1989–90 Rangers F.C. season explained

Club:Rangers
Season:1989–90
Manager:Graeme Souness
Chairman:David Holmes
(until 2 June)
David Murray
(from 2 June)
Stdtitle:Ground
Stadium:Ibrox Stadium
League:Scottish Premier Division
League Result:1st (Champions)
Cup1:Scottish Cup
Cup1 Result:Fourth round
Cup2 Result:Runners-up
Cup3 Result:First round
Season Topscorer:
Ally McCoist (18)
League Topscorer:
Mo Johnston (15)
Prevseason:1988–89
Nextseason:1990–91

The 1989–90 season was the 110th season of competitive football by Rangers.

Overview

Rangers played a total of 45 competitive matches during the 1989–90 season. On 10 July when Rangers, acting on Souness' say so, purchased former Celtic striker Mo Johnston from French club Nantes for £1.5 million. The fact Rangers signed an ex-Celtic player would have been a big enough story but the fact Johnston was a high-profile Roman Catholic made the move unprecedented. The transfer angered both sides of the Old Firm's support, Rangers because Johnston was an ex-Celt and Catholic (Rangers traditionally did not sign Catholics), and Celtic fans saw Johnston as a turncoat who had already committed to re-join Celtic from Nantes before Rangers made known their interest.

When the season began, Rangers did not. Three matches played in the league, no wins and two defeats. However, the team slowly got into gear, despite only two wins from the first eight games. New arrival Johnston netted the crucial winner during an Old Firm game on 4 November 1989. Scoring the goal in the dying minutes of the match meant Johnston was all but forgiven by the Rangers support. Come May 1990, Rangers' name was on the trophy for the second time in as many seasons but the club again failed to win the Scottish Cup, losing to Celtic in the fourth round, and for once did not win the League Cup. The side lost to Aberdeen by 2–1 in the final.

In Europe they were knocked out the European Cup by German side Bayern Munich,losing the tie 3–1 on aggregate.

Transfers

In

DatePlayerFromFee
1 July 1989£1,525,000
10 July 1989£1,500,000
15 August 1989£200,000
30 August 1989£100,000
3 November 1989£150,000
30 November 1989£500,000

Out

DatePlayerToFee
26 May 1989Free
5 July 1989£600,000
26 July 1989£50,000
29 July 1989£100,000
11 August 1989£50,000
22 August 1989£125,000
2 October 1989£800,000
28 November 1989Free
10 January 1990£200,000

Results

All results are written with Rangers' score first.

Scottish Premier Division

See main article: 1989–90 Scottish Premier Division.

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
12 August 1989 St MirrenH0–139,951
19 August 1989 HibernianA0–222,500
26 August 1989 CelticA1–154,000Butcher
9 September 1989 AberdeenH1–040,283Johnston
16 September 1989 DundeeH2–235,836McCoist (2)
23 September 1989 Dunfermline AthleticA1–117,765McCoist
30 September 1989 Heart of MidlothianH1–039,554Johnston
3 October 1989 MotherwellA0–117,667
14 October 1989 Dundee UnitedH2–136,062Johnston, McCoist
25 October 1989 St MirrenA2–015,130McCoist, Johnston
28 October 1989 HibernianH3–035,260McCoist (2), Johnston (pen.)
4 November 1989 CelticH1–041,598Johnston
18 November 1989 DundeeA2–014,536Johnston, Walters
22 November 1989 AberdeenA0–122,500
25 November 1989 Dunfermline AthleticH3–039,131Johnston, Butcher, McCoist
2 December 1989 Heart of MidlothianA2–124,771Walters, Steven
9 December 1989 MotherwellH3–033,549Butcher, McCoist, Brown
16 December 1989 Dundee UnitedA1–115,947Johnston
23 December 1989 St MirrenH1–031,797Dodds
30 December 1989 HibernianA0–024,500
2 January 1990 CelticA1–054,000Spackman
6 January 1990 AberdeenH2–041,351Walters, McCoist
13 January 1990 DundeeH3–036,993McCoist, Dodds, Johnston
27 January 1990 Dunfermline AthleticA1–017,380Steven
3 February 1990 Dundee UnitedH3–139,058Walters, McCoist, Johnston
10 February 1990 MotherwellA1–117,647Johnston
17 February 1990 Heart of MidlothianH0–041,884
3 March 1990 DundeeA2–212,743Johnston, Dodds
17 March 1990 St MirrenA0–016,129
24 March 1990 HibernianH0–137,452
1 April 1990 CelticH3–041,926Walters (pen.), McCoist, Johnston (pen.)
8 April 1990 AberdeenA0–023,000
14 April 1990 MotherwellH2–139,305Steven, Johnston
21 April 1990 Dundee UnitedA1–015,995Steven
28 April 1990 Dunfermline AthleticH2–040,769McCoist, Dodds
5 May 1990 Heart of MidlothianA1–120,283Munro

Scottish League Cup

See main article: 1989–90 Scottish League Cup.

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
15 August 1989 R2ArbroathH4–031,762McCoist (3), I.Ferguson
23 August 1989 R3Greenock MortonA2–111,821Walters, Pickering (o.g.)
30 August 1989 QFHamilton AcademicalA3–09,162Walters (2), Steven
19 September 1989 SFDunfermline AthleticN5–041,643Steven, Johnston, Walters, McCoist, I.Ferguson
22 October 1989 FAberdeenN1–2*61,190Walters (pen.)

Scottish Cup

See main article: 1989–90 Scottish Cup.

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
20 January 1990 R3St JohnstoneH3–039,003Johnston, Brown, Walters
25 February 1990 R4CelticA0–152,565

European Cup

See main article: 1989–90 European Cup.

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers
13 September 1989 R1 Bayern MunichH1–340,253Walters (pen.)
27 September 1989 R1 Bayern MunichA0–040,000

Appearances

PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals
8 0
37 0
30 2
43 0
4 0
31 0
45 1
9 0
44 1
9 0
3 0
8 0
32 2
5 0
1 0
1 0
23 1
43 3
36 12
22 0
15 4
7 0
45 17
40 18

See also