The 1995–96 season was the 116th season of competitive football by Rangers.

Overview Rangers played a total of 53 competitive matches during the 1995–96 season. The team finished first in the Scottish Premier Division and won its eighth consecutive league title.

In the cup competitions, the team won the Scottish Cup, beating Heart of Midlothian 5–1. Rangers were knocked out the Scottish League Cup by Aberdeen at the semi-final stage, losing 2–1.

The side reached the group stages of the UEFA Champions League this season and were drawn into a group with Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Romanian side Steaua București. After six matches, three draws and three defeats, Rangers were bottom of the table and exited the competition.

Aided by the sale of Duncan Ferguson the previous season, between July and February manager Walter Smith spent nearly £12 million on rebuilding his squad by signing the likes of Peter van Vossen, Paul Gascoigne (a then Scottish record signing at £4.3 million), Stephen Wright and Gordan Petrić. Basile Boli and Oleg Salenko left the club.

Gascoigne was voted player of the year having scored a total of 19 goals in all competitions.

November saw the departure of Mark Hateley as he returned to England in a £1.5 million move to Queen's Park Rangers – the largest fee paid for a 34-year-old at this time. Hateley had lost his place in the first team to Gordon Durie who partnered Ally McCoist after two seasons mostly spent on the sidelines due to injuries.

Transfers

In DatePlayerFromFee5 July 1995 Stephen Wright Aberdeen £1,500,00010 July 1995 Paul Gascoigne Lazio £4,300,00026 July 1995 Gordan Petrić Dundee United £1,500,00028 July 1995 Oleg Salenko Valencia £2,500,00013 November 1995 Derek McInnes Greenock Morton £300,00016 January 1996 Peter van Vossen İstanbulspor Swap29 February 1996 Erik Bo Andersen Aalborg Bk £1,200,00029 March 1996 Theo Snelders Aberdeen £200,000

Out DatePlayerToFee16 June 1995 Ally Maxwell Dundee United £250,00015 August 1995 Basile Boli AS Monaco £2,000,00025 September 1995 Mark Hateley Queens Park Rangers £1,500,00016 January 1996 Oleg Salenko İstanbulspor Swap11 March 1996 Brian Reid Greenock Morton £150,000

Expenditure: £11,500,000 Income: £3,900,000 Total loss/gain: £7,600,000

Results All results are written with Rangers' score first.

Ibrox International Challenge Trophy

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 29 July 1995 Steaua BucureștiH4–0Ferguson, Gascoigne, Hateley, McCoist 30 July 1995 SampdoriaH2–0Durie, McCoist

Scottish Premier Division

DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 26 August 1995 KilmarnockH1–044,686McCall 9 September 1995 Raith RoversH4–043,535McCoist (2), Miller, Robertson 16 September 1995 FalkirkA2–011,445Salenko, Robertson 23 September 1995 HibernianH0–144,364 30 September 1995 CelticA2–034,500Cleland, Gascoigne 3 October 1995 MotherwellH2–137,348Gascoigne, McCoist 7 October 1995 AberdeenA1–022,500Moore 14 October 1995 Partick ThistleA4–016,346Durie (3), Gough 21 October 1995 Heart of MidlothianH4–145,155Salenko (2), Gascoigne, Durie 28 October 1995 Raith RoversA2–29,200Gough, Petric 4 November 1995 FalkirkH2–042,059McCoist (2) 8 November 1995 KilmarnockA2–014,823McLaren, Salenko 11 November 1995 AberdeenH1–145,427Salenko 19 November 1995 CelticH3–346,640Laudrup, McCoist, McKinlay (o.g.) 25 November 1995 HibernianA4–113,558McCoist, Miller, Durie, Dods (o.g.) 2 December 1995 Heart of MidlothianA2–015,105McCoist (pen.), Gascoigne 9 December 1995 Partick ThistleH1–043,173Durie 19 December 1995 MotherwellA0–010,179 26 December 1995 KilmarnockH3–045,173Salenko, Durie (pen.), Gascoigne 30 December 1995 HibernianH7–044,692Durie (4), Miller, Gascoigne, Salenko 3 January 1996 CelticA0–037,000 6 January 1996 FalkirkA4–010,581McCoist (2, 1 (pen.)), Durie, Robertson 13 January 1996 Raith RoversH4–042,498Durie (2), McCoist, Ferguson 20 January 1996 Heart of MidlothianH0–345,096 3 February 1996 Partick ThistleA2–116,253Gascoigne (2) 10 February 1996 MotherwellH3–245,566Ferguson, McLaren, McCoist (pen.) 25 February 1996 AberdeenA1–021,000Gascoigne (pen.) 3 March 1996 HibernianA2–011,954Laudrup (pen.), Mitchell (o.g.) 17 March 1996 CelticH1–147,312McLaren 23 March 1996 FalkirkH3–246,014Andersen (2), Gascoigne 30 March 1996 Raith RoversA4–29,300McCoist (3, 1 (pen.)), Durie (pen.) 10 April 1996 Heart of MidlothianA0–215,350 13 April 1996 Partick ThistleH5–046,438 Andersen (3), McCall, Gough 20 April 1996 MotherwellA3–113,128McCall, Andersen, Gascoigne 28 April 1996 AberdeenH3–147,247Gascoigne (3, 1 (pen.)) 4 May 1996 KilmarnockA3–017,056Durie (2), McCoist

Scottish League Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 19 August 1995 R2Greenock MortonH3–042,941McCoist, Hateley, Gascoigne 30 August 1995 R3Stirling AlbionH3–246,686Hateley, McCall, McCoist 19 September 1995 QFCelticA1–032,789McCoist 24 October 1995 SFAberdeenN1–226,131Salenko

Scottish Cup

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 27 January 1996 R3KeithN10–115,461Ferguson (3), Cleland (3), Durie (pen.),Robertson, Miller, Mikhailichenko 15 February 1996 R4ClydeA4–15,722Miller (2), Van Vossen, Gascoigne 9 March 1996 QFCaledonian ThistleN3–011,296Gascoigne (2), Thomson (o.g.) 7 April 1996 SFCelticN2–136,333McCoist, Laudrup 18 May 1996 FHeart of MidlothianN5–137,760Durie (3), Laudrup (2)

UEFA Champions League

DateRoundOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 9 August 1995 QR Anorthosis FamagustaH1–043,519Durie 23 August 1995 QR Anorthosis FamagustaA0–012,000 13 September 1995 GS Steaua BucharestA0–126,000 27 September 1995 GS Borussia DortmundH2–233,209Gough, Ferguson 18 October 1995 GS JuventusA1–449,825Gough 1 November 1995 GS JuventusH0–442,523 22 November 1995 GS Steaua BucharestH1–130,800Gascoigne 6 December 1995 GS Borussia DortmundA2–235,800Laudrup, Durie

Appearances PlayerPositionAppearancesGoals GK 47 0 GK 3 0 GK 2 0 GK 2 0 DF 36 4 DF 7 0 DF 22 0 DF 42 5 DF 49 3 DF 16 1 DF 46 1 DF 38 3 DF 1 0 DF 1 0 DF 16 0 MF 26 0 MF 25 6 MF 42 19 MF 33 6 MF 33 4 MF 2 0 MF 6 0 MF 36 3 MF 15 1 MF 9 0 MF 7 0 FW 6 6 FW 38 23 FW 4 2 FW 37 20 FW 20 8 FW 9 1

Competitions Overall

Scottish Premier Division

UEFA Champions league

See also Nine in a row

References