| Ronnie McKinnon | |
| Full Name: | Ronald MacKinnon[1] |
| Birth Date: | 1940 8, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Stornoway, Scotland |
| Position: | Central defender |
| Youthclubs1: | Benburb[2] |
| Youthclubs2: | Dunipace |
| Years1: | 1960–1972 |
| Clubs1: | Rangers |
| Caps1: | 301 |
| Goals1: | 2 |
| Years2: | 1973 |
| Clubs2: | Durban United |
| Nationalyears1: | 1965–1971 |
| Nationalteam1: | Scotland |
| Nationalcaps1: | 28 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears2: | 1966–1971 |
| Nationalteam2: | Scottish League XI |
| Nationalcaps2: | 9 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 1968[3] |
| Nationalteam3: | Scotland U23 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
Ronald MacKinnon (20 August 1940 – 17 September 2023), known as Ronnie McKinnon,[2] was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Rangers and the Scotland national team.
McKinnon, a central defender who had been a winger in his youth during early spells at Junior level,[2] made his Rangers debut against Hearts on 8 March 1961 in a 3–0 win at Ibrox. He went on to make 487 appearances for the club in all competitions between 1961 and 1971,[4] winning two Scottish League championships, four Scottish Cups and three League Cups.[2]
His final Rangers appearance was in the 1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup second round match against Sporting CP in Lisbon, where he suffered a broken leg.[5] Rangers went on to win the Cup Winners' Cup that season but McKinnon, who had been a regular for a decade but was already in the latter stages of his career, was put out of action entirely for a year due to the complications of the injury and the poor manner in which it was treated.[2]
McKinnon won a total of 28 caps for Scotland,[6] making his debut in a 1–0 win over Italy at Hampden Park in 1965, in which Rangers teammate John Greig had scored a memorable late winner.[2] He also played in the 3–2 win over England at Wembley in 1967.[7] His only goal for Scotland came in a 3–2 win over Wales, also in 1967. He also represented the Scottish League XI.[8]
After leaving Rangers in 1973, McKinnon moved to South Africa, where he played local football for a season.[9] He later returned to Scotland and settled on the Isle of Lewis where his mother was born and where he had spent time as a child during World War II.[9] [2]
His connection to Rangers continued as he was an Honorary Member & Ambassador of The Lewis & Harris Rangers Supporters Club, and travelled to matches at Ibrox with the island fans at least once a season.
McKinnon's twin brother Donnie was also a professional footballer, spending 14 seasons with Partick Thistle as a centre-half.[10] [11] He was also one of the coaches for the Scotland national team for many years.
McKinnon died on 17 September 2023, at the age of 83.[12]
Rangers[4]
1962–63, 1963–64
1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66
Scotland