Rangers’ Top 10 Managers of All Time (Ranked)

Rangers have had 19 permanent managers during their history, with Philippe Clement current boss in the Ibrox dugout.

The Belgian arrived in October 2023 and got Gers Scottish Premiership got the campaign back on track, leaving a positive impression on his arrival at Ibrox. However, things didn’t quite go to plan for Clement and Rangers in the 2024/25 season, affecting his Rangers winning percentage record.

Football FanCast looked at the club’s top 10 full-time managers based on winning percentage, with at least ten games in charge.

Data correct as of January 1, 2024.

10

Scotsman Symon – 64.7%

July 1954 – October 1967

Scotsman Symon actually ended his playing career with Rangers in 1947, and after spells in charge of East Fife and Preston North End, returned to Ibrox in 1954.

He ended up staying for 13 years and enjoyed much success, winning six league titles, five Scottish Cups and four Scottish League Cups. Symon was also the man who took the club to Europe for the first time, reaching two Cup Winners’ Cup finals. In total, Symon won 460 games out of 711.

9

Davie White – 64.71%

November 1967 – November 1969

Next on the list is Davie White, who actually arrived at Ibrox as Symon’s assistant before being sacked. White then took over from Symon, but only managed the Scottish giants for two years.

He did not win any major accolades during his time in charge, however, he finished with a slightly better record than his predecessor, finishing with a record 77 wins in 119 games.

8

Steven Gerrard – 64.8%

July 2018 – November 2021

Rangers have taken a risk in 2018 by appointing former Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard as their new boss. It was Gerrard’s first senior role in the dugout, and he ended Rangers’ 10-year wait for the Scottish title in 2020/21, going the entire league campaign unbeaten and finishing with more than 100 points.

However, it proved to be a high point for Gerrard, who after more than three years in charge decided it was time to leave Ibrox, joining Aston Villa and walking away with 125 wins from 193 games.

7

Philippe Clement – 64.9%

October 2023 – today

Philippe Clement has had a great start to his tenure as Rangers boss, topping this list for most of last campaign.

However, as Gers’ treble bid weakened, so did the Belgian’s winning percentage. Indeed, after winning 18 of their first 20 league games, Rangers won just one of their next five. They then dropped points twice after the split before losing in the FA Cup final.

All that, plus an indifferent opening half to the 2024/25 campaign, means he has fallen behind several of his predecessors, and uncertainty now hangs over his future.

However, the Old Firm’s much-needed success at Ibrox to kick off 2025 has at least taken Clement up to 7th.

6

Alex McLeish – 66%

December 2001 – June 2006

Alex McLeish enjoyed a number of immediate successes after joining from Hibernian in 2001, winning both domestic cups in his first season. He achieved a historic treble in the following campaign, with the Scot winning another Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup before leaving.

He was also the manager of Rangers, who led the club through the group stage of the Champions League for the first time, and at the end of the 2005/06 season. McLeish stepped down after 155 wins from 235 games.

5

Mark Warburton – 67.1%

July 2015 – February 2017

Mark Warburton joined Rangers in 2015 from Brentford and was tasked with returning the club to the Scottish Premiership. He managed to do just that by winning the league title while also guiding the club to Scottish Challenge Cup and Scottish Cup final triumphs.

However, Rangers’ long-awaited return to the top flight didn’t quite go to plan under Warburton, who left in 2017 after 55 wins in 82 games before returning to England with Nottingham Forest shortly after.

4

Dick Advocaat – 67.2%

July 1998 – December 2001

Next on the list with a slightly better record than Warburton is Dick Advocaat. After gaining plenty of experience in Holland, including time as national coach, Advocaat replaced Walter Smith at Ibrox and was effectively the first foreigner to take charge of the club.

Things could not have gone better for Advocaat, who won the domestic treble and led Rangers to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup in his debut year. His second season also resulted in more silverware, but things began to unravel after the millennium and Advocaat eventually resigned at the end of 2001 with 131 wins in 195 matches.

3

Bill Struth – 68.4%

May 1920 – June 1954

Ibrox legend Bill Struth had 30 years with Rangers in a number of roles, starting as assistant manager back in 1914. Six years later, Struth took over as manager and won 14 titles in 19 years before the Second World War. He finished his time with an incredible 1078 wins from 1576 games.

The Scot won a total of 73 trophies during his career, making him the most decorated British manager of all time, and Struth was also a director and vice-chairman of Rangers before his death in 1956.

2

Michael Beale – 72.1%

November 2022 – October 2023

Many Rangers fans have never been convinced by Michael Beale, but statistically speaking, he is one of the best Ibrox bosses of all time, albeit for a short period. The Englishman arrived from QPR to replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst and made an immediate impact, winning his first four games in charge.

Unfortunately, the 2022/23 season ended without a trophy, and the beginning of the 2023/24 season. drew criticism from fans. After less than a year in charge and a slow start to the season in the Scottish Premiership, Beale was sacked despite winning 31 of his 43 games in charge.

1

Ally McCoist – 72.5%

July 2011 – December 2014

Now known for his brilliant knowledge and commentary, former Rangers striker Ally McCoist was also a great manager at Ibrox, having first learned his trade as Walter Smith’s assistant.

McCoist was appointed boss in the summer of 2011 and spent more than three years in charge, overseeing matters during the club’s administration which resulted in relegation to League Three.

The Scot stayed with Rangers during a difficult period and guided the club to back-to-back promotions to the Championship before leaving in 2014 after 121 wins from 167 games.

So there’s a caveat to running the club at a lower level, but you can only beat what’s in front of you – and McCoist has done that better than anyone else in charge.