Rangers Alphabet - D

Diouf was a genius signing.
Took all the negativity that the media were putting on teenagers and other foreigners and focused it on one guy who couldn't give one single feck.
Best title win ever.

I hadn't look at it thay way, do you think that was genuinely part of the signing strategy... or a lovely side bonus?
 
Kevin Drinkell was a favourite of mine when i started going to Ibrox as a nipper.

Always remember his two goals when we beat Hearts to win 4-0 in 1989 to lift the title (first of 9IAR).

Big Mel Sterland also got two that day IIRC.
 
Difficult one.

Good in the air (every goal i can mind is a header) but not a headbanger head anything type. 5 minutes later dont have a comparable player


It just amazes me how many influential players we have had who have a story behind them... and we rarely give them a mention.

I am always amazed that we have a generation of fans who can bring these things to our attention

Cheers for pointing him out, he looks a cracking player.
 
Jerry Dawson - The Prince of Goalkeepers

In November 1929, Rangers manager Bill Struth brought a raw young 20 year old goalkeeper to the club from Camelon Juniors after hearing rave reviews from the club scouts. James Dawson was seen as a potential deputy to the long serving club Number 1 Tom Hamilton, and over the coming months Dawson would watch and learn from Hamilton in training and hone his skills while waiting for his chance to take his place in the Rangers first team. In season 1930/31 he would make his debut in a 1-1 draw against St Mirren at Ibrox when Hamilton was forced on the sidelines through injury, but this was to be his only appearance that season, when another league title was claimed by Struth's all-conquering team.
Dawson's patience was soon to pay off, however, and he made his breakthrough at the start of the following season when he held the Number One jersey from August through to early November before Hamilton came back into the side. Although not yet regarded as the club's first choice, his agility and fantastic reflexes had earned him a reputation as a potential future international, and by now to the world he was known as Jerry Dawson, a name given to him by his Ibrox team mates who likened him to famous England and Burnley goalkeeper Jeremiah Dawson. During his early season run in the team he played in his first game against Celtic, where he had the first of many shutouts in the famous fixture.
Rangers ended up losing their title to Motherwell that season, and for the start of 1932/33 Jerry Dawson was back as the club's first team goalkeeper, and from then on he made the position his own. Over the following seasons, he would gain an even greater reputation that his English namesake, earning the nickname "The Prince of Goalkeepers" as he became the reliable and spectacular last line of defence for the remainder of the decade and beyond. As well as his shot saving ability, Dawson had a positional sense that often saw him somehow in the right place at the right time to snuff out danger and intercept crosses before his goal was threatened.
Rangers ruled Scottish football for much of the 1930s, with Jerry Dawson claiming league championship medals in 1933, 1934, 1935, 1937 and the final league season before the outbreak of War in 1939. He added 2 Scottish Cup winners medals to that haul, playing in the victorious teams of 1935 and 1936, only missing out on a hat-trick due to injury in 1934 after playing in every previous round.
Jerry Dawson made his Scotland debut in October 1934 in a 2-1 defeat to Northern Ireland, and became Scotland's first choice goalkeeper in 1936, winning 13 more caps before War interrupted the lives of all.
During WW2, he continued to represent the club, adding 6 wartime Regional League titles to his medal collection. he also represented his country a further 9 times in Wartime international matches. The final Southern League championship was completed after War had ended, and Jerry Dawson wore the yellow Rangers goalkeeping jersey for the final time in a match against Motherwell at Fir Park on 24th November 1945, ending his career with yet another victory, this time by 2-1.
In May 1946, Dawson finally ended his love affair with Rangers, signing for hometown club Falkirk, for whom he would play for a further 3 years, taking him close to his 40th birthday. After a short spell as a journalist, he returned to football as manager of East Fife, leading them to a League Cup success during his 5 years in charge. But no matter what he achieved after playing, he would always be remembered as a truly great Rangers goalkeeper, for many he perhaps was the best ever to play for the club.

Jerry Dawson passed away in 1977 at the age of 67, and was inducted into the Rangers Hall of Fame. The Prince of Goalkeepers name will live on forever.

Jerry Dawson, Rangers FC 1929 - 1946
Appearances 491 (all competitions)
5 Scottish League Championships
6 Wartime championships
2 Scottish Cups
14 Scotland caps
9 Wartime Scotland appearances
Hall of Fame member

A true great for club and country.
 
Jock Drummond

Left back Jock Drummond was already an international player when he joined Rangers from Falkirk in 1892, making his debut in a 3-2 victory in the league over Leith Athletic in April of that year. He was a menacing and uncompromising figure on the pitch, totally committed with a no-nonsense style that captured the hearts of the Rangers support. He wore a cloth cap while playing football, something hard to imagine these days, pulling the peak down to add to his intimidating presence. A native of Clackmannanshire, Drummond would nowadays be regarded as a somewhat over aggressive player, but he wasn't without skill too. He knew his first job was to prevent the opposition scoring, and he took great pleasure from making sure they did not breach his iron defending. Drummond was also a member of the immortal 1894 Scottish Cup winning team, the first of many trophies he won in blue while paired with Nicol Smith. He won one more Scottish Cup than his full back partner, playing in the 1903 win over Hearts while Smith had to sit out injured. Drummong himself suffered a long running injury in season 1898/99 which meant he only played in 5 of the 18 matches played by the "100% team" but he played a much fuller part in the other 3 league titles won between 1899 and 1902. Jock Drummond won 14 Scotland caps during his career, being captain on 4 occasions. He left the club at the end of the disappointing 1903/04 season and returned to his first love, Falkirk, where he became coach then a director. He died in 1935 at the age of 65.
 
I didn't realise that Jerry Dawson was actually James. Great read that.

Also loved Kevin 'Ted' Drinkell. Very hard working and popped up in the right positions to score (more often than not with his head).

And, of course, wee Durranty would be up there as one of the best.

Finally, Jean Claude Darcheville. Great performances for us but never seemed to last a whole game. I always laugh when I think about how Archie Macpherson commented and called him Jean Claude Darkeyville.
 
Kevin Drinkell was a favourite of mine when i started going to Ibrox as a nipper.

Always remember his two goals when we beat Hearts to win 4-0 in 1989 to lift the title (first of 9IAR).

Big Mel Sterland also got two that day IIRC.
Drinkell was a good striker and could header the ball, his diving header in the 5-1, was sublime
 
I didn't realise that Jerry Dawson was actually James. Great read that.

Also loved Kevin 'Ted' Drinkell. Very hard working and popped up in the right positions to score (more often than not with his head).

And, of course, wee Durranty would be up there as one of the best.

Finally, Jean Claude Darcheville. Great performances for us but never seemed to last a whole game. I always laugh when I think about how Archie Macpherson commented and called him Jean Claude Darkeyville.
Sorry to be a pedant, but did McCoist not christen him Billy, not Ted, as we couldn't have someone called Kevin in the team?

Your confusion may stem from Kevin 'Ted' McMinn!
 
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Sorry to be a pedant, but did McCoist not christen him Billy, not Ted, as we couldn't have someone called Keving in the team?

Your confusion may stem from Kevin 'Ted' McMinn!

You have got me thinking now. I knew about Ted McMinn but my memory was always Ted for Drinks too. You may be right!
 
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