CHAMPIONS!

And, oh how sweet it is.  A World Record of 50 league titles.

Juventus, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munchen, Corinthians, Flamengo, Barcelona, Penarol, Nacional, Liverpool, Milan, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Benfica and, aherm, Porto.  All great clubs of world renown but not one of them has reached a half century of national championships.

Okay, mostly that’s because they don’t play in micky mouse leagues, they’ve not been on the go as long as us or they’ve been otherwise engaged winning European Cups, Libertadores Cups or World Club Championships BUT, ye still have to admit, we’re proud as hell to be the first club on the planet to win their own league on fifty occasions.

In 1890/91 we shared it with Dumbarton after ourselves and the boys from the Rock finished level on points in the inaugural Scottish Championship - a play-off ended 2-2.

In 1898/99 we won every one of our league fixtures and remain the only champions to end the season with a 100% record.

In 1990/91 we needed a last day victory over Aberdeen to chuck the Dons back off the top of the table and win our third of nine successive titles.

In the year 2000 we secured the SPL title by a massive 21 points from second-placed Celtic.

In 2002/2003 we won the Scottish Championship by no points, and by two goals scored in the final 23 minutes of our final match … and it was just as wonderful as any of the other 49 Championships which proceeded it.

Lads and Lassies, Bears and Bearettes.  Fat Eck of Rangers@OpenFootball.co.uk invites you to raise a glass of champers to the Rangers team Alex McLeish has remoulded to take this club back to the spot it traditionally occupies:  The Best in Scotland.

AYE READY!