When asked to name the most elegant and graceful player to wear a Rangers shirt, a player with a sweet left foot, who could thread a ball through the eye of a needle, and who was the midfield conductor of the dominant team of his era, we would all think of the great Jim Baxter. Especially if we also ask who was the inspiration in Scotland destroying England in the home internatinals.
But back at the turn of the 20th Century, Rangers had the "original" Jim Baxter. A player of remarkable ball control who played left half in a side that swept all before them. His name was Neilly Gibson.
When William Wilton persuaded 21 year old Neilly Gibson to leave Royal Albert and sign for Rangers in 1894, he secured the services of a precocious talent who would become one of the greatest players in the Britain of the late Victorian age. Eulogies from opposition players and managers came his way as easily as his accuracy of passing and his deft first touch.
Gibson immediately became a fixture in Wilton's Rangers team, and spent a trophy laden 10 years wearing the Royal Blue. Although he had to wait till 1897 to win his first major honour at the club, a 2-0 Scottish Cup Final win over Dumbarton, he soon made up for lost time by adding to his medal collection. 4 successive league titles were won, starting with the legendary 1898/99 season when Gibson played in all 18 matches in a league season where the team finished with a 100% record, something never repeated anywhere till this day. He also added 2 more Scottish Cups to his collection, the last trophy he won as a Ranger being the 1903 final.
But Gibson truly found fame thanks to his displays in the dark blue of Scotland, none more than when he inspired a 4-1 thrashing of the English in 1900. Legendary England international Steve Bloomer scored their consolation goal that day, and was quoted afterwards as saying Neilly Gibson "the best player I have ever seen". Fellow England international Harry Wood called him "Pavlova in football boots". Among the other accolades he received was from legendary Scottish football referee and manager Willie McCartney who said Gibson was "the greatest player of my, and any, generation".
Neilly Gibson left Rangers in 1904 to join Partick Thistle, winning the last of his 14 Scotland caps while at Firhill.
A Rangers legend, one of the greatest footballers in Scottish football history, Neilly Gibson is inducted in the Rangers Hall of Fame.
And his legacy is beyond Rangers. His 3 sons Neil, Willie and James all went on to become professional footballers. By far the most famous was James, who was one of the famous Wembley Wizards in 1928.
Neilly Gibson, Rangers 1894-1904
Competitive appearances 192
Goals 22
4 League Titles
3 Scottish Cups
14 Scotland caps
Hall of Fame member.
The "Original Baxter". Long gone, never forgotten.
But back at the turn of the 20th Century, Rangers had the "original" Jim Baxter. A player of remarkable ball control who played left half in a side that swept all before them. His name was Neilly Gibson.
When William Wilton persuaded 21 year old Neilly Gibson to leave Royal Albert and sign for Rangers in 1894, he secured the services of a precocious talent who would become one of the greatest players in the Britain of the late Victorian age. Eulogies from opposition players and managers came his way as easily as his accuracy of passing and his deft first touch.
Gibson immediately became a fixture in Wilton's Rangers team, and spent a trophy laden 10 years wearing the Royal Blue. Although he had to wait till 1897 to win his first major honour at the club, a 2-0 Scottish Cup Final win over Dumbarton, he soon made up for lost time by adding to his medal collection. 4 successive league titles were won, starting with the legendary 1898/99 season when Gibson played in all 18 matches in a league season where the team finished with a 100% record, something never repeated anywhere till this day. He also added 2 more Scottish Cups to his collection, the last trophy he won as a Ranger being the 1903 final.
But Gibson truly found fame thanks to his displays in the dark blue of Scotland, none more than when he inspired a 4-1 thrashing of the English in 1900. Legendary England international Steve Bloomer scored their consolation goal that day, and was quoted afterwards as saying Neilly Gibson "the best player I have ever seen". Fellow England international Harry Wood called him "Pavlova in football boots". Among the other accolades he received was from legendary Scottish football referee and manager Willie McCartney who said Gibson was "the greatest player of my, and any, generation".
Neilly Gibson left Rangers in 1904 to join Partick Thistle, winning the last of his 14 Scotland caps while at Firhill.
A Rangers legend, one of the greatest footballers in Scottish football history, Neilly Gibson is inducted in the Rangers Hall of Fame.
And his legacy is beyond Rangers. His 3 sons Neil, Willie and James all went on to become professional footballers. By far the most famous was James, who was one of the famous Wembley Wizards in 1928.
Neilly Gibson, Rangers 1894-1904
Competitive appearances 192
Goals 22
4 League Titles
3 Scottish Cups
14 Scotland caps
Hall of Fame member.
The "Original Baxter". Long gone, never forgotten.
