Rangers FC - Season 2023-24 Review

Whatever else might ever be true, any season in which Rangers Football Club do not win the Scottish Premiership is, by default, another disappointment. It is particularly difficult when we fail to win but Celtic succeed—especially when they win it three successive times to make it twelve out of thirteen.

Results and Performance

One tangible positive was the League Cup where we extended our record of most competition wins to 28—seven more than Celtic. However, we failed to win the Scottish Cup yet again, once more denied by our great rivals.

We also failed to make the group stages of the UEFA Champions League but managed to perform relatively well in the Europa League where we qualified for the Round of 16, only to lose 2-3 on aggregate to Portuguese club, Benfica.

The season started wrong, losing our first game away at Kilmarnock, with two more losses to follow in the next six—both at home, to Celtic and Aberdeen.

Ten wins and one draw from the next eleven corrected our course before we lost the Old Firm derby once again, 1-2 away. Nine successive wins from then were followed by three draws and three losses from the final ten matches, and effectively put an end to any hopes for another league title.

Transfers and Players

Nine players [eight permanent, one loan] transferred into the club last summer, and another three [one permanent, two loans] were added in the winter.

James Tavernier, the captain, was the best player, of course. He played every match, scored 17 goals and contributed 10 assists.

Cyriel Dessers offered 16 goals and 4 assists in 27 starts since his move from Cremonese, and Abdallah Sima added 11 goals and 2 assists from 17 starts in an excellent loan spell from Brighton & Hove Albion. Jack Butland, signed on a free transfer from Crystal Palace was solid enough in goal.

Leon Balogun, in his second stint at the club, was mostly solid in his 13 starts except, of course, for when he was sent off away at Celtic on 30th December. He has already extended his contract for one more year, and should lend his extensive experience and some much needed steel at the back next season.

The Road Forward

The aim for 2024-25 is, or should be at least, to win the league title and regain supremacy in Scottish football. The loan agreement for Óscar Cortés has been extended for next season, and Jefté has signed from Fluminense at left back.

There are rumors the club want to sign Yusuf Kabadayi from Bayern Munich, and perhaps re-unite Harry Souttar from Leicester City with his brother John. Five players, on the other hand, have been released at end of contract: Barišić, Jack, Roofe, Lundstram, and McLaughlin.

If Philippe Clement, once he has molded this squad in his own image, can pull off the league title, he will be well on his way to legend status in Gers history.