Our Greatest Willie

Our Greatest Willie

  • Willie Reid

    Votes: 4 1.4%
  • Willie Woodburn

    Votes: 25 9.0%
  • Willie Waddell

    Votes: 110 39.6%
  • Willie Thornton

    Votes: 7 2.5%
  • Willie Henderson

    Votes: 88 31.7%
  • Willie Johnston

    Votes: 41 14.7%
  • Any Other Willie

    Votes: 3 1.1%

  • Total voters
    278
Billy Thomson, there was a reason he wore tracksuit bottoms when playing...

On a more serious note I voted for wee Bud on the basis he was my favourite player growing up.

I would not be surprised to see 'Mr Rangers', Deedle, win overall though.

WATP
 
I can't have one of the greatest goalscorers in our history with no votes.
Woodburn isn't going to win, so changing my vote to the great Willie Reid just so he doesn't end with zero.

100 Years have passed since Willie Reid scored his last goal for Rangers.
Only Jimmy Smith and Jim Forrest have a slightly better Goals to Games ratio since then.
 
Sentimental one for me of a fellow Springburn man: Willie Paton, stalwart inside-forward of 1940’s/1950’s. 168 league games, 64 goals.
Willie Paton had the unenviable task of following on from Torry Gillick and was unfairly judged by his standards, but Bill Struth saw enough of the "Ranger" in him to make him a regular starter.
Another Willie of the same era trusted by Struth was Willie Rae who would turn out at right half and then outside left next as injuries dictated.
In answer to the poll it would be Willie Woodburn
 
Willie Henderson was my hero growing up so he got my vote. I was always "wee wullie" playing in the schemes

My auld man raved about Deedle though so that nearly changed my mind, plus that song was my ma's party piece

Wee buds a cracking lad that always attend our dinners up here and has time for everyone so close third for him

Honourable mention for Wullie Wanfit for the best nickname!
 
Waddell got my vote. Highest number of games. Became manager. Won our only European trophy. Instrumental in building the new stadium after the disaster.
Waddell for me as well. And I would have given wan fit a mention as well for also winning our only european trophy.
 
I went for Willie Reid, don't know much about him, but if he was banging the goals in at that rate when most of our parents were not a glint in our grandparents eye, then he gets my vote.
 
Willie Paton had the unenviable task of following on from Torry Gillick and was unfairly judged by his standards, but Bill Struth saw enough of the "Ranger" in him to make him a regular starter.
Another Willie of the same era trusted by Struth was Willie Rae who would turn out at right half and then outside left next as injuries dictated.
In answer to the poll it would be Willie Woodburn

There was quite a few other Willie's in that Famous period following WWII, that did not make it onto the list, alongside Woodburn, Waddell, and Thornton.

Willie Rae.................. (1945-56) 187 Appearances
Willie Findlay............(1947-54) 123 Appearances 69 Goals
Willie Paton ..............(1947-56) 175 Appearances 75 Goals
Willie McCulloch......(1949-55) 75 Appearances

Also
Willie (Billy) Williamson.. (1941-51) 130 Appearances 70 Goals
Willie (Billy) Simpson........(1950-58) 252 Appearances 167 Goals
Willie Gardiner....................(1951-55) who scored 21 Goals in 32 Games
Willie McIntosh...................(1940-44) who scored 58 Goals in 62 Games
 
There was quite a few other Willie's in that Famous period following WWII, that did not make it onto the list, alongside Woodburn, Waddell, and Thornton.

Willie Rae.................. (1945-56) 187 Appearances
Willie Findlay............(1947-54) 123 Appearances 69 Goals
Willie Paton ..............(1947-56) 175 Appearances 75 Goals
Willie McCulloch......(1949-55) 75 Appearances

Also
Willie (Billy) Williamson.. (1941-51) 130 Appearances 70 Goals
Willie (Billy) Simpson........(1950-58) 252 Appearances 167 Goals
Willie Gardiner....................(1951-55) who scored 21 Goals in 32 Games
Willie McIntosh...................(1940-44) who scored 58 Goals in 62 Games
 
Willie Robb was a fantastic Rangers goalkeeper at the start of the Struth era.

I think he played in an unbelievable number of successive games.
 
I'm sure Billy Williamson made his Rangers debut against the filth in a Charity Cup tie at Ibrox. (5-1)

During the game, Alex (Tony) Venters was sent off at the Broomloan end and when he was walking off, and being heckled by the filth behind the goal, he battered the ball in among them.

Yup, Alex Venters was one of us.
 
Never saw Waddle play but ma da says he was excellent as a player, but for me as a Manager, the stadium, Ibrox disaster and cup winners cup. He is the best.
 
I'm sure Billy Williamson made his Rangers debut against the filth in a Charity Cup tie at Ibrox. (5-1)

During the game, Alex (Tony) Venters was sent off at the Broomloan end and when he was walking off, and being heckled by the filth behind the goal, he battered the ball in among them.

Yup, Alex Venters was one of us.
Still is...lol.
 
I can't have one of the greatest goalscorers in our history with no votes.
Woodburn isn't going to win, so changing my vote to the great Willie Reid just so he doesn't end with zero.
Described by Willie (!) Allison in ‘Rangers The New Era’ as ‘the centre forward with dynamite in his boots’. They just don’t write’em like that anymore.
 
William 'Billy' McCandless, played for us for 10 years 1920-1930, part of Struths first great team winning 8 league championships, formed a full back partnership with Bert Manderson, a fellow Ulsterman. At one he was the most expensive Irish player, Rangers having paid Linfield £2,500 for his services.
 
Willie Robb was a fantastic Rangers goalkeeper at the start of the Struth era.

I think he played in an unbelievable number of successive games.

From wiki
Willie Robb made his debut against Ayr United on 13 April 1920, starting in a 2–1 win for Rangers.
From the end of the 1919–20 season until midway into the 1925–26 season, Robb played in every league and Scottish Cup match that Rangers were involved in. This run came to an end on 31 October 1925, after an astonishing 241 consecutive matches.
He won 4 Championship Titles in those 5 seasons.
 
So Far
It looks like Waddell is winning this, but It looks like a lot of people voted on him, on what he achieved after being a Player, which is not really what was intended.
Surprised that Willie Johnston gets more votes than Reid, Thornton and Woodburn combined.
One of our greatest ever goalscorers, One a generations hero, and One considered our finest Centre Half ever.
I'm sure that is down to people (even us auld yins) not being around to witness them pre 1960's.

  • Willie Reid.................Votes: 4..............1.5%
  • Willie Woodburn......Votes: 22.............8.4%
  • Willie Waddell..........Votes: 105.........39.9%
  • Willie Thornton..........Votes: 7.............2.7%
  • Willie Henderson......Votes: 81...........30.8%
  • Willie Johnston.........Votes: 41............15.6%
  • Any Other Willie.........Votes: 3..............1.1%
 
So Far
It looks like Waddell is winning this, but It looks like a lot of people voted on him, on what he achieved after being a Player, which is not really what was intended.
Surprised that Willie Johnston gets more votes than Reid, Thornton and Woodburn combined.
One of our greatest ever goalscorers, One a generations hero, and One considered our finest Centre Half ever.
I'm sure that is down to people (even us auld yins) not being around to witness them pre 1960's.

  • Willie Reid.................Votes: 4..............1.5%
  • Willie Woodburn......Votes: 22.............8.4%
  • Willie Waddell..........Votes: 105.........39.9%
  • Willie Thornton..........Votes: 7.............2.7%
  • Willie Henderson......Votes: 81...........30.8%
  • Willie Johnston.........Votes: 41............15.6%
  • Any Other Willie.........Votes: 3..............1.1%

3 of them were in my old dad's Greatest Eleven of the Rangers players he saw.
Woodburn, Waddell and Thornton.
 
3 of them were in my old dad's Greatest Eleven of the Rangers players he saw.
Woodburn, Waddell and Thornton.


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Billy Williamson's (from that Photo above) record in the 3 consecutive Scottish Cup wins is interesting.

1947-48..... He took no part in any of our Scottish Cup Games that season, not even the Final, but he was drafted into the side for the Final replay, and scored the only Goal of the game in 115th minute, with a bullet Header. (more than 265,000 people attended the Final and the Replay v Morton).
1948-49...Same story again, took no part in any of the previous rounds, making his only appearance in the Final (once again at the expense of Willie Paton), and once again he was on the scoresheet, as Rangers defeated Clyde 4-1.
1949-50....Williamson played in all 7 Scottish Cup games leading up to the Final (4 Rounds, 3 Replays), and scored in all 4 Rounds, but missed out on the Final, to Jimmy Duncanson, as Rangers ran out 3-0 winners over East Fife.
 
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