Rangers' Cult Heroes by Dr. Paul Smith
What makes a Rangers Cult Hero? Success, iron tackling, goals, blinding skill, personality or silverware? Or is it simply a player that regularly beats Celtic? And indeed who would you choose as your Rangers hero? Ally McCoist, Terry Butcher, Paul Gascoigne, Brian Laudrup, Barry Ferguson, or Andy Goram? Or would you be more old school and plump for John Greig, Colin Stein, Davie Cooper, Willie Johnston, Davie Meiklejohn or Jim Baxter? Paul Smith's book, "Rangers' Cult Heroes", tells the story of the club through the careers of its 20 greatest icons - the men who made the blue half of Glasgow's pulses race. During his journey through a pantheon of Rangers greats, he discovers that there is much more to being a Gers Cult Hero. Each player's career is analysed to discover what made him tick, why he was so idolised by the fans and what his legacy to Rangers was. Each of the twenty had a spark of brilliance which ignited passion on the terraces, but equally each had peccadilloes, faults and an ability to shock. Find out who overcame horrendous racial abuse to win a place in Rangers fans' hearts, which German's Glaswegian accent won him a place in fans' affections, which midfield genius' antics caused a storm of protest from Celtic fans, and which winger's mythical status is based upon his haul of red cards, and which upon his untimely early death. Above all, discover what it is about 20 mere mortals that has brought them mythical status in Glasgow. Paul Smith explores the diverse and intriguing reasons why each one has engendered passion, excitement and devotion among some of the most obsessive football supporters on planet earth.