MO_TxTruBlu
Well-Known Member
Eric Caldow was at Rangers from 1952 until 1966, playing in 407 competitive games for the Club.
He never once received a booking. He never once scored from open play, but managed to find the net 25 times from the penalty spot.
He played for Scotland on 40 occasions, He was Captain of his Country 16 times.
And but for that horrific triple leg fracture suffered at Wembley in 1963, whilst at the peak of his career,
Caldow would have surely surpassed the record number of Scotland Caps
(54, held by George Young, from 1957 until Denis Law reached 55 in 1974)
He was the first Rangers player to represent his country at the World Cup Finals.
He also captained Rangers to their first European Final.
Rangers paid the princely sum of £20 to secure the services of Eric Caldow in 1952.
Caldow made his Rangers debut as a 19 year old, in Bill Struth's final season as Manager in 1953-54, in a League Cup Quarter final tie (first leg) v Ayr United in place of the injured George Young at right back. He also played in the return game four days later.
The Rangers side that won the tie 6-5 on aggregate included such stars as McColl, Woodburn, Cox and Waddell.
Three days later, Caldow made his Old Firm debut in a 1-1 draw at Ibrox.
It would be six months and 25 games later before Caldow would get his chance again, in a League match v Hamilton Accies.
Incidentally, Hamilton's right back that day was a local lad by the name of Bobby Shearer.
(these two would go on to form a formidable full back partnership for Rangers for the best part of the next decade).
Two days later and Rangers were involved in a Scottish Cup (second replay) v Third Lanark
at Ibrox, and Caldow was in the Line up again, this time it was at the expense of the injured Willie Woodburn.
George Young took over at centre half with the young Caldow slotting in at right back.
Half an hour into the game with Third Lanark leading 1-0, Rangers were awarded a penalty.
George Young, Rangers penalty king at the time, had missed one in the 4-4 draw a week previously, and to everyone's surprise the young 19 year old Caldow stepped up to slot the spot kick home.
Rangers would go on to win the match 3-2.
The following Saturday Rangers beat Berwick Rangers 4-0 in the next round of the cup in front of 60,000 plus at Ibrox, with Caldow again netting from the penalty spot.
Four days later, and Caldow would score his third penalty in as many games, in a 2-2 draw with Raith Rovers in a League match at Ibrox.
Caldow would score one more penalty before the season ended in disappointment, trophyless and a 4th place finish in the League.
Scot Symon took over the reigns as Manager in the summer of 54', and after only one League game of the season had to contend with the Sine Die ban handed to the Legendary Willie Woodburn.
This forced Symon to eventually switch his new Captain George Young to Centre half.
His full backs for the most part were Little and Cox.
It would be the end of February before Caldow got a chance again, and he played in all 10 of Rangers remaining League games that season.
Caldow was now pretty much established as Rangers right back, though the signing of Shearer the following season forced him to operate on the left.
There would be no more penalties for the youngster for the foreseeable future.
This task was now handed to the very able Johhny Hubbard,
who would score an incredible 42 penalties over the next four seasons.
Caldow won his first International cap at the age of 22 at Wembley in 1957.
Very much the baby of the National side, he was four years younger than anyone else in the team, and would go on to play in 40 of the next 42 Internationals that Scotland were involved in.
This included three appearances at the World Cup Finals in 1958.
Rangers saw out the1950's winning 3 league titles in 4 seasons, though they failed to bring home a Cup.
58-59 saw a poor start to the season as Rangers failed to make it out of the Qualifying section of the League Cup.
In the League, 1 win in their first 5 games saw Rangers slump to 12th place in the Table.
Ian McMillan was finally signed from Airdrie at the start of October, and Rangers then went on a run of 27 League games with only 1 defeat.
They signaled their intent on Dec 13th, when Champions and League leaders Hearts came to Ibrox.
Rangers exploded on them and annihilated Hearts by five goals to nil in front of 60,000 at Ibrox.
(all 5 goals coming in the opening 34 mins)
With Hubbard fading out of the picture, Caldow was reinstated as Rangers penalty taker on New Years day, and scored the winner from the spot in a 2-1win over Celtic at Ibrox.
Caldow would score 24 penalties for Rangers and Scotland over the next four seasons.
With only two League games remaining, Rangers were in the comfortable position of being 4 points ahead of Hearts, needing only one point to reclaim the Title.
The first of these two games was at Tyncastle and as ridiculous as it may seem today, Rangers were forced to play this title decider without Caldow,
as he was busy playing for Scotland at Wembley.
Rangers were forced to play an untried 18 year old Davie Provan at full back that day, and suffered a 0-2 defeat.
This put both teams on identical goal average (and identical goal differential 91-49)
Still 1 game to go. 1 point needed.
It was against Aberdeen, who themselves needed 1 point to avoid relegation.
A draw would have been a happy conclusion for both teams,
but it was not to be,
Aberdeen would win 2-1 and the Rangers players were booed off the park with their heads bowed in shame, assuming that the title had been thrown away,
totally unaware that Hearts (who had collected 19 out of 20 points in their last 10 games),
had buckled to our neighbours across the city.
Celtic had defeated Hearts 2-1, thereby handing the Championship to Rangers.
He never once received a booking. He never once scored from open play, but managed to find the net 25 times from the penalty spot.
He played for Scotland on 40 occasions, He was Captain of his Country 16 times.
And but for that horrific triple leg fracture suffered at Wembley in 1963, whilst at the peak of his career,
Caldow would have surely surpassed the record number of Scotland Caps
(54, held by George Young, from 1957 until Denis Law reached 55 in 1974)
He was the first Rangers player to represent his country at the World Cup Finals.
He also captained Rangers to their first European Final.
Rangers paid the princely sum of £20 to secure the services of Eric Caldow in 1952.
Caldow made his Rangers debut as a 19 year old, in Bill Struth's final season as Manager in 1953-54, in a League Cup Quarter final tie (first leg) v Ayr United in place of the injured George Young at right back. He also played in the return game four days later.
The Rangers side that won the tie 6-5 on aggregate included such stars as McColl, Woodburn, Cox and Waddell.
Three days later, Caldow made his Old Firm debut in a 1-1 draw at Ibrox.
It would be six months and 25 games later before Caldow would get his chance again, in a League match v Hamilton Accies.
Incidentally, Hamilton's right back that day was a local lad by the name of Bobby Shearer.
(these two would go on to form a formidable full back partnership for Rangers for the best part of the next decade).
Two days later and Rangers were involved in a Scottish Cup (second replay) v Third Lanark
at Ibrox, and Caldow was in the Line up again, this time it was at the expense of the injured Willie Woodburn.
George Young took over at centre half with the young Caldow slotting in at right back.
Half an hour into the game with Third Lanark leading 1-0, Rangers were awarded a penalty.
George Young, Rangers penalty king at the time, had missed one in the 4-4 draw a week previously, and to everyone's surprise the young 19 year old Caldow stepped up to slot the spot kick home.
Rangers would go on to win the match 3-2.
The following Saturday Rangers beat Berwick Rangers 4-0 in the next round of the cup in front of 60,000 plus at Ibrox, with Caldow again netting from the penalty spot.
Four days later, and Caldow would score his third penalty in as many games, in a 2-2 draw with Raith Rovers in a League match at Ibrox.
Caldow would score one more penalty before the season ended in disappointment, trophyless and a 4th place finish in the League.
Scot Symon took over the reigns as Manager in the summer of 54', and after only one League game of the season had to contend with the Sine Die ban handed to the Legendary Willie Woodburn.
This forced Symon to eventually switch his new Captain George Young to Centre half.
His full backs for the most part were Little and Cox.
It would be the end of February before Caldow got a chance again, and he played in all 10 of Rangers remaining League games that season.
Caldow was now pretty much established as Rangers right back, though the signing of Shearer the following season forced him to operate on the left.
There would be no more penalties for the youngster for the foreseeable future.
This task was now handed to the very able Johhny Hubbard,
who would score an incredible 42 penalties over the next four seasons.
Caldow won his first International cap at the age of 22 at Wembley in 1957.
Very much the baby of the National side, he was four years younger than anyone else in the team, and would go on to play in 40 of the next 42 Internationals that Scotland were involved in.
This included three appearances at the World Cup Finals in 1958.
Rangers saw out the1950's winning 3 league titles in 4 seasons, though they failed to bring home a Cup.
58-59 saw a poor start to the season as Rangers failed to make it out of the Qualifying section of the League Cup.
In the League, 1 win in their first 5 games saw Rangers slump to 12th place in the Table.
Ian McMillan was finally signed from Airdrie at the start of October, and Rangers then went on a run of 27 League games with only 1 defeat.
They signaled their intent on Dec 13th, when Champions and League leaders Hearts came to Ibrox.
Rangers exploded on them and annihilated Hearts by five goals to nil in front of 60,000 at Ibrox.
(all 5 goals coming in the opening 34 mins)
With Hubbard fading out of the picture, Caldow was reinstated as Rangers penalty taker on New Years day, and scored the winner from the spot in a 2-1win over Celtic at Ibrox.
Caldow would score 24 penalties for Rangers and Scotland over the next four seasons.
With only two League games remaining, Rangers were in the comfortable position of being 4 points ahead of Hearts, needing only one point to reclaim the Title.
The first of these two games was at Tyncastle and as ridiculous as it may seem today, Rangers were forced to play this title decider without Caldow,
as he was busy playing for Scotland at Wembley.
Rangers were forced to play an untried 18 year old Davie Provan at full back that day, and suffered a 0-2 defeat.
This put both teams on identical goal average (and identical goal differential 91-49)
Still 1 game to go. 1 point needed.
It was against Aberdeen, who themselves needed 1 point to avoid relegation.
A draw would have been a happy conclusion for both teams,
but it was not to be,
Aberdeen would win 2-1 and the Rangers players were booed off the park with their heads bowed in shame, assuming that the title had been thrown away,
totally unaware that Hearts (who had collected 19 out of 20 points in their last 10 games),
had buckled to our neighbours across the city.
Celtic had defeated Hearts 2-1, thereby handing the Championship to Rangers.
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