86/87 league win, recollections

I don't think I missed a game that season including having to sit in the Celtic end of the stand for one game. I think the mood was the same during the season, optimism but knew it wasn't going to be easy.

On the day it did feel like we were going to win it even though it required them to lose at home. I think that optimism was helped by the amount of alcohol consumed down at the harbour. The whole day felt like a massive party and I didn't feel as nervous attending that day than watching our previous three games on TV.

I think we knew with about five minutes to go the league was won and the crowd invasion was spontaneous. I ended up being a cross bar carrier so always appear in my bright orange jumper every time it is on TV.

No recollection at all of the journey back. I guess late out of Aberdeen, an extended pitstop at one of the usual towns and straight to bed.

I have attended dramatic league clinchers, TV wins, radio wins and ones where you turn up at an empty Ibrox waiting on the returning team. They are all brilliant.
 
One for the older bears.
During the 86/87 league campaign after 9 long years without the league, did it deal similar to this campaign? Unsure, pessimistic, excited, optimistic?
what can you remember, I’m confident but pessimistic this season, even though we’re 21 points ahead.
Load of us went up on the usual Friday night staying till Sunday morning tried everywhere for a ticket we were 2 short before we were gonna do a ballot. Went upto Pittodrie early to wait on buses etc seen 2 young Aberdeen fans asked them if they had tickets they said yes asked them how much they wanted for them deal done Happy days even had time to go for breakfast. Canny remember how much but it was a few quid
 
I was 16, listening to the radio at home with my mates, it was an amazing feeling. Kids that are a similar age just now will know that feeling today after what has felt like an eternity of waiting.
We went down to babysit my mate's neice to let his sister and husband out to celebrate. We could barely wait for Sportscene to start, imagine that kids, having to wait until 10pm at night to see the game!!!
The other vivd memory was seeing a boy we went to primary school with running about the pitch. He had moved to Stonehaven a few years before and there was the big man wearing his sun hat running in front of the camera. :))
 
The most exciting time in my life to be a bear, I was 14 and as such hadn't properly witnessed a title win, it was pre-internet obviously so all your information was obtained either through newspapers or
radio, at that time we were reported to be signing everybody. I used to buy the late edition of the evening times each day to see who we were in for, it seemed to be a big name almost every day.
You could still pay at the gate at Ibrox on matchday and as the season gathered momentum the excitement in the ground was tangible. I used to go to the main stand so I could watch the players warm up in that wee internal tunnel under the stand. As I said amazing times , I hope that soon kids can get to watch their heroes again and experience what I did as a boy, there's no better feeling.
 
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One of the best memories of the season. We were under huge pressure after losing to Hamilton the week before and the papers were full of comparisons with Berwick and would McCoist and Fleck meet the same fate as Forrest and McLean 20 years earlier. But what a statement of intent this win was at Tynecastle, in front of a packed ground:



Starting line-up?

Woods

McPherson
Roberts
Butcher
Munro

Nicholl
Souness
Durrant
Cooper

McCoist
Fleck

Always thought Jimmy Nicholl was a defender?
 
I remember seeing at least 7 thousand of our fans watching the game on the hill behind the goals without tickets and ground was full of Rangers fans especially in Aberdeen end behind goals and then fans celebration on the park at the end and wonderful journey back to Glasgow on supporter s bus from mearns loyal
also the massive cheers when falkirk scored the winner at septic park with only minutes left
 
Watched in the Lincoln Inn. Knightswood. Rammed. Left happy and blootered. Left with my mate and went home. I was home first. He stayed 500 yards from me. He got jumped and battered by mentally challengeds.
Unlucky for them, he knew who they were. Retribution was sweet a few days later. One by one they got fekkin leathered.
 
My first experience of a title charge, my first season really supporting Rangers and as an 11yr old it was magic.

I was at the Hamilton Accies cup game and then the Hearts 3-0 victory in April 12 weeks or later and the difference was incredible.

I kept a scrapbook of that run-in and very sad not to have it any longer - lots out of the Rangers News and the tabloids every Sunday & Monday as Rangers went through the title charge.

Looking back, it was quite a functional side but Cooper, Durrant & McCoist provided some flair and style to it. The defence was strong - just didn’t concede much at all to anybody.

I remember for the game at Pittodrie, my mate & I were in my parents caravan (which was parked in the garden), flipping between listening to Radio Clyde & Radio Scotland for coverage and we went mental when Butcher scored.

It felt like an eternity between the final whistle and it being time to go to Para Para in Sheddens (Clarkston) and get the Evening Times sports edition with pictures and the match report.
 
The biggest turning point of that season was beating Aberdeen 2-0 at home in September. They had been the best team in Scotland in the 80s and we couldn't get near them and despite beating Septic in August it was Aberdeen we needed to get in front to win the league.

Souness had fell out with Fergie at the Mexico WC and it was built up as a big grudge match but he scored and we tanned them in front of full house not long after the Dun U game where we threw away the 2 goal lead. Souness ran the show and it was obvious that the league was a possibility after 9 years of being also rans. Fergie knew the tide was running and left for Manure the next month.

The main thing I remember from that game was them getting about 6 corners in a row and Butcher and Woods clearing everything. Very similar to this year in that we then knew we had defence to keep clean sheets against good attacks and once Roberts arrived in December we never looked back. Dundee at home in midweek game April was the one that made me think we are going to do this and the game at Pittodrie was more of a relief with the icing on the cake the Falkirk win at Sharkheid which looked like Troon beach that day. Stopped near Forfar on way back for few pints and game of football in field opposite the pub next to A90 - great days and the young bears will have this feeling to look forward to in a couple of months.
the whole of Ibrox belting out "Fergie, Fergie get to Fu.ck, Fergie get to Fu.ck" was brilliant, we knew we were top dogs again.
 
I was 16 that day we drew at Pittodrie, easily my best day supporting Rangers, you couldn't wipe that smile off my face for months, 55 will top it.
Interesting one for me, maybe it was fact I was 21 in 1987 but nothing will ever top winning the league back then.
It was also the fact we had absolutely top drawer internationals like Butcher, Souness, Woods, Roberts in our team. What a change from season 85-86!!
The future at that time in 87 looked brighter than at any other time either before or since as a Rangers supporter.
We were signing current England internationals.
We had effectively stopped the New Firm of Aberdeen and Dundee United in their tracks.
Skip onto 2021 and we again have a great team and brilliant coaching team.
But it’s all relative, back in 87 we were genuinely thinking we could win the European Cup the following season.
I’m not expecting us to win the CL next season.
 
I remember when we signed Graham Roberts there seemed to be an uplift in the support
I adored Roberts when I was a kid, although I have been critical of him since... different perspectives and hindsight as an adult.

It is indisputable that his arrival gave the team and the support a massive lift though.
Roberts was a very emotional, heart on the sleeve type of presence and he gave everyone a lift and a real feeling that Rangers were going to push through to win that title.

Roberts & Butcher worked as a combination, even though McPherson remained in the team (I suppose he moved out a bit to rightback and Nicholl provided a bit of cover on the right of midfield?)
Roberts was number 7 in the Hearts match...

Can anyone remember how the team was actually lining up in those final dozen or so matches?

I have in my head an eleven of:
Woods
Roberts
Munro
Souness or Ferguson
McPherson
Butcher
Nicholl or Ferguson
Fleck
McCoist
Durrant
Cooper

How did they actually line up on the pitch?
 
Laughing to myself as the op starts with one for older bears:)

Was working so couldn't make Sheepsville in 87 but I was at Easter Road as a just turned 15 year old. Now that league win was after 11 years without being champions!!!
 
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Helicopter Sunday apart, this is my favourite title win, it was a phenomenal time to be a Rangers supporter, I was only 11 at the time and it was the first title I saw us win, the excitement and the feeling when the final whistle went will live with me forever, it was such a dramatic day and I mind Radio Clyde breaking a news bulletin to go back to Pittodrie to tell us Souness had been sent off, listening with my stomach in knots, auld boy pacing up and down the same, what a celebration we had at my uncles house that night. Vividly recall David Holmes on Sportscene proposing a toast to all Rangers fans around the world, there was nothing like it.
 
I was living in Herne Bay Kent and had bought a wee analogue radio on my last trip home. I then tuned it into Radio Scotland and marked it with a marker pen. On returning to H B I found that the only place I could pick up R S was on top of 2 books at the corner nearest the window on top of the fridge. That day the signal was terrible coming and going so I was pretty fraught and as I was making a salad for tea as the wife was working I had to stop chopping veg up as my hands were shaking that much. When the whistle went everyone I tried to phone was engaged, the majority of them trying to phone me.
That night I went down to my local and got absolutely blootered with 2 mates who were Bears. As it was a Chelsea pub the majority of drink was paid for by the Chelsea guys to congratulate us.
Ah a great weekend as on Sunday I just carried on and as my boss lived round the corner I bumped into her in the pub and told her I was taking Monday off. No problem was her reply.
 
One thing that sticks in my mind is that at the start of the season there was a complete underestimate of the numbers who would attend our games. The first home Saturday game was versus Dundee United (first home game was v Falkirk but that was midweek). The number of season ticket holders at that time was relatively low and most games were not all ticket but still cash at the gate. Well if memory serves thousands turned up and were locked out for the Dundee United game (some estimates were 20,000 locked out). On the back of that all games were thereafter all ticket and then later half season tickets were sold (my first season ticket which cost £30).
 
Although we lost 3-1 at Parkhead meaning our lead was cut to 2 points with 5 to play (only 2 pts for a win and we were ahead on GD), I don’t recall ever thinking we were going to blow it.

A big difference between them and now was the gap between the OF and the other decent teams was much less. Both Dundee Utd and Aberdeen put up a decent challenge until early March and Hearts had come within 10 mins of winning the league the previous year.

1986/87 is currently my fav ever season. We went from the best part of 10 years of absolute dross and Ibrox crowds that could struggle to reach five figures to being in the market for the best players in Britain and full houses for the last 3 home matches (only 4 times did we record an attendance below 30k)
 
One thing that sticks in my mind is that at the start of the season there was a complete underestimate of the numbers who would attend our games. The first home Saturday game was versus Dundee United (first home game was v Falkirk but that was midweek). The number of season ticket holders at that time was relatively low and most games were not all ticket but still cash at the gate. Well if memory serves thousands turned up and were locked out for the Dundee United game (some estimates were 20,000 locked out). On the back of that all games were thereafter all ticket and then later half season tickets were sold (my first season ticket which cost £30).

Remember that Dundee Utd game well. At that time there was no facility to buy individual tickets in advance. I was at Ibrox early and went for a couple of pints in the Stadium. Joined the q for the Govan around 2.20 only for the shutters to come down, legged it round to the Brommie same story. Joined the q for the Enclosure and finally got in there.
 
The best season of my life.

From August and the trip to London v Spurs right through to being on the pitch at Pittodrie in May - brilliant. Topped off by getting back to Glasgow, straight into Fingals Cave on Sauchiehall Street where Frank McGarvey was carried shoulder high round the pub. Sure there was a flute band marching up Sauchiehall St that night too.
 
I was at Pittodrie. First title as an adult. Maybe that is why it is my favourite and i have been at every top title winning game since. 6/1 v Pars, Helicopter Sunday, winning it at the Paedo, 5/1 @ Killie and so on. Everyone special but 87 holds a special place for me.
I was offered bonkers money for my ticket on the day but nothing would have been enough to make me sell.
The amount of Bears in Pittodrie and those outside was phenomenal.
No mobiles, social mhedia in those days but word got round regards Falkirk beating them and it was a matter of waiting on that final whistle.
Let me just say: no army was stopping us going on at the whistle; and on we went from all corners.
It was a stunning spectacle. :))
I went on from the Beech end and left where we sit now.
Train journey back down was just one of drinking all the days events in. Not much chat tbh.
Went home to celebrate but never had a drop.
Emotionally exhausted.
We were back.

55 will beat it though. No one tried to kill us back then.
pittodrie 87 was my first title party was in the so called Aberdeen end but it was like a home game with the amount of bears there I was only 14 but was on the pitch I'm from up this way so I'm not always popular but f**k them WATP
 
I recorded the Radio Clyde outro on the day we won it and listened to it over and over again. It was a mash up of "It's a Kind of Magic" by Queen and "True Blue" by Madonna if memory serves. It's also got Richard Park's commentary of Graham Roberts' wonder goal at Fir Park in it. Must still be in the attic somewhere.
 
Amazing season,queues round Ibrox to get tickets,amazing away days,gutted at not getting one for pittodrie but what a start to the rebirth of our team.
 
Being on the pitch (post match!) as a star struck 12 year old. Wonderful memory as I'll probably never get back on the hallowed turf.
 
It was around this time in the season that it started to look as though the title was on, although we did have the cup defeat to Accies to contend with.
9 or so points behind at the start of December then went on a run that took us to the top of the league and that was us until the end of the season.
There was some really nervy games in the run in though
 
I went to all but 2 games that season, home and away. Aged 17/18

It was surreal and kind of built momentum throughout the season. The game I always remember most is a midweek home game against Dundeecwhich we ended up winning 2-1 if memoty serves correctly. Cooper scored the winner.

That was the night I knew we were going to do it
The game you always remember but you don’t know the score ? :D
 
I was in the Beach end.
Fantastic experience second only to being at Easter Rd on Helicopter Sunday.
Tickets were changing hands for upto £1000. We had a guy from Carluke who was pished the night before and didn't make the bus (he was in possession of a ticket). His door was battered but couldn't get him up. What a waste.
 
The signing of Graham Roberts at a crucial time swayed the league towards us imo. Pre match excitement before the game after the title was won, St Mirren at home was amazing. Kinning Park was absolutely jumping. Remember there was scaffold on the district Bar building with banners draped from it.
Unbelievable atmosphere at the game too.

Edit; Fans often comment on the roar when Gough scored that goal in the 2-2 game. For me, when Super Ally scrambled that last gasp winner over the line, against Motherwell that season, the roar must have been up there with the best, absolute bedlam, crucial, crucial win!
 
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One for the older bears.
During the 86/87 league campaign after 9 long years without the league, did it deal similar to this campaign? Unsure, pessimistic, excited, optimistic?
what can you remember, I’m confident but pessimistic this season, even though we’re 21 points ahead.
I don't think back then was anything like this.

From 2012 onwards is different to anything.

Do I want this league for me? Of course I do.
Do I want this league for my old man? You better believe it.
Do I want this league for all the punters I know and all our absent friends? Yup.

Do you know who I want it most for? The young generation coming through. The young team who have only known misery growing up. This is for you.
 
On the pitch at the end. Loads of people cheering at the side of the road back to East Kilbride. Leaving Calderwood Inn to visit all the discos in the town centre for wind up purposes. Into Victor's for a pizza - back into Calderwood Inn for mini lock in. Coisty on top of one of the big tables giving the Boss laldy stripped to the waist. Jimmy Nic singing the sash in a pair of Bermuda shorts steaming. Heading to another house - Coisty in the back of my car eating pizza - pulled him up about it - he pointed to the badge on his blazer - fair enough I thought. Got to the house in St Leonards and Jimmy Nic fell down the stairs. Not had that many better days or nights since !!!!
 
Was the first season I went to Ibrox and first televised games I've any recollection of, must have watched the skol cup final more than any other game ever cos someone taped it. I can definitely remember a lot of family being very excited towards the end, too young too really realise at the time but looking back can see how much it meant to them. Also every time theres a mention of this season I ask this question, does anyone remember a halt time pitch invasion at the final game v st mirren by a guy dressed as the pink panther?
 
I was 15 when we clinched it at Pittodrie,me and my mate, big carry out ,massive Union Jack and sat on a grass verge in hogganfeild loch which backed onto Cumbernauld road,no bypass in those days,waiting for all the supporters buses coming home,%^*& even the team bus passed and waved!!.What a nite!!
 
A draw with Hibs at Ibrox on a day when Rough in their goal was almost unbeatable. But the scum lost 4-1 to Dundee that day, we went top and never lost the lead again.
That was the one that stuck in my mind as well. Rough could've played with his back to the ball and still been in the right place to save (almost) anything. The roars as Dundee scored urged the team on that day IMO
 
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My first season of finally getting to see Rangers play at Ibrox as a young teenager! (had only ever seen Rangers play Linfield in a friendly before & was hooked!)
Remember waiting (along with some other young ones, for the Copland Road turnstiles to open for the Dundee Utd game in August & it was £1.70 to get in!
Rangers played like Brazil that day - in the 1st half!
Got to several games that season but had to settle for matches that were on radio, goals if they were on Football focus or Saint & Greavsie & video recordings of matches every month, sent from family in Renfrew!
Great memories & what a season!
 
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After the dross we'd gone through since 1979, we were all confident this would be our season.. It was a poor start, but the belief was there when we beat the Tim's at Ibrox. Another game was the Sheep game at Ibrox we won 2-0. We took the lead with a Souness long range effort that squirmed over the line. They then battered us but led by Butcher held firm and scored a breakaway, where they went mental. The momentum built from there and especially after we beat Dundee Utd and Them at the festive time you knew it was happening. The cup ko was a set back, but we bounced back from that gubbing Hearts the next week.
Although we are in a stronger position this season, it still feels different. Maybe because of everything that's happened since 2012, or the collapse last season, I'm still worried something could go wrong and not necessary on the park.
 
I’ve told this story before on here.
That was an incredible time for me. I was a kid whose dad was involved though John Lawrence gp and I went to all the games then in the directors box.
Hanging about at the top of the marble staircase for the players after the game and all my programmes were signed. (bloody mother threw them out about 10 years ago but that’s another story)
The weekend of the Aberdeen game we headed up to Aberdeen for the game and we were staying in a hotel in the outskirts with many of the directors.
We went to the game and my dad for some reason had a spare ticket.
There were guys everywhere looking for tickets. This guy asked my dad if he had any spares and my dad said he had one.
The guy started bringing out wads of cash and my dad said you’re all right mate. It’s a complimentary ticket so you don’t need to give me anything for it. Just enjoy the game and behave yourself!
The guy nearly fell over :)
Game itself I can barely remember other than that Header from big Butch and the pitch invasion with my dad holding on to my jacket so I stayed where I was.
After the game we headed back to the hotel and the team bus stopped by briefly which was brilliant.
It was a great night and a fantastic memory.
 
After the game we headed back to the hotel and the team bus stopped by briefly which was brilliant.
It was a great night and a fantastic memory.
Think this was the game that McCoist was interviewed about and said that the bus journey back home to Ibrox wasn't long enough!
 
One for the older bears.
During the 86/87 league campaign after 9 long years without the league, did it deal similar to this campaign? Unsure, pessimistic, excited, optimistic?
what can you remember, I’m confident but pessimistic this season, even though we’re 21 points ahead.
My first full season home and away on the Ally McCoist bus.16 years of age and me and my mates lived for Saturday.
When we beat the mentally challengeds at Hampden to win the League cup I knew then we would win the league,just knew.
The game up at Pitoddrie was possibly the best feeling I’ve had as a Rangers fan.
 
The opening league fixture @Easter road,I was down at Knebworth house with two other bears at the Queen gig. Stayed down in London over the weekend,and couldn't believe what had happened in the match when we got the newspapers the following morning. Went to a good few fixtures over the season . What a rollercoaster. It just kept building and building. The league cup win was the catalyst,it gave belief that we were better than them. The addition of Graham Roberts was the perfect boost,and that performance at New Year at Ibrox ...well that cemented it for me that the title was coming home. It was a tough league to win. The filth,Hearts,Aberdeen,Dundee Utd...all hard teams to beat. One of my favourite seasons ever.
 
Was there not something with the winning goal that it took a delay to award it? I’m sure to do with someone not interfering with play.
I remember that was a really nervous evening. IIRC it was the first goal. It was from a corner or free kick and in the initial melee one of our players ended up in the net then the ball was then put in. Dundee protested it was offside, but our player was off the park, so couldn't be offside. He just happened to be in the goal. I think the second was shortly after that.
 
I don’t remember being anything like as confident about winning as I am now. From my recollections it felt much closer in ‘87 until really near the end.

I was at Pittodrie in what is now the normal away fans section and on the pitch at full time. The joy was unbridled. And the journey home :eek:

Driving along beside the team bus all the way back was incredible. Scenes :D

I’ll tell you what, though. 55 will be bigger. I guarantee it. I’m booking into a hotel in town for this one. LOL :))
 
My first recollection would be the Dundee Utd game where we lost 3 2, having been 2 up at half time. Ordinarily it would have been seen as a disaster, however it just felt that with the quality of player we had, that we were bound to click. I'm willing for this to be dismissed as revising history, but that seemed to be the case. As has been posted earlier the 5 2 victory at Tynecastle in January was pivotal. Lastly I come to Pittodrie which may resonate with younger bears. I was 30 years of age, but had never been present at us lifting a League title owing to playing the game [badly] during our 70's victories. Three of us went up by car, but only 2 of us with tickets. The driver who was my mate's old man was ticketless, refused to allow us to buy him a ticket from a tout outside the ground, and listened on his car radio as the bedlam unfolded. On getting back into Glasgow we met up with our wives in the 39 Steps. My wife was over 7 months pregnant at the time, and I should have shown some restraint in the drunken celebrations, but ''hey ho'' :)
 
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