Ray Wilkins- why did we love him so much?

Glasgow Rangers (Sco)

Glasgow Rangers (Sco)

Well-Known Member
Probably my favourite Rangers player ever.

Given he only played here for a short time, why did the fans take to him?




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dapper dado said:
This is the correct answer.

Met him once. He signed autographs for the entire football team I was in. He was down at the pitches at Hamilton Mausoleum watching his son play rugby. Top bloke,
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I always liked listening to Ray Wilkins talk about Rangers specifically but also about Football generally.

He was as articulate and intelligent as he was class.
 
He was a very calming influence on the pitch, would get the ball and just take the sting out of things. Then play a blinding pass out wide to someone like Davie Cooper.
He had played for Chelsea, Man Utd, Milan, PSG & England.. it was like Gerrard or Beckham coming tonRangers aged 32 or whatever. Wonderful footballer and everyone could see it.

The players all seemed to react well to him as well and I think little things like that rub off on the fans on whether we take a player to our heart or not.

One of my uncles knew someone who lived close by to Wilkins and said that he’d met him over pint a couple of times and Wilkins was just great company - a good laugh but never acted like a big bollocks.
 
He was a wonderful footballer, always mind my old boy along with the rest of us, giving him a standing ovation when he made his farewell appearance, 'end of an era' he was shouting.
 
My mates son was on the coaching staff at Fulham said spoke about his time at Rangers nearly every day. Always had a story to tell. loved the club and wished he got there lot earlier In his career.
 
ForGodForCountryForever said:
Ultimate Gent.

World Class Footballer.

Understood Rangers and loved it.
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Nail on head

Always described playing for Rangers as a "privilege" and genuinely meant it

Remember him being on goals on Sunday with Kammy and Ben Shepherd and he said Rangers was the most enjoyable time of his career. He said the banter in the dressing room was off the scale
 
Awritenobad said:
From 10 minutes 15 seconds in.


I listened to an emotional Ian Ferguson talk about him in the Louden just after he had suffered the heart attack which ultimately took his life, and there was no doubt just how much impact he had on the players, on and off the park.
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Is that big McLeish no.4 at the Fergie incident, looked like he shat himself as well.
 
Ray was adored by everyone at the club whatever job they had. He really was a gent in every true sense. He was a Ranger who loved his time with us.
 
A pal of mine lived next to RW when he was playing here at Ibrox and said he was a wonderful guy which is the impression we all had of him . It’s nice to know how right we were .

my other thought on Ray was on Football Italia where at ko for live games when introduced by Peter Brackley he always replied gentlemanly ‘ afternoon Peter afternoon everyone ‘

That was Ray wasn’t it
 
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Awritenobad said:
From 10 minutes 15 seconds in.


I listened to an emotional Ian Ferguson talk about him in the Louden just after he had suffered the heart attack which ultimately took his life, and there was no doubt just how much impact he had on the players, on and off the park.
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Some things never change, commentator convinced a push to the chest is a red,. It's not even a red now, never mind 30 years ago.
 
Apart from being a world class player & absolute gentleman i always remember him sticking up & talking up Rangers in the lower league years when he was on talksport. Everyone else was happy to have a kick when we were down but Wilkins always fought our corner
 
Souness told a good story about him in his Times Column after Ray passed away.

Neale Cooper, during training, had just broken Souness ribs. Whilst Souness is writhing about in agony (full team around him) on the floor Wilkins walks over and says, I’ve been waiting 15 years for some cuunt to do that to him. :D
 
I went to a midweek legends game at Ibrox in the mid 90's with a work colleague, we also both took our sons. This colleague raved about Wilkins the whole game about how he found space for himself, showed for the ball etc. That ex work mate is the current assistant manager at Chelsea. Regarding the question of the OP, it's quite simple, Class on the park and off it.
 
senefelder said:
I went to a midweek legends game at Ibrox in the mid 90's with a work colleague, we also both took our sons. This colleague raved about Wilkins the whole game about how he found space for himself, showed for the ball etc. That ex work mate is the current assistant manager at Chelsea. Regarding the question of the OP, it's quite simple, Class on the park and off it.
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Bill Reid then you could have just said his name.
 
He was there for just over two years, playing in three different seasons, and winning two titles. It's not what I would describe as a short time. He made 96 appearances according to wiki and we got a lot out of him considering his age when he signed.
 
First reply nails it

He was an absolute class act, We are the People and Ray Wilkins got that very quickly, if he wasn't one of us when he got here he certainly was for the rest of his life after he left.
 
He was at a wedding i was at about 20 years ago.Wedding was in a chapel and Ray stood outside rather than go in the place.
Reception that night and Ray was more than holding his own in some bitter arguments with the rats.
He loved Rangers and everything we stood for.Sadly missed
 
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