By Alistair Aird
After securing a top eight finish in the revamped Europa League group stage, Rangers know they will face one of four possible opponents in the last 16. They will either be drawn against FC Twente Enschede, Fenerbache, Anderlecht or FK Bodo/Glimt. While we have yet met the Norwegians in a European tie, Rangers have had previous encounters against the other three.
This is the second in a series of three articles that will reflect on those matches with a fourth piece following which looks at some fixtures Rangers have had against opposition from Norway.
Part 2 looks back at two turbulent ties contested between Rangers and Anderlecht when the European Champions Cup was still in its infancy. It also reflects briefly on a testimonial match between the two sides that celebrated the sterling service given to Rangers by the redoubtable John Brown.
Founded in 1908, RSC Anderlecht won the Belgian First Division title for the eighth time in season 1958/59, finishing a point ahead of RFC de Liege. That granted them passage into the draw for the European Champions Cup in season 1959/60 where they would be joined by Rangers.
Under Scot Symon, the Light Blues had pipped defending champions Hearts to the Division One title. Ralph Brand was top scorer, netting 21 goals in 25 games. That meant Rangers would get a third crack at the continent’s premier club competition, having lost out to OGC Nice in season 1956/57 then, after defeating St Etienne, exiting at the hands of AC Milan the following season. Symon’s side would go much deeper into the tournament on this occasion, though, and they started their journey to the last four by defeating Anderlecht over two legs.
The first leg was played at Ibrox on 16 September 1959. Rangers had opened the season with three straight league wins, but had exited the League Cup after losing home and away to Motherwell and thus failing to qualify from Section 4.
Rangers went into the match without the injured Eric Caldow, with John Little deputising once again at left back. Andy Matthew continued to plough the furrow on the left wing, while Ian McMillan came in at inside-right in place of Davie Wilson.
It proved to be a match that wasn’t for the faint hearted. After losing two early goals, the Anderlecht players elected to engage in some roughhouse play that ranged from obstruction to what Cyril Horne of the Glasgow Herald called ‘blatant, deliberate tripping and kicking.’ Statistically speaking, the visitors committed 12 fouls that resulted in free kicks in the opening half hour compared while Rangers only conceded two. By the end of the game, the free kick was 28 to 13 in the favour of Rangers, yet the referee only saw fit to caution two Anderlecht players.
Ibrox was packed to the rafters and the Rangers followers expressed their dissatisfaction at the antics of the Belgians by booing long and loud. But those jeers turned to cheers when the redoubtable Harold Davis decided that enough was enough.
The veteran of the Korean War had been battling it out throughout the match with the bespectacled Armand ‘Jef’ Jurion and after one foul too many, Davis snapped. Writing in his 1966 book Rangers: The New Era, William Allison penned:
Harold was sent sprawling on the ground, hurt and shocked by such treatment. He had shown amazing self-control, but this young man, who had known the horrors of the Korean war, considered it time to admonish the Belgian. He rose to his feet with anger on his face. Jurion caught sight of him – and took to his heels. Harold tells how, bruised and battered, he chased Jurion with only one thought in his mind – then burst out laughing once he caught up with the Belgian!
The early Rangers goals came from Jimmy Millar and Alex Scott and despite being criticised for by Horne in his match report for being profligate in front of goal, Andy Matthew made it 3-0 three minutes after the restart when he headed the ball into the net after his penalty kick had been save by the Anderlecht goalkeeper.
Goals from Jacques Stockman and Gaston De Wael slashed Rangers’ lead to just a single goal, but Sammy Baird scored twice inside six minutes to make the final score 5-2. Baird’s second goal came from the penalty spot, but despite his brace of goals, he was savaged by Horne who opined that ‘Baird’s shooting in the second half was dreadful.’
The three-goal win put Rangers in a strong position ahead of the return leg in Belgium a week later. But confidence was jolted somewhat when Ayr United came to Ibrox for a league game and won by three goals to nil. That would be the first of SIX home matches Rangers would lose in the league that season. St Mirren (1-3), Raith Rovers (2-3), Hearts (0-2), Motherwell (0-2) and Third Lanark (1-2) were the others to leave Ibrox with full points.
Following a training session at Ibrox, a travelling party of 16 departed from Renfrew Airport on board a Viscount aircraft. Among them was a limping Jimmy Millar, and although the Rangers centre forward was given treatment upon arrival in Brussels, he failed to make the starting XI. His number nine jersey was handed to Davie Wilson, and that was the only change in personnel from the first leg.
The match in the Emile Verse Stadium was screened live on the BBC and followed a similar pattern to the encounter at Ibrox. Play was punctuated by foul play, with the villains of the piece for the most part sporting Anderlecht colours. Alex Scott bore the brunt and just before half time, a robust challenge sent the Rangers outside right hurtling over the touchline and into a boundary wall. He was taken off with blood pouring from his head and was absent from action for around five minutes while he had his wound bandaged.
Holding a three-goal lead, Rangers were content to defend and at times, their inside forwards, McMillan and Baird, operated as auxiliary half backs. George Niven had an outstanding match in goal too.
But as defiant as they were defensively, Symon’s side also offered a threat in attack, with Scott the pick of the forward players. And it was service from Scott that created the goal that broke the deadlock, his cross being headed through the goalkeeper’s legs by Matthew after 66 minutes. Eight minutes later, McMillan converted a Matthew cross to seal what was relatively serene progress into Round Two.
Red Star Bratislava were beaten 5-4 on aggregate at that stage before Sparta Rotterdam were eliminated after a replay. Had the ‘away’ goal rule been in play at the time, Rangers would have progressed having won 3-2 in Holland before losing 1-0 at Ibrox. But as that wasn’t the case, the 3-3 aggregate score meant a replay was required. This was played at the home of Arsenal, Highbury, and Rangers won 3-2.
Now down to the final four, Rangers would face either Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Madrid or Barcelona. They drew the West German champions and ended up comprehensively beaten over two legs. Despite being level at 1-1 at half time in the first leg in Frankfurt, the Light Blues shipped five second half goals. And they conceded six again in a 6-3 humbling in the return leg in Glasgow. With the benefit of hindsight, the thrashing was a blessing in disguise as Eintracht Frankfurt returned to Glasgow for the Final at Hampden and were thumped 7-3 by a Real Madrid side inspired by Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
Rangers faced Anderlecht at Ibrox again just over 40 years later in a testimonial match for John Brown.
Signed for £350,000 from Dundee in 1988, Bomber had been a thorn in Rangers’ side during his time at Dens Park. He developed a habit of scoring against his boyhood heroes, with his haul including a hat trick in a league match in November 1985. During his time with Rangers, he would become a stalwart of the nine-in-a-row era, making 312 appearances and scoring 22 goals.
The transfer fee of £350,000 would prove to be of the bargain variety. Brown played an active part in eight of the nine-in-a-row championship-winning seasons. He also won three Scottish Cups and three League Cups.
Brown was a resolute, redoubtable, and very versatile player, steeped in the traditions of Rangers Football Club. He could play at left back or in midfield, but perhaps his finest displays in a Rangers jersey came in season 1992/93 when he played at centre-back alongside Richard Gough. Brown missed only five of the 64 competitive matches played as Rangers won the domestic Treble and came within a goal of making the first-ever Champions League Final.
Brown made a late cameo appearance in his testimonial match. A Rangers side featuring Stefan Klos, Fernando Ricksen, Michael Mols and Lorenzo Amoruso lost the match 2-1 in front of a crowd of just over 25,000. Claudio Caniggia scored the Rangers goal.
