Derek Parlane

crookie_bear

crookie_bear

Well-Known Member
I was just looking at some of his stats after an article about him popped up on my FB. I was surprised to see he was only 27 when he left us in 1980. I was 15 when he left but I honesty thought he left sooner I don't really remember him after 1978. I appreciate that by 1980 a great Rangers team was all but finished and it was an end of an era but did he have to leave? What's the views of bears older than me, was he a shadow of the player he was? At 27 he should just have been reaching his peak. He left Rangers with 3 Premier league titles, 3 SC, 3 LC and a ECWC pretty damn good for a young man.
 
He was one of the speakers at our supporters club's dinner last May and he spoke about his love for Rangers and how heartbroken he was when he left.


He said he was disappointed that John Greig never played him more, but there was no criticism of Greig from him.

He absolutely loved Jock Wallace though and said he was the best manager he ever played under.
 
JerseyLoyalist said:
I was disappointed when Parlane left,I thought at the time he wanted away,obviously that wasn’t the case.
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I am of the same opinion, I thought he wanted away, loved him as a player was gutted that he left. Disappointing to hear that Greig would not play him, and most likely contributed to him leaving.
 
As a few have said,I was gutted when he left. Didn't realise Greig wouldn't play him,one of the best ever to pull on that jersey. I know Greigy is a legend,but I don't think he was that great a manager, I know we were winning cups,but we were nowhere in the league. Always wondered why he left when he still had so much to offer.
 
MearnsUnionist said:
He was one of the speakers at our supporters club's dinner last May and he spoke about his love for Rangers and how heartbroken he was when he left.


He said he was disappointed that John Greig never played him more, but there was no criticism of Greig from him.

He absolutely loved Jock Wallace though and said he was the best manager he ever played under.
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One of the nicest Ex players I’ve ever met
 
I also meet him at a speakers night, his words were “ I never wanted to leave the Rangers “ A Rangers legend & along with D.J & later on Coop he was my hero growing up in the 70s. The king of Ibrox park :))
 
MearnsUnionist said:
He was one of the speakers at our supporters club's dinner last May and he spoke about his love for Rangers and how heartbroken he was when he left.


He said he was disappointed that John Greig never played him more, but there was no criticism of Greig from him.

He absolutely loved Jock Wallace though and said he was the best manager he ever played under.
Click to expand...

Did he play in the 1980 SCF? or was he gone/out of favour?
 
jackstar said:
As a few have said,I was gutted when he left. Didn't realise Greig wouldn't play him,one of the best ever to pull on that jersey. I know Greigy is a legend,but I don't think he was that great a manager, I know we were winning cups,but we were nowhere in the league. Always wondered why he left when he still had so much to offer.
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Greig never recovered from the 2-4 defeat to the scum who were down to ten men and it cost us the league.
 
Carltonblue said:
I can’t understand Greig not playing him. After Parlane we had a succession of strikers who were not the same level (big Beastie!) and DJ was past his prime by then.
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DJ is younger than Parlane by 6 months. DJ got fat and overweight and was done by 1979/80. Might have been the rejection of the 1978 world cup that did it. DJ and Parlane could easily have led our line until 1982+. It took until 1985 for them to be effectively replaced by McCoist and Fleck to a lesser extent in 86-87
 
MearnsUnionist said:
He was one of the speakers at our supporters club's dinner last May and he spoke about his love for Rangers and how heartbroken he was when he left.


He said he was disappointed that John Greig never played him more, but there was no criticism of Greig from him.

He absolutely loved Jock Wallace though and said he was the best manager he ever played under.
Click to expand...

I’ve seen him at a Louden night with John Greig.

I’ve been to quite a few of these player nights and he has been the best of a great bunch.

DP & Greig got on well as they bounced off each other. There definitely wasn’t any animosity from DP.

I could do with a night like that just now :)
 
Johnarsu said:
DJ is younger than Parlane by 6 months. DJ got fat and overweight and was done by 1979/80. Might have been the rejection of the 1978 world cup that did it. DJ and Parlane could easily have led our line until 1982+. It took until 1985 for them to be effectively replaced by McCoist and Fleck to a lesser extent in 86-87
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DJ was drinking most nights in Renfrew. That's what caused the weight gain.
 
Parlane was a terrific centre forward who really lead the line and who knew how to score goals.
To be honest, though, he wasn't as good as DJ and that is definitely not a criticism as at that time nobody was. For some reason, they weren't a great partnership so unless DJ played further back we didn't get the best out of either of them.

It's scary that at one time we had those two plus Colin Stein to pick from, a bit like when we had 3 genuinely top strikers at the same time in Ally, Hateley and Mo Johnston.

As for his departure, I think Greig decided he needed a different centre forward option and that meant one of the Dereks was going to be surplus. Sad way for it to end, but probably better than him sitting in the stand.

The first player I ever saw score for Rangers against Celtic. Which means he will always have a special place in my heart.
 
Met Derek a few times in a professional capacity (long story) in the late 80's. He was working for a Sportswear company. Went to his house in lovely area just outside Manchester. I was at '72 semi v Bayern Munich and told him so. He loved to talk about football and in the man the Rangers. His Dad Jimmy also played for the Gers.
 
Derek Parlane contributed well during his time at Rangers and scored some important goals. Find it quite difficult to make comparisons with DP and DJ. They had different qualities. Parlane was much more mobile and lethal in finishing. While DJ was vastly superior in the air and was good at laying on goals for others. Both were definite assets to our team.
 
Was at one of his first, if not first, after dinner speaking gigs

Told the story of the Rangers scout coming to his house to ask him to sign. Said it was for £5000 (or something like that). Punchline was - when the scout left - Derek asked his dad "where are we going to get £5000 so I can sign?" Boom boom :D
 
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