Memories of Richard Gough

Danger Zone

Danger Zone

Just the tip...
What are your favourite Gough memories?

For the age I am (30’s), King Richard is my favourite Rangers captain. He epitomes what a Rangers Captain should be, an absolute born leader, a fearless winner, and someone who’d put it all on the line to make sure we got where we needed to be. A career littered with last ditch, match winning tackles, big game goals (loved a goal against them for a centre half) and silverware.

For me, it’s hard to top the absolute look of joy, pride, relief and sadness (that he was leaving) on his face as he lifted our 9th championship in a row.

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He will always be THE captain for me. I’m in the same age bracket as you mate, King Richard will always be the leader for me. I’ll go for the outstanding tackle he made against van hoojidonk (I think) to block an almost certain goal at Parkhead. Unbelievable tackle and summed him up for me.
 
iain18(7)2 said:
He will always be THE captain for me. I’m in the same age bracket as you mate, King Richard will always be the leader for me. I’ll go for the outstanding tackle he made against van hoojidonk (I think) to block an almost certain goal at Parkhead. Unbelievable tackle and summed him up for me.
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I’m a tad older (40s) but agree with all you’ve said . A simply magnificent defender and leader .
 
£10 @ 40/1 with corals first goal v scum. Cracking header, right in line with it from a corner, will remember forever. Won 2-0, scum got McKinlay sent off. 9iar
 
I actually think he was more effective as a right-back than a centre-half. That's where he was meant to play but with Roberts and Butcher leaving and the club being short of a leader and organiser he had to move into the middle. As a full back his runs up the field were similar to the style of Alan Hutton but often he would get the ball to the winger and sneak his way into the box where he could be as effective as a Derek Johnstone or Mark Hateley type of player.

Anyway, that's an if only story. He was brilliant. We will probably never see someone as good, as loyal and as gentlemanly again.

He is up there with John Greig but I think that people are only starting to realise that now.
 
SM™ said:
I actually think he was more effective as a right-back than a centre-half. That's where he was meant to play but with Roberts and Butcher leaving and the club being short of a leader and organiser he had to move into the middle. As a full back his runs up the field were similar to the style of Alan Hutton but often he would get the ball to the winger and sneak his way into the box where he could be as effective as a Derek Johnstone or Mark Hateley type of player.

Anyway, that's an if only story. He was brilliant. We will probably never see someone as good, as loyal and as gentlemanly again.

He is up there with John Greig but I think that people are only starting to realise that now.
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Gary Stevens was our right back and Gough wouldn't have displaced him. He was a much better CB than Graeme Roberts and I think that played a part in the Souness/Roberts fall out. Souness had Gough, Roberts and Butcher to pick from a three into two doesn't go.
 
Multiple OF performances possibly the LC we won when he popped up in their box and slid it home.
 
SM™ said:
I actually think he was more effective as a right-back than a centre-half. That's where he was meant to play but with Roberts and Butcher leaving and the club being short of a leader and organiser he had to move into the middle. As a full back his runs up the field were similar to the style of Alan Hutton but often he would get the ball to the winger and sneak his way into the box where he could be as effective as a Derek Johnstone or Mark Hateley type of player.

Anyway, that's an if only story. He was brilliant. We will probably never see someone as good, as loyal and as gentlemanly again.

He is up there with John Greig but I think that people are only starting to realise that now.
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Your last sentence is spot on
 
Too many colossal performances to pick out one.

The true test of how good he was is how we played when he was not in the team. No matter if he was having an off day he still kept the rest of the backline on their game.

When absent there was a slightly less confident air around the rest.
 
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A leader who bled for the cause and who accepted nothing but total dedication to the success of Rangers.

And a bloody brilliant defender.
 
Also my favourite ever captain. Time and time again he put his body on the line for the club. At times he wasn't 100% fit but would play through the pain barrier. Stick his head in where it hurts and take many a boot in the head. Weighed in with a good few goals. An out and out leader and winner. He epitomises everything of a Rangers captain. In my all time Rangers 11. How I wish we had someone half as good as him
 
During those dark days in the lower leagues I couldn’t stop harking back to Gough. Everything we needed and didn’t have, no one would take responsibility in those sides, most of them surrendered tamely.

You’d never get that from Gough, he’d go through brick walls for the team. You could tell the rest of the squad respected him and were only too happy to get behind him as their leader. I also love that the guy took time to sit down with Katic and offer him advice, and I love even more than Katic acknowledged how much of an honour that was and how he’d take it all on board. King Richard indeed

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A brilliant player and Captain. Hed be one of the first names down in my all time Rangers team.
 
A Lionheart - he was appropriately named. Outside his displays for the club I always remember his performance against Holland in Euro 92. Completely dominated Van Basten.
 
I'v got a tim mate or two Back in the day they used to say to me what is it with that cnut Gough. He's injured for weeks and it's a game against us and he phuckin declares himself fit. I answer it's because he phuckin hates yeez.

Gentlemen do we all know what's required here.

In the tunnel at the midden.
 
Loved Richard, he just seemed a man of stature. A true Ranger; we haven't had a captain as good as him since.
 
Seem to recall that in his first game for Rangers which ironically was at Tannadice, Richard Gough was on the losing side. He wasn’t on the losing side often after that. He had great leadership qualities.
 
Leader of men.

Led by example. Always showed up for the big games, never hid. The way he organised the defence was superb, and he was able to play alongside a number of partners in defence without adversely affecting his game. Weighed in with a goal or two and loved a big performance against Them. As far as I’m concerned he’s the standard against which all Rangers players and captains will be judged.
 
SM™ said:
I actually think he was more effective as a right-back than a centre-half. That's where he was meant to play but with Roberts and Butcher leaving and the club being short of a leader and organiser he had to move into the middle. As a full back his runs up the field were similar to the style of Alan Hutton but often he would get the ball to the winger and sneak his way into the box where he could be as effective as a Derek Johnstone or Mark Hateley type of player.

Anyway, that's an if only story. He was brilliant. We will probably never see someone as good, as loyal and as gentlemanly again.

He is up there with John Greig but I think that people are only starting to realise that now.
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It is an interesting one about his position... I think he always saw himself as a centre back and that’s were he played at Tottenham.

When he was brought in, Butcher and Roberts was the central pairing and within a couple of months, injury to Butcher saw a Gough/Roberts pairing and Scott Nisbet brought in to mostly play rightback.
Gough had pushed Roberts out of the first team at Spurs a year before and there was clearly bad blood.

By the end of 87/88 season, Roberts had talked his way out of Ibrox and Butcher and Gough became then the pairing.
Gary Stevens brought in as right back and the 89/90 season was some sort of pinnacle of the Rangers defence of that period as only 19 goals were conceded in a 36 league game season with Woods behind Munro, Butcher, Gough and Stevens.

I think he had a lot of the attributes to be a cracking right back but Gough only ever saw himself playing in the centre of defence IMO.
 
My memories are when I asked him for a photograph with my young daughter outside the doors of Ibrox and was treated to a 'blank' from him. Uncalled for, daughter was gutted.

Just saying.
 
Beer Belly Loyal said:
My memories are when I asked him for a photograph with my young daughter outside the doors of Ibrox and was treated to a 'blank' from him. Uncalled for, daughter was gutted.

Just saying.
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I had that outside Ibrox once as well, liking for an autograph as he went to go across the the Albion and he was incredibly rude in blanking me and a few other kids.
By contrast, every other player stopped for signatures & photographs without any problem at all.
 
SM™ said:
I actually think he was more effective as a right-back than a centre-half. That's where he was meant to play but with Roberts and Butcher leaving and the club being short of a leader and organiser he had to move into the middle. As a full back his runs up the field were similar to the style of Alan Hutton but often he would get the ball to the winger and sneak his way into the box where he could be as effective as a Derek Johnstone or Mark Hateley type of player.

Anyway, that's an if only story. He was brilliant. We will probably never see someone as good, as loyal and as gentlemanly again.

He is up there with John Greig but I think that people are only starting to realise that now.
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I remember him playing in midfield for Dundee mentally challengeds in the very early 80s.

We undoubtedly got the best years of his football though. Born leader, great defender and a genuine goal threat at set pieces.

2-2 equaliser was a top moment.
 
Standards.

So many on the pitch but what stands out for me was an interview he gave about a visit to Ibrox after he retired.

He slated the fact that youth players were just wandering in and out the dressing room, even calling the manager by his nickname, the lack of realisation they were playing for Rangers.

I know times change, but for me he was spot on. Playing for Rangers is a serious business which means so much to so many people. He sensed that the roles of manager, captain and first team player had been cheapened. Our performances and public perception suggest he was right. We lost a lot of respect (even fear) from the media and wider public during those days and we have never recovered.
 
Danger Zone said:
What are your favourite Gough memories?

For the age I am (30’s), King Richard is my favourite Rangers captain. He epitomes what a Rangers Captain should be, an absolute born leader, a fearless winner, and someone who’d put it all on the line to make sure we got where we needed to be. A career littered with last ditch, match winning tackles, big game goals (loved a goal against them for a centre half) and silverware.

For me, it’s hard to top the absolute look of joy, pride, relief and sadness (that he was leaving) on his face as he lifted our 9th championship in a row.

nintchdbpict000000863329.jpg
Click to expand...
My fave Rangers captain ...was at Hampden when he scored in extra time v them to win us the Skol Cup in 1990 . His equaliser at Ibrox when we were down to 9 men is another gem of a memory !
 
Colossus was the first word I think of when I hear the name Richard Gough.

That block on Van Hooijdonk. A defenders equivalent of banging one into the top bin from 30 yards (unless they actually did that, that is).

Richard Gough is the finest Rangers captain of my generation.
 
I'm 35 and grew up watching Gough, without a doubt the greatest Rangers captain of my time. Wish we had someone like him now. A proper leader, never went in to hiding, knew exactly what was expected and required and was a solid defender in his day.
 
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