McTear's
Lot 1530
ALFIE CONN OF RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB MATCH WORN 1972 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP FINAL SHIRT, embroidered crest with inscription 'EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP FINAL 1972', printed Umbro label, no. 8, size MNote: This is the most important Rangers F.C. shirt to come for auction to date. It was worn in the 1972 European Cup Winners Cup final vs. Dynamo Moscow, a game contested in Barcelona on the 24th of May. The eleven men of Rangers secured a historic 3-2 victory in front of a crowd of 35,000 fans, cementing their place in the canon of sporting achievement.It wasn’t the first time the club had reached the final of this competition, suffering narrow defeats in 1961 and 1967. This time however, they were resolute, seeing of Rennes, Sporting Club, Torino and Bayern Munich over eight games to reach the Camp Nou.Moscow opted for a defensive formation, with Rangers going out on the attack. This proved fruitful for the light blues, with wonder goals from Colin Stein and Willie Johnston in the first half putting them 2-0 up. Minutes into the second half a long-range kick from keeper Peter McCloy saw Johnston bag another, extending their lead to 3-0Moscow now had to go for it, and they did, when after sixty minutes they capitalised on a defensive error to make it 3-1. Things became even more tense when, with three minutes to go, the Russians scored again so that only one goal separated them. The eleven men of Rangers remained staunch however, holding out for the final minutes and securing one of the most iconic results in the club’s history. Now fondly remembered as the Barca Bears, this team continues to be a benchmark for success.This shirt was worn by Rangers F.C. hall of fame inductee Alfie Conn, a midfielder who was an integral part of the squad between 1968 and 1974. This is the first time a shirt from that game has come to auction, presenting itself as a rare opportunity to own one of the club’s most important relics.This shirt went from Conn to the Louden Tavern, where it was on display behind the bar for a number of years. It is now offered from a private collection of Rangers match worn shirts.
