Rangers Archives - Page 4 of 20

John Spencer and David Caldwell Back Derek McInnes to Deliver Success at Rangers

Former Scotland striker John Spencer believes Rangers have appointed the right man to restore the club to the top of Scottish football after Derek McInnes was unveiled as the new manager at Ibrox. Speaking on the latest SNN Sports Football Podcast, host Scott Bradley was joined by former Chelsea, Rangers and Scotland forward John Spencer, alongside former professional footballer David Caldwell, who enjoyed a career with Mansfield Town, Chesterfield, Torquay United and Belgian side KVV Overpelt before moving into coaching and football analysis. The trio discussed McInnes’ appointment, Rangers’ ambitions under new ownership and the expectations awaiting the former Hearts boss. “McInnes ticks every box” Spencer believes Rangers have finally appointed a manager who understands exactly what is required to succeed at Ibrox. “I think McInnes ticks a lot of boxes for Rangers,” Spencer said. “He’s a Rangers man, a former player, understands Scottish football inside out and knows exactly what the supporters expect. I think it’s a fantastic appointment.” The former Scotland international also praised McInnes’ first press conference, believing the new manager struck the right tone. “He wasn’t making huge promises or saying things just to please people. He spoke well and understands the size of the job. Rangers fans will appreciate that.” Caldwell draws on experience working alongside McInnes Caldwell offered a unique insight into McInnes after previously working alongside him during his spell at Aberdeen, where he assisted with opposition analysis. “I’ve worked with Derek and everybody speaks very highly of him,” Caldwell explained. “I think he’ll do well at Rangers. Football changes quickly and ultimately managers are judged by results, but I believe he’s earned this opportunity.” Having spent more than a decade playing professionally in England and Scotland, Caldwell believes this represents the defining challenge of McInnes’ managerial career. “He’s had experience at several clubs and now he’s got one of the biggest jobs in Scottish football. At Rangers you’re expected to win trophies. That’s the reality.” Why Hearts allowed him to leave One of the biggest talking points surrounding McInnes’ appointment was how quickly Hearts allowed the move to happen. While many supporters were surprised the Edinburgh club didn’t put up more resistance, Caldwell believes Hearts’ long-term football strategy may have played a role. “I think Hearts are moving towards a different football philosophy,” he said. “They’ve invested heavily in recruitment and data-led decision making. Derek has his own style of football, so perhaps both sides felt the timing was right.” Success won’t be measured by second place Both Spencer and Caldwell agreed that Rangers supporters will only judge McInnes on one thing—silverware. “At Rangers it’s about winning trophies,” Spencer said. “It’s not about finishing second and saying you’ve had a decent season. Derek understands that because he’s lived it.” Caldwell echoed those sentiments, pointing out how little time modern managers are given to build a team. “Managers don’t get years anymore. They need results quickly. Derek knows the expectations and he’ll have to implement his ideas straight away.” Recruitment key to Rangers’ future The panel also discussed Rangers’ summer transfer plans, with speculation already linking the club to several Scottish Premiership players. While Spencer believes bringing in players who understand the league could help, Caldwell warned that quality must remain the priority. “It doesn’t matter whether players come from Scotland or abroad,” Caldwell said. “You need quality footballers who fit the manager’s system and the culture of the football club.” Drawing on his own experience, Caldwell reflected on the Rangers sides of previous generations. “When I played against Rangers they had outstanding Scottish players mixed with top international footballers. That’s the standard Rangers have to get back to if they want sustained success.” A defining opportunity McInnes has waited years for another opportunity to manage Rangers after previously being linked with the role. Now, he finally gets his chance. With a major squad rebuild expected this summer and pressure to challenge Celtic immediately, both Spencer and Caldwell believe Rangers have appointed a manager capable of handling the responsibility. Whether that belief translates into trophies will ultimately determine how successful the McInnes era becomes. Watch the full discussion The full conversation featuring Scott Bradley, John Spencer and David Caldwell is available now on the SNN Sports Football Podcast, where the panel also discuss Scotland’s World Cup campaign, Steve Clarke’s future, the Messi vs Ronaldo debate and their favourites to lift the World Cup.

June 28, 2026

Rangers announce return of Ross McCrorie

Rangers have announced the first signing of the Derek McInnes era by confirming the return of Ross McCrorie. The right-back arrives from Bristol City for an undisclosed fee signing a three-year deal in Glasgow. A product of the Rangers academy, McCrorie left to the club for Aberdeen in 2020, initially on loan, but the deal was made permanent in 2021. He’d then leave for Bristol City in 2023 but is now re-united with the manager who brought him to Aberdeen. McCrorie has been twice capped by Scotland, most recently in March’s defeat to Côte d’Ivoire. Whilst he was called up the EURO 2024 squad in Germany, he did not feature. Speaking on his return to Rangers, McCrorie said: “It is a dream come true to come back up the road to the team I support. “I am not that little kid who was at Rangers back in the day. I have changed a lot character-wise, and player-wise, I feel I have changed massively. “I feel like I am ready now, and I want to come back here and win trophies.” These comments were echoed by McInnes, he said: “Ross is someone I signed for Aberdeen from Rangers, and at that time he wanted to go out and prove himself, which I think says a lot for him. “He has developed and improved as a player, he has got that added experience, he is a full international now, and he knows the club inside out. “In the conversations I have had with him, a lot of things I am saying are things he wants from the club as well, so he’s a determined and competitive boy on the pitch, and he is determined to bring good times back to the club.” McCrorie marks Rangers second signing of the season, following Lawrence Shankland’s arrival from Hearts on a free transfer. Rumours also suggest the club are readying a bid for Dundee defender Luke Graham as Derek McInnes aims to rebuild Rangers from last season’s disappointing third place finish, behind McIness’ Hearts side and Martin O’Neill’s Celtic.

June 25, 2026

Derek McInnes Leaves Hearts to Take Charge at Rangers

Heart of Midlothian have confirmed that head coach Derek McInnes has left the club to become the new manager of Rangers. The 55-year-old departs Tynecastle after one season in charge, having led Hearts to a second-place finish in the Scottish Premiership and qualification for the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. Hearts announced that they had reached an agreement with Rangers regarding compensation, bringing an end to McInnes’ tenure in Edinburgh. The move sees the former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock manager return to Ibrox, where he spent five years as a player between 1995 and 2000. McInnes was appointed Hearts head coach in May 2025 and quickly made an impact, guiding the club back into contention at the top end of Scottish football. In a statement, Hearts thanked McInnes for his contribution during his time at the club and wished him success in the next stage of his career. The Edinburgh side also announced that Paul Sheerin and Alan Archibald will depart the club with McInnes. The departure leaves Hearts searching for a new head coach ahead of a crucial summer, with preparations already underway for the 2026/27 campaign and upcoming Champions League qualifiers. McInnes now takes over at Rangers as the club begins a new chapter under fresh leadership. His appointment comes following the departure of Danny Röhl and sees one of Scotland’s most experienced managers return to Ibrox in a managerial capacity for the first time. Attention will now turn to who Hearts appoint as McInnes’ successor, with the Edinburgh club facing an important period as they look to build on the progress made last season and prepare for the challenges of domestic and European competition.

June 17, 2026

Rangers Complete Signing of Lawrence Shankland From Hearts

Rangers have completed the signing of Lawrence Shankland from Heart of Midlothian on a 2 year deal. The Scotland international arrives at Ibrox following a highly productive spell at Hearts, where he established himself as one of the Scottish Premiership’s most consistent goalscorers and captained the club during a strong period domestically and in Europe. Shankland leaves Tynecastle after scoring 88 goals in 171 appearances across all competitions since joining the Edinburgh club in 2022. During the 2025–26 campaign, the striker scored 20 goals and contributed six assists in 34 appearances as Hearts challenged near the top of the Premiership table. The 30-year-old now joins Rangers with substantial experience in Scottish football, having previously played for Queen’s Park, Aberdeen, St Mirren, Greenock Morton, Ayr United and Dundee United before a spell in Belgium with Beerschot and his move to Hearts. Rangers have signed the striker who has a proven domestic scoring record and extensive Premiership experience. Shankland is recognised for his movement inside the penalty area, efficient finishing with both feet and ability to convert chances consistently at top flight level. In addition to his attacking output Shankland captained Hearts throughout the 2025–26 season and consistently produced goals and opportunities throughout in high pressure league and cup fixtures. His familiarity with Scottish football is expected to allow for immediate integration into the Rangers squad ahead of the new campaign.

May 26, 2026

Rangers prepare statement Lawrence Shankland signing ahead of summer rebuild

Lawrence Shankland has emerged as a key Rangers target, as the club moves into advanced talks over a deal to sign the Scotsman. The Ibrox hierarchy aims to get the deal done before Shankland heads to North America with Scotland for the World Cup. Shankland, who scored 16 goals in the league last season, looks to be heading along the M8 to join Danny Rohl’s side as Rangers look to add proven Scottish Premiership firepower to their squad. Rangers denied the chance to sign Shankland one year ago on a free transfer. However, last week, Chairman, Andrew Cavenagh expressed his want for more Scottish players in the squad. He said: “We have a pro-Scottish bias in the club today. Meaning, if you have two players roughly equal and one is Scottish then we will take the Scottish player.” A sensational time at Hearts looks to be coming to an end for Shankland. Over his four-season spell, Shankland has scored 88 goals in 171 fixtures. As well as securing Champions League qualifying football and coming agonisingly close to picking up Hearts’ first league title since 1960.

May 24, 2026

Falkirk 2 v 5 Rangers – Chermiti’s hat-trick earns Rangers first win of split fixtures

Rangers secured their first win of the post-split fixtures, with Youssef Chermiti scoring a hat-trick. Rangers started rapidly and opened the scoring in the opening two minutes. Mikey Moore picked out Youssef Chermiti, whose low driven effort snuck under Nicky Hogarth’s arm. However, there was little to none celebration from the Portuguese international. It wasn’t long after until Rangers doubled the scoring. A tremendous volley from Chermiti flew into the top-corner of the net, giving Hogarth no chance. It was three goals in seven minutes and a bizarre start to the match. A moment of madness between Tuur Rommens and Jack Butland saw the Rangers goalkeeper make a mess of the pass-back and put the ball into his own net. An entertaining opening to the match. Rangers made it three 27 minutes in. A neat passage of play saw Chermiti release the ball to Djeidi Gassama. His half-turn gave him room to open his body and finish the ball into the bottom left corner. It was all Rangers after the third. And Thelo Aasgaard must have thought he made it four, thirty minutes in. A looped cross from Rommens saw Aasgaard make clean connection with the ball, but Hogarth made a tremendous save to keep his side in the game. It was throwback to the last time-out here at The Falkirk Stadium between these two sides, goals galore. A Mohamed Diomande handball inside his own penalty area saw Duncan Nicolson go to the monitor. The penalty was awarded and Calvin Miller slotted calmly from the penalty spot, giving his side a massive boost going into the interval. Ben Parkinson almost equalized for the hosts just before half-time. His drilled effort saw Butland push the ball away for a corner. Minutes after the interval, Chermiti earned his hat-trick. A dangerous cross from Rommens saw Chermiti unmarked at the back-post. His header bounced off the deck, before going into the back of the Falkirk net. Shortly after, Butland made up for his error in the first-half. Calvin Miller was found one on one with the Rangers stopper. But Butland made himself big and denied Miller from making it a double for himself. On the 68th minute, a well worked corner from Falkirk fell to Dylan Tait outside the Rangers 18-yard-box. He drilled one from distance, but his effort landed just shy of Butland’s goal. Falkirk were upping the pressure. However, in the 78th minute, Gassama burst forward and beat Miller for pace before finding Chermiti in the box. The Portuguese international used his body to shield the ball and earn a penalty, which Aasgaard stepped up and stuck away into the roof of the net. Following that, Mikey Moore was replaced for one final time. The Gers fans were singing his name, as well as “one more year, one more year Mikey Moore”. The Spurs loanee was getting a good send off. Rangers ended the season off with a win. However, its has been a poor end to the campaign with just one win out of five post-split fixtures. It wasn’t to be for Falkirk during the split fixtures, with just one win in five. But throughout the course of the season, they can hold their heads high, with a successful first attempt back in the top-flight. Falkirk: Hogarth (2), Henderson (3), Spencer (4), Broggio (4), Yeats (5), Neilson (3), Cartwright (4), Ross (4), Parkinson (4), Miller (6), Hart (3) Subs: MacIver (2), Allan (3), Tait (3), Oliver (3), Wilson (3) Rangers: Butland (3), Souttar (5), Barrron (6), Chermiti (9), Diomande (6), Aasgaard (7), Gassama (7), Djiga (3), Rommens (8), Fernandez (6), Moore (7) Subs: Aarons (5), Chukwuani (5), Lawson (4), McCallion (4), Scally (4)

May 16, 2026

“We needed to have a bit more fight” – Emmanuel Fernandez

Emmanuel Fernandez believes that Rangers lacked the “fight” required to win the Scottish Premiership, after disappointing three fixtures. Rangers are now officially out of the Scottish Premiership title run-in and will have to settle for third place, after three defeats to Motherwell, Hearts and Celtic. Leaving questions to be asked about Head Coach, Danny Rohl’s future. And Rangers POTY, Emmanuel Fernandez believes his side showed not enough battle in the crucial fixtures to push for league success. Fernandez, who has flourished under Rohl’s management, spoke after yesterday’s Old-Firm defeat. He said: “I couldn’t pinpoint an issue. I just feel like maybe we needed to have a bit more fight. “I can’t say we have been unlucky. I can take stick for it because there are certain moments I probably should have defended better. “But there is nothing I can really say about my team mates. I will probably just look at myself if anything.” And after this disastrous two weeks for Rohl’s side, it has left a good portion of the Rangers support in anger. Fernandez spoke about the fan’s frustration with the team at this moment in time and more on the lack of fight they have shown. He said: “Yes, 100-per-cent I would totally understand that. “We knew it was going to be a fight. There were moments in games where we had fight. But in football there are going to be moments where you are going to struggle and go under in the 90 minutes. “I feel that, as a young team if we are going to grow, if you are going to struggle you stick together and all defend together. Then, when you come out of it, you have opportunities to score. “That is something we have to improve on.” During these difficult moments, a lot of the scrutiny falls onto the Head Coach. However, Fernandez backs Rohl with “100 percent”. Fernandez said: “I don’t look into what fans say about the manager. “But I know about the manager 100 per cent. I know that he got us through moments in the season where everybody thought the season was over and there wouldn’t be a title race for us. “I feel like maybe we went into it with the wrong mindset. I back the manager 100 per-cent. It is the players who should maybe take it, because we didn’t do the job on the pitch and it is something that we should improve on.” An honest statement from the Rangers defender, who admitted openly the players fell short of expectations set.

May 11, 2026

“We’re in a really difficult situation now” – Danny Rohl

Two damaging results for Rangers now leaves them distant from the title, as Danny Rohl acknowledges the difficult position his side now face. Rangers faced back-to-back defeats in the first two fixtures of the top-six split, which has left them far a drift from the title. Hearts were 2-1 winners in yesterday’s crucial fixture. Dujon Sterling opened the scoring for Rangers. However, an amazing second half performance from Hearts saw Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland score the all-important goal to crush Rangers’ title hopes. After the match, Danny Rohl said: “I think there’s no question mark. We’re in a really difficult situation now. “I think we worked so hard to come so close in the last two games. It’s not enough when you play just one half on your best level. “We have to show courage, and this is what I expect and demand of my players in the next three games, to take three fantastic results.” The title race seems to be beyond Rangers now, leaving Rohl’s side with far too much to do in the final three fixtures after what was a disastrous last two matches. They have Celtic to come next, as Martin O’ Neill’s side look to put some pressure on Hearts. Then a final home fixture against Hibs, before a trip to Falkirk to conclude the season. Hearts play Motherwell away from home, before welcoming Falkirk to Tynecastle and ending the season of at Celtic Park in hope to seal the title.

May 5, 2026

“We Know We Can Do It.” Nico Raskin Adamant Rangers Aren’t Out Of The Title Race

Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin still has full belief in the Rangers squad that they can win their last four games to lift the Scottish Premiership title despite the home loss to Motherwell last Sunday. The 25-year-old Belgian international has urged his teammates not to get hung up on their last result and focus on what’s to come as the season comes to a dramatic end. Raskin spoke at the Rangers pre-match press conference before the game against Hearts at Tynecastle on bank holiday Monday. Raskin said: “We know we can do it, it is now about putting in the effort in the last four games to get the wins.” He also spoke about his desire to win trophies before doubling down on his point of putting the Motherwell result behind them. He continued: “Winning trophies is something I have dreamed about and I was so disappointed after Motherwell, but in football you can’t dwell on it.” Raskin only has a League Cup winners medal from his time at Rangers since signing in January 2023. After the Hearts game, Rangers are away to Celtic, home against Hibernian then finish their campaign away to Falkirk. After the poor result last week it looks like only 12 points out of 12 would be enough for Rangers to win the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 2021.

May 2, 2026

“I don’t think it’s an impossible task” – Mikey Moore

Rangers loanee Mikey Moore still believes Rangers are firmly in this title race following their setback against Motherwell. After Rangers’ defeat to Motherwell on Sunday, they now sit four points behind league leaders Hearts and one point behind Celtic. Danny Rohl’s men take a trip to both Tynecastle and Celtic Park in the coming weeks, in what is now two must win games if there is any hope for Rangers to win the title. Moore, who has recently won Rangers young POTY and was nominated to the PFA Scottish young POTY, is adamant that Rangers have “more than enough to win every game left.” He said: “It’s not an impossible task. If we show the best versions of ourselves, we have more than enough to win every game left.” Moore has been an influential factor in this Rangers side since Danny Rohl’s arrival in October. The on-loan Englishman has eight goal contributions to his name in the league and is one of Rangers’ most prominent driving forces in the team. He also spoke about his future beyond the season. Moore said: “For me, I want to be playing. I want to play as much football as possible. I want to keep playing games. I want to know that every week I’ve got a chance of playing. “I’m not going to rush into playing somewhere higher than I can play, where I’m going to maybe sit on the bench and not get as many minutes. I want to keep building on what I’ve built this year.”

April 28, 2026