2020–21 Rangers F.C. season

Rangers
2020–21 season
ChairmanDouglas Park
ManagerSteven Gerrard
GroundIbrox Stadium
Scottish Premiership1st
Scottish CupQuarter-finals
League CupQuarter-finals
Europa LeagueRound of 16
Top goalscorerLeague:
Kemar Roofe (14)
All:
James Tavernier (19)

The 2020–21 season was the 141st season of competitive football by Rangers.

Rangers played a total of 56 competitive matches during the 2020−21 season.

On 7 March 2021, Rangers clinched the Premiership title, their 55th Scottish championship, after rivals Celtic drew 0–0 away to Dundee United.[1][2] It was Rangers' first league title in a decade and the first time Celtic had not finished as league champions in that same span.[3]

With a 4–0 win over Aberdeen on the final day of the season, Rangers sealed an undefeated league season and became the first club since Celtic in 2016–17 to reach the 100 point milestone.[4] Rangers won all 19 home games at Ibrox and equalled the league record of 26 clean sheets in the campaign.[5] They also set a new British record by conceding only 13 goals in their 32 wins and six draws.[5]

Players

[edit]

Squad information

[edit]
N
 Pos.
 Nat.
 Name
 Age
 Since
 App
 Goals
 Ends
 Transfer fee
 Notes
1 GK Scotland Allan McGregor 42 2018 421 0 2022 Free
2 DF England James Tavernier (captain) 32 2015 289 65 2024 £0.2m
3 DF England Calvin Bassey 24 2020 15 1 2024 £0.23m
4 DF England Jack Simpson 27 2021 (Winter) 7 0 2025 Undisclosed
5 DF Sweden Filip Helander 31 2019 49 5 2023 £3.5m
6 DF England Connor Goldson (vc) 31 2018 162 16 2022 £3m
7 MF Romania Ianis Hagi 25 2020 59 11 2023 £3m
8 MF Scotland Ryan Jack 32 2017 130 11 2023 Free
9 FW England Jermain Defoe 41 2020 72 32 2021 Free
10 MF Northern Ireland Steven Davis 39 2019 321 25 2022 Free
11 FW Switzerland Cedric Itten 27 2020 37 6 2024 Undisclosed
13 GK England Andy Firth 27 2019 (Winter) 1 0 2022 Undisclosed
14 MF England Ryan Kent 27 2019 128 27 2023 £6.5m
15 MF South Africa Bongani Zungu 31 2020 21 0 2021 Loan
16 DF Scotland Nathan Patterson 22 2019 16 2 2024 Youth system
17 MF Nigeria Joe Aribo 28 2019 92 17 2023 £0.3m
18 MF Finland Glen Kamara 28 2019 (Winter) 106 4 2023 £0.05m
19 DF Croatia Nikola Katić 27 2018 59 6 2023 £2m
20 FW Colombia Alfredo Morelos 28 2017 182 94 2023 £1m
23 FW Scotland Scott Wright 26 2021 (Winter) 13 1 2025 £0.15m
24 FW Scotland Greg Stewart 34 2019 33 3 2021 Free
25 FW Jamaica Kemar Roofe 31 2020 36 18 2024 Undisclosed
26 DF Nigeria Leon Balogun 36 2020 28 0 2022 Free
31 DF Croatia Borna Barišić 31 2018 112 7 2024 £1.5m
33 GK Scotland Jon McLaughlin 36 2020 14 0 2022 Free
37 MF Canada Scott Arfield 35 2018 140 28 2022 Free
61 DF Scotland Leon King 20 2020 2 0 2022 Youth system

Transfers

[edit]

In

[edit]
First team
[edit]
No.
 Pos.
 Nat.
 Name
 Age
 Moving from
 Type
 Transfer
window 		Ends
 Transfer
fee 		Source
7 MF Romania Ianis Hagi 21 Genk Belgium Transfer Summer 2023 Undisclosed [6]
3 DF England Calvin Bassey 20 Leicester City England Transfer Summer 2024 Undisclosed [7][8]
33 GK Scotland Jon McLaughlin 32 Sunderland England Transfer Summer 2022 Free [9]
9 FW England Jermain Defoe 37 Bournemouth England Transfer Summer 2021 Free [10]
26 DF Nigeria Leon Balogun 32 Wigan Athletic England Transfer Summer 2021 Free [11]
25 FW Jamaica Kemar Roofe 27 Anderlecht Belgium Transfer Summer 2024 Undisclosed [12]
11 FW Switzerland Cedric Itten 23 St. Gallen Switzerland Transfer Summer 2024 Undisclosed [13]
15 MF South Africa Bongani Zungu 27 Amiens France Transfer Summer 2021 Loan [14]
4 DF England Jack Simpson 24 Bournemouth England Transfer Winter 2025 Undisclosed [15]
23 FW Scotland Scott Wright 23 Aberdeen Transfer Winter 2025 Undisclosed [16]

Academy
[edit]
No.
 Pos.
 Nat.
 Name
 Age
 Moving from
 Type
 Transfer
window 		Ends
 Transfer
fee 		Source
FW Northern Ireland Charlie Lindsay 16 Glentoran Northern Ireland Transfer Summer 2023 Free [17][18]
FW Scotland James Graham 16 Ross County Transfer Summer 2023 Undisclosed [19][20]
FW England Tony Weston 16 Blackpool England Transfer Summer 2023 Undisclosed [21]
GK United States Aaron Cervantes 18 Orange County SC United States Transfer Summer 2023 Undisclosed [22]

Out

[edit]
First team
[edit]
N
 Pos.
 Nat.
 Name
 Age
 Moving to
 Type
 Transfer
window 		Transfer
fee 		Source
MF Scotland Jason Holt 28 Livingston End of contract Summer Free [23]
GK England Jak Alnwick 26 St Mirren End of contract Summer Free [23][24]
MF England Jordan Rossiter 23 Fleetwood Town England End of contract Summer Free [23]
16 MF Scotland Andy Halliday 28 Heart of Midlothian End of contract Summer Free [23]
13 GK England Wes Foderingham 29 Sheffield United England End of contract Summer Free [23][25]
15 DF England Jon Flanagan 27 Charleroi Belgium End of contract Summer Free [23]
11 MF England Sheyi Ojo 22 Liverpool England Loan Return Summer n/a [26]
23 FW Switzerland Florian Kamberi 25 Hibernian Loan Return Summer n/a [26]
32 FW Scotland Jake Hastie 21 Motherwell Loan Summer n/a [27]
25 DF United States Matt Polster 27 New England Revolution United States Transfer Summer Undisclosed [28][29]
28 MF Scotland Ross McCrorie 22 Aberdeen Loan[a] Summer n/a [30]
27 MF Scotland Greg Docherty 23 Hull City England Transfer Summer Undisclosed [31]
15 FW Scotland Jamie Murphy 31 Hibernian Loan[a] Summer n/a [32]
40 MF Scotland Glenn Middleton 21 St Johnstone Loan Winter n/a [33]
22 MF Northern Ireland Jordan Jones 26 Sunderland England Loan Winter n/a [34]
21 MF England Brandon Barker 24 Oxford United England Loan Winter n/a [35]
4 DF England George Edmundson 23 Derby County England Loan Winter n/a [36]
28 MF Scotland Ross McCrorie 22 Aberdeen Transfer Winter Undisclosed [37]
36 MF Scotland Jamie Barjonas 22 Ayr United Loan Winter n/a [38]

  1. ^ a b Loan with obligation to sign on permanent contract at end of season.
Academy
[edit]
N
 Pos.
 Nat.
 Name
 Age
 Moving to
 Type
 Transfer
window 		Transfer
fee 		Source
44 DF Scotland Aidan Wilson 21 Crusaders Northern Ireland End of contract Summer Free [39]
42 GK Scotland Aidan McAdams 21 Greenock Morton End of contract Summer Free [39]
55 MF Portugal Joao Balde 19 Livingston End of contract Summer Free [39]
61 MF Scotland Kieran McKechnie 19 Queen of the South End of contract Summer Free [39]
MF United States Julian Anderson 19 Virginia Cavaliers United States End of contract Summer Free [39]
27 MF Scotland Stephen Kelly 20 Ross County Loan Summer n/a [40]
28 GK Scotland Robby McCrorie 22 Livingston Loan Summer n/a [41]
54 GK Scotland Kieran Wright 20 Partick Thistle Loan Summer n/a [42]
DF Scotland Rhys Breen 20 Partick Thistle Loan Summer n/a [42]
DF Scotland Matthew Shiels 19 Clyde Loan Summer n/a [43]
47 MF Scotland Zac Butterworth 19 Edinburgh City Loan Summer n/a [44]
51 DF Scotland James Maxwell 18 Queen of the South Loan Summer n/a [45]
34 DF Scotland Lewis Mayo 20 Dunfermline Athletic Loan Summer n/a [45]
38 FW Scotland Josh McPake 19 Greenock Morton Loan Summer n/a [45]
FW Scotland Dire Mebude 16 Manchester City England Transfer Summer Undisclosed [46]
30 MF Scotland Kai Kennedy 18 Inverness Caledonian Thistle Loan Summer n/a [47]
44 MF Northern Ireland Cammy Palmer 20 Clyde Loan Summer n/a [48]
48 GK Scotland Nicky Hogarth 19 Cowdenbeath Loan Winter n/a [49]
DF Scotland Rhys Breen 21 Queen of the South Loan Winter n/a [50]
30 MF Scotland Kai Kennedy 18 Raith Rovers Loan Winter n/a [51]
46 MF Scotland Jack Thomson 20 Clyde Loan Winter n/a [52]
38 FW Scotland Josh McPake 19 Harrogate Town England Loan Winter n/a [53]
54 MF Scotland Ben Williamson 19 Arbroath Loan Winter n/a [54]
39 FW Scotland Dapo Mebude 19 Queen of the South Loan Winter n/a [55]
44 MF Northern Ireland Cammy Palmer 20 Linfield Northern Ireland Transfer Winter Undisclosed [56]
MF Guinea-Bissau Umaro Balde 18 Free agent Transfer Winter Free [57]
55 MF Scotland Ciaran Dickson 18 Queen of the South Loan Winter n/a [58]
65 DF Scotland Adam Devine 17 Partick Thistle Loan Winter n/a [59]
58 FW Northern Ireland Chris McKee 18 Brechin City Loan Winter n/a [59]
56 DF Northern Ireland Kyle McClelland 19 Falkirk Loan Winter n/a [59]
60 DF Scotland Harris O'Connor 18 Brechin City Loan Winter n/a [60]
49 GK Scotland Brian Kinnear 19 Annan Athletic Loan Winter n/a [61]
47 MF Scotland Zac Butterworth 19 Clyde Loan Winter n/a [61]
70 MF Scotland Cole McKinnon 18 East Fife Loan Winter n/a [61]
FW England Kane Ritchie-Hosler 18 Clyde Loan Winter n/a [61]
68 FW Scotland Arron Lyall 17 Inverness CT Loan Winter n/a [62]
65 DF Scotland Adam Devine 17 Brechin City Loan Winter n/a [63]
57 MF Australia Murray Miller 19 Elgin City Loan Winter n/a [64]
DF Scotland Rhys Breen 21 Orange County SC United States Loan Summer n/a [65]
46 MF Scotland Jack Thomson 21 Orange County SC United States Loan Summer n/a [65]

New contracts

[edit]
First team
[edit]
N
P
 Nat.
Name
Age Date signed Contract length Expiry date Source
16 DF Scotland Nathan Patterson 19 25 January 3 years May 2024 [66]
10 MF Northern Ireland Steven Davis 36 20 March 1 year May 2022 [67]
1 GK Scotland Allan McGregor 39 1 April 1 year May 2022 [68]
2 DF England James Tavernier 29 6 April 3 years May 2024 [69]
26 DF Nigeria Leon Balogun 32 9 April 1 year May 2022 [70]
13 GK England Andy Firth 24 29 April 1 year May 2022 [71]
Academy
[edit]
N
P
 Nat.
Name
Age Date signed Contract length Expiry date Source
46 MF Scotland Jack Thomson 20 3 June 1 year May 2021 [72]
49 GK Scotland Brian Kinnear 19 3 June 1 year May 2021 [72]
73 MF Scotland Robbie Fraser 17 3 June 2 years May 2022 [72]
76 MF Scotland Alex Lowry 16 3 June 2 years May 2022 [72]
27 MF Scotland Stephen Kelly 20 24 June 3 years May 2023 [73]
GK Scotland Robby McCrorie 22 3 July 3 years May 2023 [74]
65 DF Scotland Adam Devine 17 29 September 2 years May 2022 [75]
68 FW Scotland Arron Lyall 17 29 September 2 years May 2022 [75]
70 MF Scotland Cole McKinnon 17 29 September 2 years May 2022 [75]
58 FW Northern Ireland Chris McKee 18 26 November 2 years May 2022 [76]
30 MF Scotland Kai Kennedy 18 8 January 2 years May 2023 [77]
54 MF Scotland Ben Williamson 19 13 January 1 year May 2022 [78]
55 MF Scotland Ciaran Dickson 18 22 January 2 years May 2023 [79]
71 GK Scotland Jay Hogarth 17 19 March 2 years May 2023 [80]
GK Scotland Kieran Wright 22 3 April 2 years May 2023 [81]

Awards

[edit]
N
P
 Nat.
Name
Award Date From Source
MAN England Steven Gerrard Premiership Manager of the Month August Scottish Professional Football League [82]
14 FW England Ryan Kent Premiership Player of the Month August [82]
2 DF England James Tavernier Premiership Player of the Month September [83]
MAN England Steven Gerrard Premiership Manager of the Month October [84]
6 DF England Connor Goldson Premiership Player of the Month October [84]
MAN England Steven Gerrard Premiership Manager of the Month November [85]
2 DF England James Tavernier Premiership Player of the Month November [85]
MAN England Steven Gerrard Premiership Manager of the Month February [86]
20 FW Colombia Alfredo Morelos Premiership Player of the Month March [87]
MAN England Steven Gerrard SFWA Manager of the Year 2020–21 Scottish Football Writers' Association [88]
MAN England Steven Gerrard SPFL Manager of the Year 2020–21 Scottish Professional Football League [89]
1 GK Scotland Allan McGregor SPFL Player of the Year 2020–21 Scottish Professional Football League [90]
10 MF Northern Ireland Steven Davis SFWA Footballer of the Year 2020–21 Scottish Football Writers' Association [91]
2 DF England James Tavernier PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year 2020–21 PFA Scotland [92]
MAN England Steven Gerrard PFA Scotland Manager of the Year 2020–21 PFA Scotland [92]

Results and fixtures

[edit]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Pre-season and friendlies

[edit]
10 July 2020 Friendly Rangers 2–1 Hamilton Academical Auchenhowie
12:00
Report
Stadium: Rangers Training Centre
16 July 2020 2020 Veolia Cup Lyon France 0–2 Rangers Lyon, France
19:45 GMT
Report
Stadium: Groupama Stadium
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Karim Abed
18 July 2020 2020 Veolia Cup Nice France 0–2 Rangers Lyon, France
17:15 GMT
Report
Stadium: Groupama Stadium
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Jérémie Pignard
22 July 2020 Friendly Rangers 4–0 Motherwell Glasgow
20:00
Report Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
25 July 2020 Friendly Rangers 2–0 England Coventry City Glasgow
17:15
Report Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Willie Collum

Scottish Premiership

[edit]
1 August 2020 1 Aberdeen 0–1 Rangers Aberdeen
12:30
Report
Stadium: Pittodrie Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Bobby Madden
9 August 2020 2 Rangers 3–0 St Mirren Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Andrew Dallas
12 August 2020 3 Rangers 3–0 St Johnstone Glasgow
19:45
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Euan Anderson
16 August 2020 4 Livingston 0–0 Rangers Livingston
16:30 Report
Stadium: Almondvale Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh
22 August 2020 5 Rangers 2–0 Kilmarnock Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Kevin Clancy
29 August 2020 6 Hamilton Academical 0–2 Rangers Hamilton
17:30
Report
Stadium: New Douglas Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Willie Collum
12 September 2020 7 Rangers 4–0 Dundee United Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Kevin Clancy
20 September 2020 8 Hibernian 2–2 Rangers Edinburgh
12:00
Report
Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
27 September 2020 9 Motherwell 1–5 Rangers Motherwell
12:00
Report
Stadium: Fir Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Bobby Madden
4 October 2020 10 Rangers 2–0 Ross County Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Greg Aitken
17 October 2020 11 Celtic 0–2 Rangers Glasgow
12:30
Report
Stadium: Celtic Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: John Beaton
25 October 2020 12 Rangers 2–0 Livingston Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh
1 November 2020 13 Kilmarnock 0–1 Rangers Kilmarnock
12:00
Report
Stadium: Rugby Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Andrew Dallas
8 November 2020 14 Rangers 8–0 Hamilton Academical Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Steven McLean
22 November 2020 15 Rangers 4–0 Aberdeen Glasgow
12:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh
6 December 2020 16 Ross County 0–4 Rangers Dingwall
12:00
Report
Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 300
Referee: John Beaton
13 December 2020 17 Dundee United 1–2 Rangers Dundee
12:00
Report
Stadium: Tannadice Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Steven McLean
19 December 2020 18 Rangers 3–1 Motherwell Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
23 December 2020 19 St Johnstone 0–3 Rangers Perth
18:00
Report
Stadium: McDiarmid Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh
26 December 2020 20 Rangers 1–0 Hibernian Glasgow
12:30
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Willie Collum
30 December 2020 21 St Mirren 0–2 Rangers Paisley
15:00
Report
Stadium: St Mirren Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Alan Muir
2 January 2021 22 Rangers 1–0 Celtic Glasgow
12:30
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Bobby Madden
10 January 2021 23 Aberdeen 1–2 Rangers Aberdeen
15:00
Report
Stadium: Pittodrie Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: John Beaton
17 January 2021 24 Motherwell 1–1 Rangers Motherwell
12:00
Report
Stadium: Fir Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
23 January 2021 25 Rangers 5–0 Ross County Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Euan Anderson
27 January 2021 26 Hibernian 0–1 Rangers Edinburgh
19:45
Report
Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Kevin Clancy
3 February 2021 27 Rangers 1–0 St Johnstone Glasgow
19:45
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: David Munro
7 February 2021 28 Hamilton Academical 1–1 Rangers Hamilton
12:00
Report
Stadium: New Douglas Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Bobby Madden
13 February 2021 29 Rangers 1–0 Kilmarnock Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
21 February 2021 30 Rangers 4–1 Dundee United Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh
3 March 2021 31 Livingston 0–1 Rangers Livingston
18:00
Report
Stadium: Almondvale Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: John Beaton
6 March 2021 32 Rangers 3–0 St Mirren Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Steven McLean
21 March 2021 33 Celtic 1–1 Rangers Glasgow
12:00
Report
Stadium: Celtic Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Willie Collum
11 April 2021 34 Rangers 2–1 Hibernian Glasgow
15:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
21 April 2021 35 St Johnstone 1–1 Rangers Perth
19:00
Report
Stadium: McDiarmid Park
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Euan Anderson
2 May 2021 36 Rangers 4–1 Celtic Glasgow
12:00
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh
12 May 2021 37 Livingston 0–3 Rangers Livingston
18:00
Report
Stadium: Almondvale Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Don Robertson
15 May 2021 38 Rangers 4–0 Aberdeen Glasgow
12:30
Report Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Nick Walsh

UEFA Europa League

[edit]
Main article: 2020–21 UEFA Europa League

Rangers qualified for the second qualifying round after finishing in second place in the 2019–20 Scottish Premiership.

Qualification stage

[edit]
Main article: 2020–21 UEFA Europa League qualifying phase and play-off round
17 September 2020 2QR Lincoln Red Imps Gibraltar 0–5 Scotland Rangers Gibraltar
16:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Victoria Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Iwan Arwel Griffith (Wales)
24 September 2020 3QR Willem II Netherlands 0–4 Scotland Rangers Tilburg, Netherlands
20:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Koning Willem II Stadion
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
1 October 2020 PO Rangers Scotland 2–1 Turkey Galatasaray Glasgow, Scotland
19:45 BST
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Andris Treimanis (Latvia)

Group stage

[edit]
Main article: 2020–21 UEFA Europa League group stage § Group D

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification RAN BEN STL LCH
1 Scotland Rangers 6 4 2 0 13 7 +6 14 Advance to knockout phase — 2–2 3–2 1–0
2 Portugal Benfica 6 3 3 0 18 9 +9 12 3–3 — 3–0 4–0
3 Belgium Standard Liège 6 1 1 4 7 14 −7 4 0–2 2–2 — 2–1
4 Poland Lech Poznań 6 1 0 5 6 14 −8 3 0–2 2–4 3–1 —
Source: UEFA
22 October 2020 1 Standard Liège Belgium 0–2 Scotland Rangers Liège, Belgium
17:55 BST
Report
Stadium: Stade Maurice Dufrasne
Attendance: 3,750
Referee: Jakob Kehlet (Denmark)
29 October 2020 2 Rangers Scotland 1–0 Poland Lech Poznań Glasgow, Scotland
20:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Kristo Tohver (Estonia)
5 November 2020 3 Benfica Portugal 3–3 Scotland Rangers Lisbon, Portugal
17:55 GMT
Report
Stadium: Estádio da Luz
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain)
26 November 2020 4 Rangers Scotland 2–2 Portugal Benfica Glasgow, Scotland
20:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: N/A
Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romania)
3 December 2020 5 Rangers Scotland 3–2 Belgium Standard Liège Glasgow, Scotland
20:00 GMT