Rangers highs & lows

06 April 2016 03:52

Rangers' liquidation implosion back in the summer of 2012 saw the Glasgow giants forced to start again in Third Division.

Here, Press Association Sport's Andy Newport takes a look at the highs and lows the Light Blues have encountered on the pitch since then.

HIGH: Emerge from the ashes of their financial meltdown in July 2012 to claim a 2-1 Challenge Cup win at Brechin's Glebe Park in their first match as a newco.

LOW: Knocked out of the Challenge Cup on penalties by Queen of the South in September.

HIGH: First meeting with top-flight opposition since liquidation ends in a 2-0 League Cup triumph over Motherwell later that month.

LOW: Fall to one of their worst ever defeats as part-timers Stirling Albion win 1-0 at Forthbank at the start of October. By the time the 2012/13 season is out, Annan and Peterhead will have repeated the feat at Ibrox.

LOW: Dundee United inflict a painful 3-0 defeat in February 2013 as Ally McCoist's side are knocked out of the Scottish Cup.

HIGH: A goalless draw with Montrose is enough to secure the Third Division title. They end the campaign 24 points in front of nearest challengers Peterhead.

LOW: After being knocked out of the League Cup by Forfar, Gers launch a run of 39 games without defeat - only to see it brought to a crushing halt when Raith Rovers stun the Ibrox men with an extra-time winner in the final of the Challenge Cup.

LOW: Dundee United again end Gers' Scottish Cup hopes with a 3-1 win at 'neutral' Ibrox in the 2014 semis.

HIGH: The Scottish League One title is wrapped up with minimum fuss as the unbeaten champions claim the third-tier title by a massive 39 points.

LOW: Hearts are the familiar faces at Ibrox as Rangers kick-off their Championship campaign - but a 2-1 defeat to the Jambos is not the start McCoist was hoping for.

LOW: Alloa dish out yet another cup shock on Gers with December's 3-2 Petrofac Training Cup semi-final win while McCoist is axed by the club's board on the eve of an explosive annual general meeting, with Kenny McDowall placed in temporary charge.

LOW: February 2015 sees the Old Firm meet for the first time in three years but Celtic stroll into the League Cup final with a one-sided 2-0 victory.

LOW: Raith stun Gers again with a 2-1 win that ends their Scottish Cup ambitions for another year.

HIGH: Dave King's successful boardroom coup is followed six days later by a change of management as Stuart McCall is brought in to replace McDowall. The former Celtic youth coach won just three of his 10 games in charge.

LOW: McCall rallies the Ibrox troops but, despite battling past Queen of the South and Hibernian in the play-offs, sees his side humiliated in the final showdown with Motherwell.

HIGH: Former Brentford boss Mark Warburton is hired to pick up the pieces and immediately starts work transforming Rangers' playing squad.

HIGH: The Englishman breaks Bill Struth's 95-year-old record by winning his first 11 games in charge as his new-look side thrill supporters with their attacking style.

LOW: St Johnstone end Warburton's 100 per cent start to his Ibrox reign with a 3-1 League Cup victory.

HIGH: Hibs' victory at Easter Road at the start of November sets Rangers wobbling but after a month-long slump, Warburton's team regain their composure and a 4-2 win over the Leith side at Ibrox in December sparks a 15-game unbeaten run which puts Gers in touching distance of the title.

HIGH: A crushing 4-0 Scottish Cup win over top-flight Dundee sets up another Old Firm semi-final.

HIGH: Rangers' four-year nightmare is finally brought to an end as they clinch promotion back to the top-flight with a 1-0 win over Dumbarton.

Source: PA-WIRE