John Greig

Last updated

John Greig
CBE
Glasgow Rangers in Hiltonhotel te Amsterdam. John Greig, Bestanddeelnr 922-0132.jpg
Greig in January 1969
Personal information
Date of birth (1942-09-11) 11 September 1942 (age 81)
Place of birth Edinburgh, Scotland
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
United Crossroads
1959–1959 Whitburn
1959–1961 [1] Rangers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1961–1978 Rangers 498 (87)
International career
1963–1976 [2] Scottish League XI 14 (1)
1963–1968 [3] Scotland U23 3 (0)
1964 [4] SFL trial v SFA 1 (0)
1964–1975 Scotland 44 (3)
Managerial career
1978–1983 Rangers
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John Greig CBE [5] (born 11 September 1942) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He spent his entire career with Rangers, as a player, manager and director. Greig was voted "The Greatest Ever Ranger" in 1999 by the club's supporters, [6] and has been elected to Rangers' Hall of Fame.

Contents

Early life

Greig played his youth football with United Crossroads Boys Club in Edinburgh, under the supervision of Eric Gardiner, and supported Hearts as a boy. It is unknown if Hearts showed any interest in signing him. Bob McAuley signed Greig for Rangers and despite his initial reluctance, Greig did as instructed by his father. [1] However, after viewing a match between Rangers and Hibernian at Easter Road, where he witnessed them beating Hibs 6–1, he was convinced the move was right.

Playing career

Club

A determined, forceful player, recognised for his great leadership qualities, Greig made 755 official appearances for Rangers (498 in the domestic league, 72 in the Scottish Cup, a club record 121 in the League Cup and 64 in European tournaments). He scored 120 goals for the club and won three domestic trebles. Greig actually started his career with Rangers as a forward, prior to being moved back to midfield — playing initially alongside another Rangers legend in Jim Baxter — and finally to left back. It was therefore in those initial years that he scored the majority of his goals for the club.

Greig was captain when Rangers won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1972 beating Dynamo Moscow 3–2 in Barcelona. Although Greig's was an enormously successful playing career, his captaincy coincided with a period of sustained success for Rangers' city rivals, Celtic, from the late 1960s until the mid-1970s. Greig's fortitude during that period further cemented his reputation as one of Rangers' most celebrated captains.

He was granted a testimonial match in 1978 against a Scotland XI as part of the national squad's preparations for the 1978 FIFA World Cup; Rangers won 5–0 before a crowd of 65,000 at Ibrox. [7]

International

Greig played for Scotland on 44 occasions, 15 as captain, between 1964 and 1975. [8] He scored the late winner in Scotland's 1–0 victory against Italy at Hampden Park on 9 November 1965 and in 1967 achieved the distinction of captaining the Scottish side who beat England 3–2 — their first defeat as World Champions — at Wembley. Greig also represented the Scottish League XI 14 times. [9] [2]

Managerial career

Greig's playing career ended in May 1978 when he was appointed manager of Rangers, replacing Jock Wallace. [10] The club failed to win the league championship during Greig's time as manager, finishing no higher than the second place achieved in 1978–79. Greig's team had come close to winning a domestic treble and performed well in Europe in that first season. Rangers reached the quarter-final of the 1978–79 European Cup, defeating Italian champions Juventus and becoming the first club to win in European club competition at PSV's Philips Stadion, before eventual elimination to Cologne. There was also the partial compensation of success in domestic cup competitions, with two Scottish Cups and two League Cups secured over the course of Greig's five full seasons as manager. Greig was also responsible for signing Rangers' greatest ever goalscorer Ally McCoist from Sunderland. However, these were isolated achievements, and Greig — under intense pressure from the Scottish media, Rangers supporters and the club's directors — resigned in October 1983, replaced by the returning Wallace.

Post-football career

After leaving Rangers, Greig worked as a pundit for Radio Scotland and BBC television. He returned in 1990 as part of the club's public relations team. Dick Advocaat, manager of Rangers from 1998 to 2001, re-involved Greig in football coaching during which time he contributed to youth development. In 2003, he joined the Rangers board of directors. [11] Greig resigned this position in October 2011, soon after the takeover of the club by Craig Whyte. [12] Greig and John McClelland, who resigned at the same time as Greig, stated that they had been excluded from the corporate governance of the club since Whyte had taken control. [12] Greig later re-joined Rangers on 23 May 2015, when he was named the club's honorary life president with ambassadorial responsibilities. [13]

Career statistics

Club

ScotlandLeague Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
SeasonClubLeagueAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1961–62 Rangers [14] Division One 117102110158
1962–63 2757055204110
1963–64 3446210020526
1964–65 344307071515
1965–66 3277010100498
1966–67 322108190503
1967–68 32114260614814
1968–69 336516092539
1969–70 307326040439
1970–71 2687081214310
1971–72 288616080489
1972–73 30760103204810
1973–74 32610102424710
1974–75 221001000231
1975–76 Premier Division 3625010140553
1976–77 3005011120481
1977–78 292515121415
Career total4988772912117647755120

International appearances

Greig (left) exchanging pennants with Ajax's Johan Cruyff, January 1973 Ajax tegen Rangers. Aanvoerders.jpg
Greig (left) exchanging pennants with Ajax's Johan Cruyff, January 1973
As of 4 March 2019 [8]
International statistics
National teamYearAppsGoals
Scotland 196450
196593
196660
196730
196850
196980
197030
197140
1972
1973
1974
197510
Total443

International goals

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.27 May 1965 Olympic Stadium, Helsinki Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 2–1 2–1 1966 World Cup qualification
2.9 November 1965 Hampden Park, Glasgow Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 1–0 1–0 1966 World Cup qualification
3.24 November 1965Hampden Park, GlasgowFlag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales 4–1 4–1 1965–66 British Home Championship

Honours

Statue of Greig at Ibrox Stadium, part of the memorial to the 1971 Ibrox disaster Johngreig.jpg
Statue of Greig at Ibrox Stadium, part of the memorial to the 1971 Ibrox disaster

Greig was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) on 15 November 1977. In June 2008, he was awarded honoris causa, from the University of Glasgow in recognition for outstanding achievement in football and continuing ambassadorship for the sport. [15]

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to association football and the community in Scotland. [16]

As a player

Club

Rangers

Individual

As a manager

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Dalglish</span> Scottish footballer and manager (born 1951)

Sir Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time as well as one of Celtic's, Liverpool's and Britain's greatest ever players. During his career, he made 338 appearances for Celtic and 515 for Liverpool, playing as a forward, and earned a record 102 caps for the Scotland national team, scoring 30 goals, also a joint record. Dalglish won the Ballon d'Or Silver Award in 1983, the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1983, and the FWA Footballer of the Year in 1979 and 1983. In 2009, FourFourTwo magazine named Dalglish the greatest striker in post-war British football, and he has been inducted into both the Scottish and English Football Halls of Fame. He is very highly regarded by Liverpool fans, who still affectionately refer to him as King Kenny, and in 2006 voted him top of the fans' poll "100 Players Who Shook the Kop".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangers F.C.</span> Association football club in Glasgow, Scotland

Rangers Football Club is a professional football club in Glasgow, Scotland. The team competes in the Scottish Premiership, the top division of Scottish football. The club is often referred to colloquially as Glasgow Rangers, particularly outside Scotland, though this has never been its official name. The fourth-oldest football club in Scotland, Rangers was founded by four teenage boys as they walked through West End Park in March 1872 where they discussed the idea of forming a football club, and played its first match against the now defunct Callander at the Fleshers' Haugh area of Glasgow Green in May of the same year. Rangers' home ground, Ibrox Stadium, designed by stadium architect Archibald Leitch and opened in 1929, is a Category B listed building and the third-largest football stadium in Scotland. The club has always played in royal blue shirts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy McNeill</span> Scottish footballer and manager (1940–2019)

William McNeill was a Scottish football player and manager. He had a long association with Celtic, spanning more than sixty years as a player, manager and club ambassador. McNeill captained Celtic's 'Lisbon Lions' to their European Cup victory in 1967 and later spent two spells as the club's manager. As a player and manager, he won 31 major trophies with Celtic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jock Stein</span> Scottish football player and manager (1922–1985)

John Stein was a Scottish football player and manager. He was the first manager of a British side to win the European Cup, with Celtic in 1967. Stein also guided Celtic to nine successive Scottish League championships between 1966 and 1974.

William Ferguson Miller MBE is a Scottish former professional football player and manager, who made a club record 560 league appearances for Aberdeen. Sir Alex Ferguson described Miller as "the best penalty box defender in the world".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ally McCoist</span> Scottish footballer, manager, and pundit

Alistair Murdoch McCoist is a Scottish former footballer who has since worked as a manager and TV pundit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davie Cooper</span> Scottish footballer

David Cooper was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a winger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Johnstone</span> Scottish footballer and manager

Derek Joseph Johnstone is a Scottish former football player and manager.

James Yuille McLean was a Scottish football player, manager and director. He managed Dundee United between 1971 and 1993, becoming the longest-serving and most successful manager in the club's history, winning three major honours. He was also part-time assistant manager to Jock Stein with the Scotland national team.

William "Sandy" Pullar Jardine was a Scottish professional footballer who played for Rangers, Hearts and represented Scotland. He played over 1000 professional games and twice won the Scottish Football Writers Association Player of the Year award. He won several honours with Rangers, including two domestic trebles in 1976 and 1978, and was part of the Rangers team that won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1972. He won 38 caps for Scotland and played in the 1974 and 1978 World Cups. Jardine was also co-manager of Hearts with Alex MacDonald and later worked for Rangers.

Thomas Forsyth was a Scottish football player and coach. Forsyth played as a defender for Motherwell, Rangers and Scotland.

Thomas McLean Jr. is a Scottish former professional football player and manager. McLean played for Kilmarnock, Rangers and Scotland as a midfielder. He managed Morton, Motherwell, Hearts, Raith Rovers and Dundee United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Caldow</span> Scottish footballer and manager (1934–2019)

Eric Caldow was a Scottish professional footballer, who played for Rangers, Stirling Albion and Scotland. Caldow played as a full back and captained both Rangers and Scotland.

John Miller "Ian" McColl was a Scottish football player and manager. McColl played as a defender for Queen's Park and Rangers, while he also represented both the Scotland national team and the Scottish League. After retiring as a player, he managed the Scotland national team and English club Sunderland.

John Livingstone "Ian" McMillan was a Scottish footballer who played as an inside forward for Airdrieonians, Rangers and the Scotland national team.

The Aberdeen–Rangers rivalry refers to football matches and related activity involving the Scottish football clubs Aberdeen and Rangers.

In Scottish football the term nine in a row refers to winning the league championship in nine consecutive years. This has been accomplished twice by Celtic and once by Rangers. It has become a commonly-used phrase, and a topic which has drawn much attention, as has the goal of winning ten in a row.

References

  1. 1 2 John Greig; Jim Black (2005). John Greig: My Story. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7553-1354-9.
  2. 1 2 Under 9000 see Scots defeated, Glasgow Herald, 18 March 1976
  3. Scotland U23 player Greig, John, FitbaStats
  4. Ronnie McDevitt (2016). Scotland in the 60s: The Definitive Account of the Scottish National Football Side During the 1960s. Pitch Publishing. ISBN   978-1-78531-245-8.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. "King's Birthday Honours: Sarah Hunter and Ian Wright among those included". BBC Sport. 17 June 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  6. "John Greig". STV Sport. STV. 1 April 2010. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010.
  7. Greig gives Ally's team the blues, Glasgow Herald, 17 April 1978
  8. 1 2 John Greig at the Scottish Football Association
  9. "SFL player John Greig". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  10. "Jock Wallace: Former players talk about their time with the legendary hard man". Leicester Mercury. 29 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  11. "Greig joins Rangers board". BBC Sport. BBC. 26 December 2003.
  12. 1 2 "Rangers directors John Greig and John McClelland step down". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  13. "Rangers appoint John Greig as honorary life president". Daily Telegraph.
  14. Rangers player Greig, John, FitbaStats (also includes Glasgow Cup, not shown in table)
  15. "Honorary Degrees for Scottish football legends". University of Glasgow. 10 March 2008.
  16. "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B9.
  17. José Luis, Pierrend (1 May 2005). "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1972". RSSSF . Retrieved 25 October 2016.