MO_TxTruBlu
Well-Known Member
Orjan Persson was to become Scot Symon's last signing as Rangers Manager, on Aug 3rd 1967.
The shrewd Symon (Britain's most successful manager of the period) had been in negotiations all summer long, in an attempt to prise the highly rated Swedish International away from Dundee Utd.
(Persson was the only player in Dundee United's 58 year old history, to have actually appeared for their country)
After much protracted haggling to and fro, Symon finally got his man when he surprisingly offered the Legendary Rangers winger, Davy Wilson (along with Wilson Wood) as a sweetener to Dundee Utd, in exchange for the 6ft. Swedish left winger.
Six days later Persson would make his unofficial debut, in a glamorous pre- season friendly v Eintracht Frankfurt at Ibrox before a crowd of 60,000.
Persson came on as a substitute (replacing Willie Johnston) and scored Rangers fifth goal in an impressive 5-3 victory.
Three days later on Aug 12th Persson made his official debut in a League Cup tie at Pittodrie, scoring Rangers goal in a 1-1 draw
He made his official home debut the following Wednesday night in a rousing 1-1 draw v Celtic, in the League Cup at Ibrox in front of a staggering 94,168 paying fans.
Just over a month later, in the first Old Firm League game of the season,
Persson became an overnight hero, when after a three game absence, he was reinstated and repaid his selection gloriously, scoring a wonder goal against the European Champions, in a 1-0 win for Rangers in front of 90,000 fans at Ibrox.
'Latching onto a clever lob from McKinnon, Persson went on a devastating 30 yard run (right to left) beating four Celtic defenders, (Gemmell being two of them), before crashing in an unstoppable shot from what seemed like an impossible angle.'
Oh how we loved him.
The 'Big Orange' would face Celtic three times that season, and not once ended on the losing side.
In fact, Persson would play in 41 domestic games that season, and only finished on the losing side in 2 games.
He also chipped in with 17 goals.
For a man with such a strike rate, and quite a phenomenal shot, it is surprising that I cannot recall the big man ever hitting a penalty (in a period when Rangers had more players missing penalties, than actually scoring from them)
After only three months into Persson's Ibrox career, Scot Symon was sacked (whilst Rangers were top of the League).
In Davie White's first game in charge, Persson scored the winner in a 3-2 win at Muirton Park against St Johnstone.
Other goals of note that season were a late winner at East End Park in a 2-1 win v Dunfermline, on Mar 6th, that kept Rangers 4 points clear of Celtic at the top of the League. (Celtic had 1 game in hand).
Three days later, he scored a stunning equaliser in a Scottish Cup tie v Hearts at Ibrox, with an overhead scissor kick, that had the Scottish press gushing over it as one of the finest goals ever seen in Scottish football.
The following saturday his wonder goals continued when he scored direct form a corner kick, in a 5-0 win v Stirling Albion as Persson netted a hat trick.
(I think he also scored direct from a corner against Stirling Albion earlier that season at Annfield Stadium).
Persson's goalscoring continued a week later, when he scored the opener in a a fantastic 3-1 win at Easter Rd, that kept Rangers top of the League, 2 points clear of Celtic, with 7 games to play.
Three days later, a confident Rangers met the mighty Leeds Utd at Ibrox, in the Fairs Cities Cup Quarter Final (first leg).
80,000 packed into Ibrox, and witnessed a Rangers side that had wingers Henderson and Persson, ripping Reaney and Cooper apart in a first half, that surprisingly ended goal less, with shocking misses from Johnston (twice), and Ferguson.
Persson himself, was denied a winner, two minutes from time, when the erratic Gary Sprake pulled off a quite brilliant save, from the big Swede.
Two draws in April (at Dundee Utd and Morton), and a last day defeat at home to Aberdeen (our only League defeat that season) allowed Celtic (who won their last 16 games) to take the League Title by two points.
Rangers total of 61 points from a possible 68 points would have secured the Title in 11 of the previous 12 seasons, since we went to 34 games in a season in 1955-56.
It was the fewest number of points we had dropped in a single season, in 67 years, since 1901.
It was the highest number of points gained in a season, percentage wise, since Bill Struth's inaugural season of 1920-21, and the only other time we have gained a 90% point gain, since that perfect season of 1898-99.
Getting back to Orjan Persson, the following season (68-69) will be best remembered for his performance in a brilliant 4-2 League win at Parkhead in September.
Persson, who had already shown that he could also comfortably play as a right winger, an inside forward, and even straight down the middle, was operating as a twin striker, alongside Willie Johnston, aided and abetted by a wing switching Willie Henderson, as an adventurous and attacking Rangers side ripped the Celtic defence to shreds.
Persson scored the opener, with a sublime header.
Willie Johnston scored a couple, and handy Andy Penman hit one in-between.
It was Rangers first win at Parkhead since New Years Day 1964.
He also played in the corresponding League match at Ibrox on Jan 2nd that Rangers comfortably won 1-0, in front of 85,000 fans.
Other games of note that season included a Fairs Cup tie at Ibrox against Atletico Bilbao.
Rangers were struggling to hold on to a 2-1 lead, when Persson came off the bench to replace Alex Ferguson for the last fifteen minutes, and transformed the game.
With three minutes remaining, Persson gave Rangers a two goal cushion when he broke free and sped onto a Colin Stein through pass, and cleverly beat the great Spanish goalkeeper Iribar, at the near post.
One minute later, Persson returned the favour, whipping in a delightful cross, that Colin Stein met on the run and smashed the ball into the net, to give Rangers a 4-1 lead to take to Spain for the return leg.
Despite some first class performances throughout that season from Rangers, that saw them defeat Celtic twice in the League, and go all the way to the Semi Final of the Fairs Cup (UEFA Cup), they again ended the season without a trophy.
(Three defeats to Celtic, cost us any chance in the domestic cups).
The 69-70 season was another turbulent year for Rangers, as Davie White was sacked following the defeat to Gornik in November.
Despite a shaky start, which saw Rangers lose 3 of their first 14 League games (coincidentally, Persson did not play in those 3 defeated games).
Rangers were sat in 2nd place in the table, trailing Hibs by 4 points. (Celtic were 3rd on the same points as us, but with a game in hand).
At this point of his Rangers career, Persson had, in the last two and a bit seasons, played in 110 games for Rangers, and scored 31 goals.
In 72 League games, he had only tasted defeat in 7 games (6 of those all coming in one season 68-69)
Willie Waddell took over as manager of Rangers on Dec 3rd 1969.
Unfortunately, and I know not why, Mr Waddell did not rate the big Swede, and afforded him only three more appearances in a Rangers jersey, before making him available for transfer at the end of the season on April 28th, 1970.
Rangers finished the season 1 point ahead of Hibs, but a humiliating 12 points adrift of Celtic. (2 points for a win back then).
Even though Persson spent less than 3 years at Ibrox, he served under three different managers, which was more than half of the five, that we had in our entire 98 year history.
Despite only making 2 appearances for Rangers in 1970,
Persson was selected for the Swedish national squad that was one of only Sixteen nations who went to the World Cup Finals in Mexico.
He played in two games at the World Cup 1970, against Israel and Uruguay.
After the World Cup, Persson rejoined his former club Orgryte for a small fee.
Persson quit the game in 1972.
He missed playing so much that six months later he returned to play in the Swedish second Division (as a midfielder).
So highly rated was Persson in his own country, that 18 months after he supposedly hung up his boots (and 4 years after Waddell deemed him surplus to requirements at Rangers) he was recalled to the National side for the World Cup Finals in West Germany in 1974.
Persson made an appearance as a midfielder in a very credible 0-0 draw against that great Holland side that included Johan Cruyff, Arie Haan, Johnny Rep, Piet Keizer, Johan Neeskens and Ruud Krol, in a Group C game.
This game is best remembered for that wonderful turn by Cruyff that has been replayed and highlighted a million times in the last thirty odd years.
His 48th and final appearance for Sweden came two weeks later in a second phase World Cup game, against Group B winners Yugoslavia (Scotland's group)
Persson was selected as a central midfielder as Sweden defeated Yugoslavia 2-1.
Even though he was at Rangers less than than three years, and failed to win any trophies,
Orjan Persson will long be remembered, by those of us who were fortunate enough to witness some of the spectacular goals that he scored in his all too brief Ibrox career.
The shrewd Symon (Britain's most successful manager of the period) had been in negotiations all summer long, in an attempt to prise the highly rated Swedish International away from Dundee Utd.
(Persson was the only player in Dundee United's 58 year old history, to have actually appeared for their country)
After much protracted haggling to and fro, Symon finally got his man when he surprisingly offered the Legendary Rangers winger, Davy Wilson (along with Wilson Wood) as a sweetener to Dundee Utd, in exchange for the 6ft. Swedish left winger.
Six days later Persson would make his unofficial debut, in a glamorous pre- season friendly v Eintracht Frankfurt at Ibrox before a crowd of 60,000.
Persson came on as a substitute (replacing Willie Johnston) and scored Rangers fifth goal in an impressive 5-3 victory.
Three days later on Aug 12th Persson made his official debut in a League Cup tie at Pittodrie, scoring Rangers goal in a 1-1 draw
He made his official home debut the following Wednesday night in a rousing 1-1 draw v Celtic, in the League Cup at Ibrox in front of a staggering 94,168 paying fans.
Just over a month later, in the first Old Firm League game of the season,
Persson became an overnight hero, when after a three game absence, he was reinstated and repaid his selection gloriously, scoring a wonder goal against the European Champions, in a 1-0 win for Rangers in front of 90,000 fans at Ibrox.
'Latching onto a clever lob from McKinnon, Persson went on a devastating 30 yard run (right to left) beating four Celtic defenders, (Gemmell being two of them), before crashing in an unstoppable shot from what seemed like an impossible angle.'
Oh how we loved him.
The 'Big Orange' would face Celtic three times that season, and not once ended on the losing side.
In fact, Persson would play in 41 domestic games that season, and only finished on the losing side in 2 games.
He also chipped in with 17 goals.
For a man with such a strike rate, and quite a phenomenal shot, it is surprising that I cannot recall the big man ever hitting a penalty (in a period when Rangers had more players missing penalties, than actually scoring from them)
After only three months into Persson's Ibrox career, Scot Symon was sacked (whilst Rangers were top of the League).
In Davie White's first game in charge, Persson scored the winner in a 3-2 win at Muirton Park against St Johnstone.
Other goals of note that season were a late winner at East End Park in a 2-1 win v Dunfermline, on Mar 6th, that kept Rangers 4 points clear of Celtic at the top of the League. (Celtic had 1 game in hand).
Three days later, he scored a stunning equaliser in a Scottish Cup tie v Hearts at Ibrox, with an overhead scissor kick, that had the Scottish press gushing over it as one of the finest goals ever seen in Scottish football.
The following saturday his wonder goals continued when he scored direct form a corner kick, in a 5-0 win v Stirling Albion as Persson netted a hat trick.
(I think he also scored direct from a corner against Stirling Albion earlier that season at Annfield Stadium).
Persson's goalscoring continued a week later, when he scored the opener in a a fantastic 3-1 win at Easter Rd, that kept Rangers top of the League, 2 points clear of Celtic, with 7 games to play.
Three days later, a confident Rangers met the mighty Leeds Utd at Ibrox, in the Fairs Cities Cup Quarter Final (first leg).
80,000 packed into Ibrox, and witnessed a Rangers side that had wingers Henderson and Persson, ripping Reaney and Cooper apart in a first half, that surprisingly ended goal less, with shocking misses from Johnston (twice), and Ferguson.
Persson himself, was denied a winner, two minutes from time, when the erratic Gary Sprake pulled off a quite brilliant save, from the big Swede.
Two draws in April (at Dundee Utd and Morton), and a last day defeat at home to Aberdeen (our only League defeat that season) allowed Celtic (who won their last 16 games) to take the League Title by two points.
Rangers total of 61 points from a possible 68 points would have secured the Title in 11 of the previous 12 seasons, since we went to 34 games in a season in 1955-56.
It was the fewest number of points we had dropped in a single season, in 67 years, since 1901.
It was the highest number of points gained in a season, percentage wise, since Bill Struth's inaugural season of 1920-21, and the only other time we have gained a 90% point gain, since that perfect season of 1898-99.
Getting back to Orjan Persson, the following season (68-69) will be best remembered for his performance in a brilliant 4-2 League win at Parkhead in September.
Persson, who had already shown that he could also comfortably play as a right winger, an inside forward, and even straight down the middle, was operating as a twin striker, alongside Willie Johnston, aided and abetted by a wing switching Willie Henderson, as an adventurous and attacking Rangers side ripped the Celtic defence to shreds.
Persson scored the opener, with a sublime header.
Willie Johnston scored a couple, and handy Andy Penman hit one in-between.
It was Rangers first win at Parkhead since New Years Day 1964.
He also played in the corresponding League match at Ibrox on Jan 2nd that Rangers comfortably won 1-0, in front of 85,000 fans.
Other games of note that season included a Fairs Cup tie at Ibrox against Atletico Bilbao.
Rangers were struggling to hold on to a 2-1 lead, when Persson came off the bench to replace Alex Ferguson for the last fifteen minutes, and transformed the game.
With three minutes remaining, Persson gave Rangers a two goal cushion when he broke free and sped onto a Colin Stein through pass, and cleverly beat the great Spanish goalkeeper Iribar, at the near post.
One minute later, Persson returned the favour, whipping in a delightful cross, that Colin Stein met on the run and smashed the ball into the net, to give Rangers a 4-1 lead to take to Spain for the return leg.
Despite some first class performances throughout that season from Rangers, that saw them defeat Celtic twice in the League, and go all the way to the Semi Final of the Fairs Cup (UEFA Cup), they again ended the season without a trophy.
(Three defeats to Celtic, cost us any chance in the domestic cups).
The 69-70 season was another turbulent year for Rangers, as Davie White was sacked following the defeat to Gornik in November.
Despite a shaky start, which saw Rangers lose 3 of their first 14 League games (coincidentally, Persson did not play in those 3 defeated games).
Rangers were sat in 2nd place in the table, trailing Hibs by 4 points. (Celtic were 3rd on the same points as us, but with a game in hand).
At this point of his Rangers career, Persson had, in the last two and a bit seasons, played in 110 games for Rangers, and scored 31 goals.
In 72 League games, he had only tasted defeat in 7 games (6 of those all coming in one season 68-69)
Willie Waddell took over as manager of Rangers on Dec 3rd 1969.
Unfortunately, and I know not why, Mr Waddell did not rate the big Swede, and afforded him only three more appearances in a Rangers jersey, before making him available for transfer at the end of the season on April 28th, 1970.
Rangers finished the season 1 point ahead of Hibs, but a humiliating 12 points adrift of Celtic. (2 points for a win back then).
Even though Persson spent less than 3 years at Ibrox, he served under three different managers, which was more than half of the five, that we had in our entire 98 year history.
Despite only making 2 appearances for Rangers in 1970,
Persson was selected for the Swedish national squad that was one of only Sixteen nations who went to the World Cup Finals in Mexico.
He played in two games at the World Cup 1970, against Israel and Uruguay.
After the World Cup, Persson rejoined his former club Orgryte for a small fee.
Persson quit the game in 1972.
He missed playing so much that six months later he returned to play in the Swedish second Division (as a midfielder).
So highly rated was Persson in his own country, that 18 months after he supposedly hung up his boots (and 4 years after Waddell deemed him surplus to requirements at Rangers) he was recalled to the National side for the World Cup Finals in West Germany in 1974.
Persson made an appearance as a midfielder in a very credible 0-0 draw against that great Holland side that included Johan Cruyff, Arie Haan, Johnny Rep, Piet Keizer, Johan Neeskens and Ruud Krol, in a Group C game.
This game is best remembered for that wonderful turn by Cruyff that has been replayed and highlighted a million times in the last thirty odd years.
His 48th and final appearance for Sweden came two weeks later in a second phase World Cup game, against Group B winners Yugoslavia (Scotland's group)
Persson was selected as a central midfielder as Sweden defeated Yugoslavia 2-1.
Even though he was at Rangers less than than three years, and failed to win any trophies,
Orjan Persson will long be remembered, by those of us who were fortunate enough to witness some of the spectacular goals that he scored in his all too brief Ibrox career.