to be the only highlight of a dreadfully disappointing season which would culminate in Alex McLeish vacating the hot seat. It had been a difficult season for Novo personally with only 3 goals recorded. The arrival of Kris Boyd from Kilmarnock and a rich vein of form from Peter Lovenkrands (operating in a more central forward role) had often resulted in Nacho being relegated to the subs bench.
The arrival of Paul Le Guen presented Nacho with a fresh start although the Frenchman did enter the transfer market to sign another striker, Filip Sebo. Results remained indifferent although Nacho's strike in Livorno would give Rangers a 3-2 win in the UEFA Cup, our first competitive victory on Italian soil. Further goals were scored against Maccabi Haifa, Auxerre and Hapoel Tel Aviv before the Euro run was ended in his home country by Osasuna. By then, the feel good factor was back at the Club following the return of Walter Smith as manager.
Season 2007/08 was another incredible one for Rangers and, with the exception of his debut season, it would be Nacho's most productive. Although still regularly utilised by Smith as a substitute, Walter, as always, seemed to be able to get the very best out of his player and Novo was now making an impact regardless of when he would enter the field of play. Despite clearly preferring the centre forward role, Nacho could be called upon to play in any offensive position and he was adept at running the channels if required. His never-say-die attitude and willingness to chase down lost causes endeared him to the Rangers support from the word go. Even in times when the goals dried up, his work rate never faltered and his ability to provide a spark in order to light up the crowd was crucial. Small in stature but with the heart of a lion, Nacho was quite simply the man for the big occasion.
Two goals in a 3-0 win over Celtic on 27th October 2007 and the only goal over two legs with Red Star Belgrade were further testament to that theory. The latter secured Champions League qualification and whilst this ended at the turn of the year, our memorable UEFA Cup campaign began. Against all the odds, after seeing off Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and Sporting Lisbon it all boiled down to a penalty shoot out in Florence. With the score 3-2 in Rangers favour, Italian striker Vieri missed for Fiorentina and up stepped the calmest man in the stadium, Nacho Novo, to slot home and send Rangers to the Final in Manchester. Brace yourselves indeed, a moment never to be forgotten.
Although he did not appear in either of the domestic cup victories, a total of 16 goals had been more than a significant contribution.
The title returned to Ibrox in 2009 and Nacho scored 5 goals with the majority of his appearances coming as a substitute. It was from the bench that he made the most dramatic of entries in the final match of the season, the Scottish Cup Final. Introduced at half time, he scored a stunning goal with his very first touch to win the Cup and deprive Falkirk of a potential upset.
Nacho's final campaign would be 2009/10 and he would score 6 goals in another title winning season (9 in all competitions). A league cup medal was also secured as a rare start against St. Mirren culminated in an heroic 9 man victory over the Paisley side. It was a team performance which mirrored Novo's own determined style.
