John Greig - 120 Rangers goals

dh1963

dh1963

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Mention John Greig and you think of an inspirational captain, a leader, a man who would run through brick walls for the jersey, and a player who won so many medals in a glittering career.
One thing that doesn't get mentioned very often was his incredible goalscoring record.

He was a defender almost all his career. He scored 120 goals in 755 competitive first team games over 17 years.

That was a goal just about every 6 games when playing at the back - and maintaining that ratio over 17 years. There are well paid forwards in modern football who can't boast a goal every 6 games.

The man voted the Greatest Ranger may have deserved that, he may not - I personally think it almost impossible to say there is one player over our whole history who should be regarded as better than anyone else. But there must be a decent argument that the greatest Rangers captain of my lifetime was the Rangers defender most likely to get us a goal.

For the older fans in here.... what goal springs to mind first out of his 120?
 
Before my time I am afraid but great thread. One of the greatest Rangers, as you say hard to pick just one but a truly incredible record. How many would be penalties?
 
Never in a million years would i have been near that prob would have guessed about half at most im shocked he got that amount and i prob seen most of his games live my dementia is getting worse by the day lol
 
Favourite one is the one at Somerset with Alastair Alexander commentating... "Greig still going and scoring". Although I must say the famous one against the beggars at New Year is a close second even if it wasn't so spectacular.
 
PawsBear said:
Favourite one is the one at Somerset with Alastair Alexander commentating... "Greig still going and scoring". Although I must say the famous one against the beggars at New Year is a close second even if it wasn't so spectacular.
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He scored a very similar one to the Ayr game just beforehand in a cup semi final at Hampden against Dundee United.
We had been struggling in the weeks before those games and our lead at the top had almost gone - still think Greig's 2 real Captain's goals were the inspiration the team got to go on to win a treble in his final season.
 
Superrangers said:
Before my time I am afraid but great thread. One of the greatest Rangers, as you say hard to pick just one but a truly incredible record. How many would be penalties?
Click to expand...

There will be a statto able to give how many penalties. He did take them for a while in the late 60s, but wasn't for that many seasons out the 17. The 70s were usually either Sandy Jardine or Alex Miller.
 
PawsBear said:
Favourite one is the one at Somerset with Alastair Alexander commentating... "Greig still going and scoring". Although I must say the famous one against the beggars at New Year is a close second even if it wasn't so spectacular.
Click to expand...

He actually scored three N'erday goals against them at Ibrox,1963,1969 and 1978.

We won all three games.

I can't remember him scoring at Parkhead.
 
He scored a few thunderbolts from long range. But in all honesty, the first goal I think of is the winner v Italy in the World Cup qualifier in 1965. Baxter takes the ball from the keeper, and passes it to Bremner (I think), then it goes to Greig, and back to Baxter, who first-times it back to him, at exactly the correct pace, and exactly the right position, for Greig to score.

 
My recollections of JG and scoring actually revolve the number of shots that hit row Z, however I was aware that he scored 120 career goals for us so he was doing something right. What my senile old brain can'nt recall however is him ever scoring a headed goal, though probably he did.
 
jackstar said:
The goal he scored against Cetic where he started the move off and was there to finish it,great move.
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Think that was after they went nuts ( always cheated )because they claimed it was a corner and we took a bye kick and ran up the park and scored.
They refused to kick off for ages after the goal, happy days!
 
High Society said:
Think that was after they went nuts ( always cheated )because they claimed it was a corner and we took a bye kick and ran up the park and scored.
They refused to kick off for ages after the goal, happy days!
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no they were claiming for a penalty for a foul on Joe craig. We just took a quick goal kick as they surrounded the ref. The Ledge started the move and finished it.
Cue the bottles from the Sellik end and their players spitting the dummy out big style and refusing to kick off.
I have had better days to be fair..............................................:cool:
 
Favourite is the tap in at the Celtic end with most of their team chasing the ref looking for a penalty.
Also remember him scoring two long range rockets against Ankaragouchi (sorry if spelling is wrong) from Turkey
 
Don’t know if I’m exaggerating with all the years that have passed but I remember him scoring a belter v Motherwell at Ibrox over at the centenary stand into the Copland Rd we were at our usual spot stairway 15, I thought it was around 30 yards out.
 
TheMilster said:
Don’t know if I’m exaggerating with all the years that have passed but I remember him scoring a belter v Motherwell at Ibrox over at the centenary stand into the Copland Rd we were at our usual spot stairway 15, I thought it was around 30 yards out.
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dh1963 said:
So do I... it was my birthday! Although I remember it as 40 yards :)
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dh1963 said:
So do I... it was my birthday! Although I remember it as 40 yards :)
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Was in the Copland that day
 
jf1960 said:
Never in a million years would i have been near that prob would have guessed about half at most im shocked he got that amount and i prob seen most of his games live my dementia is getting worse by the day lol
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Join the club old age is a knut.
 
dh1963 said:
Mention John Greig and you think of an inspirational captain, a leader, a man who would run through brick walls for the jersey, and a player who won so many medals in a glittering career.
One thing that doesn't get mentioned very often was his incredible goalscoring record.

He was a defender almost all his career. He scored 120 goals in 755 competitive first team games over 17 years.

That was a goal just about every 6 games when playing at the back - and maintaining that ratio over 17 years. There are well paid forwards in modern football who can't boast a goal every 6 games.

The man voted the Greatest Ranger may have deserved that, he may not - I personally think it almost impossible to say there is one player over our whole history who should be regarded as better than anyone else. But there must be a decent argument that the greatest Rangers captain of my lifetime was the Rangers defender most likely to get us a goal.

For the older fans in here.... what goal springs to mind first out of his 120?
Click to expand...
My first International V Italy Greig scored.
 
Mid seventies.....against Ankaragucu at Ibrox in the Fairs/uefa cup......a hard hit drive from about 20-25 yards that was still rising when it the net......I think he scored 2 that night.....
 
arnietac1 said:
no they were claiming for a penalty for a foul on Joe craig. We just took a quick goal kick as they surrounded the ref. The Ledge started the move and finished it.
Cue the bottles from the Sellik end and their players spitting the dummy out big style and refusing to kick off.
I have had better days to be fair..............................................:cool:
Click to expand...

Might not have been his best but that’s the one I remember most. Both ends we’re going crazy ,for different reasons. :)
 
loyd_grossman said:
Remember him scoring from around 30 yards against Motherwell at Ibrox
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That goal was the first one I thought of to. I think Peter Mcloy had saved a penalty just before Big John scored. Close second was the winner in the New year game against "Them", from the penalty spot.
 
He was an exceptional football player. Could tackle, head the ball and as the op says score goals. Oh to have a similar man in our line up today.

First as near to aRangers strip I had (replica strips weren't available in those days), my late mother sewed a number 4 on the back. Yes he wore various other numbers but to me he was always number 4 :)
 
As an aside I can recall him scoring against the great unwashed at Hampden in a 3-1 defeat and being cheered (not sarcastically) by that mob!
Such was the respect he earned.
 
Govan Rear Ranger said:
As an aside I can recall him scoring against the great unwashed at Hampden in a 3-1 defeat and being cheered (not sarcastically) by that mob!
Such was the respect he earned.
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He scored in a Glasgow Cup game against Celtic at Hampden @1970 and in another 3-1 defeat at Hampden at the start of the 1972-1973 League campaign. This latter defeat proved costly for us at the end of that season.

I have to say GRR, I felt they were being sarcastic when Big Greig scored in the league game.
 
dh1963 said:
There will be a statto able to give how many penalties. He did take them for a while in the late 60s, but wasn't for that many seasons out the 17. The 70s were usually either Sandy Jardine or Alex Miller.
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No statto but I would be surprised if he scored more than 10 penalties. An overall great scoring record by a great Ranger.
 
The Meik's Crombie said:
He scored in a Glasgow Cup game against Celtic at Hampden @1970 and in another 3-1 defeat at Hampden at the start of the 1972-1973 League campaign. This latter defeat proved costly for us at the end of that season.

I have to say GRR, I felt they were being sarcastic when Big Greig scored in the league game.
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You may be right TM'sC but I still think there was an element of at least 'grudging' respect. Much more than we afforded McBungle in his playing day. I obviously feel more for McNeil now considering his condition.
 
Govan Rear Ranger said:
You may be right TM'sC but I still think there was an element of at least 'grudging' respect. Much more than we afforded McBungle in his playing day. I obviously feel more for McNeil now considering his condition.
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I agree with your sentiments. I have said on another thread I sympathise with Billy McNeill and his family as I have had personal experience in my family of the same condition. Horrendous.

Reverting back to the playing career of John Greig. I always got the impression that, while he was not happy anytime we lost, at least Big Greig was gracious in defeat which was not the case with Billy McNeill. Their careers were polar opposites in as much as John Greig started his career in a great Rangers team, the middle years were not so great and the latter years returned to the glory years. Billy McNeill started his career in a terrible Celtic team, the middle bit was, unfortunately for us, good but his final years as a player saw Celtic on a slow decline.
 
dh1963 said:
Mention John Greig and you think of an inspirational captain, a leader, a man who would run through brick walls for the jersey, and a player who won so many medals in a glittering career.
One thing that doesn't get mentioned very often was his incredible goalscoring record.

He was a defender almost all his career. He scored 120 goals in 755 competitive first team games over 17 years.

That was a goal just about every 6 games when playing at the back - and maintaining that ratio over 17 years. There are well paid forwards in modern football who can't boast a goal every 6 games.

The man voted the Greatest Ranger may have deserved that, he may not - I personally think it almost impossible to say there is one player over our whole history who should be regarded as better than anyone else. But there must be a decent argument that the greatest Rangers captain of my lifetime was the Rangers defender most likely to get us a goal.

For the older fans in here.... what goal springs to mind first out of his 120?
Click to expand...
Not the first one I saw but the tap in v them 1978. They are appealing for a pen and forget to play the whistle. Ham n' Egg collects the ball and starts the move, sprints up the park and is on the end of it right in front of their fans. I was in the main stand and watched him 'sprint' down the left wing. Carlsberg goal.
 
The Meik's Crombie said:
I agree with your sentiments. I have said on another thread I sympathise with Billy McNeill and his family as I have had personal experience in my family of the same condition. Horrendous.

Reverting back to the playing career of John Greig. I always got the impression that, while he was not happy anytime we lost, at least Big Greig was gracious in defeat which was not the case with Billy McNeill. Their careers were polar opposites in as much as John Greig started his career in a great Rangers team, the middle years were not so great and the latter years returned to the glory years. Billy McNeill started his career in a terrible Celtic team, the middle bit was, unfortunately for us, good but his final years as a player saw Celtic on a slow decline.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have put it better.
 
I remember he scored 2 in a 2-1 win against Falkirk at Ibrox around 73/74 it was freezing & we were lighting fires on the terracing, he carried the team that day (we wore the red jerseys that day & the crowd was about 15K) not as famous as the goal against the Shettlestons but a typical Greig performance
 
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