Ray Wilkins- why did we love him so much?

One of they players that got us straight away and with that appreciated everything about us

Always, without doubt, spoke highly of us after leaving

I remember Italian football on 4, they were bumming up the Milan Derby something silly, James Richardson gave a big introduction to it, turned to Wilkins and asked if it's the biggest Derby in the world, straight away said no, nothing compares to the Old Firm

Alan Brazil said when he sadly passed away that Wilkins always said his happiest time was at Rangers
 
I was pretty underwhelmed by the signing of "the crab".
More fool me for believing the reason for that name, he was an absolute outstanding footballer and £ for £ right up there as one of our best ever signings.
 
First reply nails it.

Too young to have seen him play for us, just got old videos to go on, but remember the Hibs game at Ibrox where he got a standing ovation. My dad tells me how great he was for us.

Absolute gentleman.
 
Was in the bowling club when I heard. “Not another English has been “
Not my proudest moment. Guy was a rolls royce of a player.
 
Talktalk said:
He was a leader amongst men which stuck out like a sore thumb who was a decent human being.
Click to expand...
Was driving through at that time,he signed on a Friday night and the guys I was taking through did not know.What a player,what a man.Not as full on as gazza but up there for me as someone special.
 
Cool story bro time....

I live in Essex and I have spent a couple of evenings in the company of his daughter and son-in-law, who are friends of friends. I actually brought her to the verge of tears (in a good way!) raving about her Dad the first time I met her, she was really moved by how much we all took to him.
 
Nothing to add on the Wilkins front, but I still regard Mendes as one of my favourite ever Rangers players and when you look at the number of games he was involved in, it's pretty small. Every week just seemed to be a classier than the last performance. I imagine from highlights Wilkins coming in would've been quite similar.
 
Awritenobad said:
From 10 minutes 15 seconds in.


I listened to an emotional Ian Ferguson talk about him in the Louden just after he had suffered the heart attack which ultimately took his life, and there was no doubt just how much of an impact he had on all of the players, on and off the park.
Click to expand...
No mention by big Jock of Irvine trying to boot fergie
 
Belter said:
Was driving through at that time,he signed on a Friday night and the guys I was taking through did not know.What a player,what a man.Not as full on as gazza but up there for me as someone special.
Click to expand...
One of our mates who posts on here was meant to be out with Souness that night but he never turned up although his dad and brother ahis his first wife Danielle went for the meal and told him God was in France with Murray’s jet bringing RW over and would be playing v Hearts the following day
 
We loved him because he loved us.

This was a guy that captained Chelsea as a boy, played for Milan and Man Utd that left the field of play in tears at playing his last game for us. He wishes he had came earlier and I’m sure every fan of that era wishes the very same.
 
Glasgow Rangers (Sco) said:
Probably my favourite Rangers player ever.

Given he only played here for a short time, why did the fans take to him?




th
Click to expand...
Classy player and a classy gentleman.
 
He was a terrific footballer and a massive name down south he always handled the media stuff superbly well.

Also had time for the fans and seemed to be a real genuine good guy and a very nice person.
 
Awritenobad said:
From 10 minutes 15 seconds in.


I listened to an emotional Ian Ferguson talk about him in the Louden just after he had suffered the heart attack which ultimately took his life, and there was no doubt just how much of an impact he had on all of the players, on and off the park.
Click to expand...
That clip made me feel very nostalgic. Happy times watching some tremendous Rangers players back then. Standard of football in general was much better in those days.
 
Saw his first ever game at Ibrox, for England v Scotland U15s in 1972. The Stadium must have made a lasting impression on him.
 
Weedoddieno6 said:
I think partly because he exceeded expectation, it was an underwhelming signing at the time
Click to expand...
I was young but how could an English internationalist who had previously Captained Chelsea at 18, played with Man Utd and a great Milan side have been looked upon as an underwhelming signing? Just due to his age?
 
Played in some of the best work environments in Europe,a true professional who plied his trade to the best of his ability wherever he went.
Then he hit Glasgow and for Ray it was like going back to his childhood home,he just belonged,he knew it the players knew it and more importantly the fans knew it.
Hence the reason why we are all here on this thread talking about him,he was one of us,same values system, same pride in what you do,same love of this beautiful island.
No surrender BTW
 
Ray was a Roll-Royce of a player. Unstaunch of me but can we recognise that that those sheep shagging bastards were a far superior team to the paedos from the east end?
 
Was outside Ibrox with my mate and saw him.
I so wanted just to say hello but nerves got the better of us and we shat it , as we walked past him he read it and smiled and said alright boys and patted my head. Loved him before it , worshipped him after it
 
I was a Saturday boy at comet. Ray came in and bought a TV. Absolute gentleman to me, no Billy big time shit , very respectful even though I was a 16 year old prick, just down to earth and and a great guy. Probably helped that I told him I was a bluenose mind you ! Great loss he died so young
 
Last edited:
As a club we’ve been lucky to have been graced with some of the absolute best in world football, Ray Wilkins is right up there with them.
 
There was a feeling at the time we signed him (along with Trevor Francis) that he was past his best.

I had never really been overly impressed with him anyway, but over the next couple of years I realised both of those criticisms were badly misplaced.

He was a classic midfielder schemer, sitting deep and controlling the game in the way Steven Davis did for us at his best, but it’s arguable if even he was as cultured a player as Wilkins was.
 
He was an absolute player, also a proper gentleman, he loved his time with us and we loved him for it.
 
Everyone knows someone whose opinion on football is always wrong. They always think the best player is shite and the worst player is the best. Everyone knows someone like that.

Even that guy loved Ray Wilkins. Everyone did.

Unusually, I remember being at that final game of his with my Mum. Can’t remember if that was intentional, because it was his last game, or coincidence. But I remember us struggling to see the final goal through the fog after cheering a tearful Wilkins off the park. We were dead in line with Mo as he received THAT pass from Wilkins to score. It summed up everything that was fantastic about Ray Wilkins on the park; perfect final contribution.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Latest posts

Back
Top