Allan McGregor
Encyclopedia
Allan James McGregor is a Scottish association footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Rangers
and the Scotland national team
. McGregor is currently Rangers' longest-serving player, having been a professional at the club since 2001.
A product of Rangers youth development, McGregor made his first team debut in February 2002 in a Scottish Cup
match against Forfar Athletic
and was later loaned out to St. Johnstone and Dunfermline Athletic
, before becoming a regular first team player at the start of the 2006-07 season. McGregor has made over 200 appearances for Rangers, winning 11 major honours in the process, including a hat-trick of league titles in 2009, 2010 and 2011, three Scottish Cup
s and five Scottish League Cup
s.
McGregor made his international debut against Austria
on 30 May 2007 and has 14 international caps. McGregor was suspended for two weeks by his club, and the Scottish Football Association
said that McGregor would never play for Scotland
again, after multiple breaches of squad discipline following Scotland's 3–0 defeat to the Netherlands
on 28 March 2009. The following year, McGregor's lifetime ban from international football
was overturned by Scotland manager Craig Levein
.
on 14 July 1998. His early career suffered a setback when he injured his wrist during a youth match followed by a broken hand that kept him out of action for nearly a year and stunted his development. However, upon returning from the injury he became a regular in the reserve team
.
He made his first team debut in February 2002 in a Scottish Cup
match against Forfar Athletic
and his Scottish Premier League
debut against Aberdeen
aged 20. McGregor did not play a single minute of competitive football during the 2002–03 season, being an unused substitute in every match of Rangers' Treble success. The following season, McGregor made six appearances, twice in the Scottish League Cup
and four times in the league.
club St. Johnstone, making his debut in a Scottish Challenge Cup match against Alloa Athletic
. McGregor featured consistently for St. Johnstone and kept six consecutive clean sheets for the club. While playing on loan, McGregor was named SFL Player of the Month for December 2004. He made 24 appearances in total for the club and kept 11 clean sheet
s. Upon returning to Rangers in January 2005, McGregor became the number one goalkeeper at the club after an injury to first choice Stefan Klos
. He played consistently for Rangers, however, the then manager Alex McLeish
signed Dutch
keeper Ronald Waterreus
on deadline day in January 2005, a move which angered McGregor.
For the 2005–06 season
, Rangers retained Waterreus and Klos, leaving McGregor as third choice. Dunfermline Athletic
took advantage of this situation and signed McGregor on loan for the season. He made his debut in a 3–2 league defeat to Kilmarnock
. He played in the 2006 Scottish League Cup Final
defeat to Celtic
and made 31 appearances in all competitions, keeping seven clean sheets. Dunfermline manager Jim Leishman
credited McGregor for helping them reach that cup final and a surprise 1–0 league victory against Celtic.
as manager at Rangers, McGregor was made third choice goalkeeper behind Letizi and Klos. A bizarre pre-season cycling injury to Stefan Klos meant that McGregor started the 2006–07 season
as back-up to Lionel Letizi
. When Letizi was himself injured, McGregor started the next match for Rangers, a 2–2 draw away to Kilmarnock
. McGregor was then awarded the man of the match award for his performance in Rangers Uefa Cup qualifying match against Molde. He went on to be awarded the Scottish Premier League
Player of the Month for September and was then rewarded with a new contract. Despite his performances Le Guen still considered McGregor to be the second choice goalkeeper. McGregor was dropped when Letizi returned from injury. When Letizi was injured again, McGregor returned in goal and was confirmed as first choice by Le Guen even after Letizi returned from injury.
Later in the 2006-07 season McGregor was sent off during Rangers' UEFA Cup match at Ibrox against Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv, which they won 4–0. After Barry Ferguson
's second goal, Italian referee Matteo Trefoloni
gave a straight red card to McGregor for allegedly headbutting Hapoel substitute Luciano De Bruno
. The incident was not caught on television cameras and McGregor denied headbutting De Bruno. However, he was given a two-match ban, which was reduced to one game on appeal. At the end of his first season as first choice keeper, he was voted by his Rangers teammates as the Player's Player of the Year. In September 2007 McGregor signed a new four-year contract with Rangers.
He continued to be Rangers' number one the following season, despite the arrival and subsequent departure of former Manchester United
goalkeeper Roy Carroll
. Rangers progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2008 UEFA Cup after putting out SV Werder Bremen
in the fourth round. McGregor's display in the second-leg of the tie drew praise from the manager. He made his 100th appearance for Rangers in a league match against Hibernian
in March 2008. In the 2008 Scottish League Cup Final
the match finished 2-2 after extra time and went to penalty kicks. McGregor saved two penalties and Rangers went on to win the shoot-out and the League Cup. In the third Old Firm League match of the 2007-08 season McGregor saved a penalty while limping with an injury when the scores were tied at 1-1. McGregor had to be substituted shortly after and didnt play again that season through injury, missing out on both the 2008 Scottish Cup Final
and Rangers European run to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final
.
McGregor signed another new contract in June 2008, keeping him at the club until 2013 and was worth £5 million. In the opening game of the 2008-09 season McGregor saved a penalty in the match against Falkirk, Rangers went on to win 1-0. McGregor captained the club for the first Scottish Premier League match of the 2008–09 season
against Falkirk
due to the absences of captain Barry Ferguson
and senior players David Weir and Carlos Cuéllar
. McGregor was a regular in the side, up until the Boozegate scandal which saw himself and Ferguson dropped by both club and country and was replaced as the Rangers number one by Neil Alexander
. He played his last game of that season on 21 March, a 2–2 draw at home to Hearts
. McGregor played 27 league matches in the 2008–09 season and picked up an SPL winners medal.
In the 2009–10 season McGregor was reinstated as the number one goalkeeper for Rangers and made 46 appearances in all competitions, picking up winners medals in the Scottish League Cup and the SPL championship. Although McGregor was preferred as first choice in League, Europe and Scottish Cup matches the manager Walter Smith
decided to let Neil Alexander play all of the League Cup matches, a decision which continued the following season.
In October 2010 McGregor was given a one match retrospective ban by the SFA for kicking out at Aberdeen player Chris Maguire
even though no contact was made. In April of season 2010-11 McGregor saved a penalty against Hamilton in a match that Rangers went on to win 1-0. McGregor was praised for his performances in the second half of the 2010-11 season winning the SPL player of the month award for April. This included 5 clean sheets in the month including a man of the match performance in the final Old Firm
game of the season where he saved a penalty with 8 minutes of the game remaining. Rangers went on to win the SPL championship for the third consecutive time by one point. McGregor kept 22 clean sheets for Rangers in 36 SPL matches during season 2010-11 and signaled his intention to sign a new contract once the season was finished.
On July 4, 2011 it was announced by Rangers that McGregor had signed a new six year contract with the club. McGregor started the first nine matches for Rangers in season 2011-12 conceding only one goal domestically in the season opener against Hearts. In the first Old Firm
game of the season McGregor was criticised for making a bad mistake which gifted a goal to Celtic just before half time which made the score 2-1 in Celtic's favor. Rangers however went on to win the match 4-2. McGregor was praised by his manager Ally McCoist
for preventing Rangers conceding a goal in their 1-0 victory over Hibernian in October 2011.
named McGregor in his first squad as Scotland
manager. He made his international debut against Austria
on 30 May 2007, playing the first half in goal before being substituted. McGregor received his second cap for Scotland after coming on as a second half substitute for Craig Gordon in a friendly against Northern Ireland at Hampden in August 2008. He gave away a penalty when he brought down Warren Feeney but saved the resulting spot kick from David Healy and the match ended in a 0-0 draw. McGregor was then first choice goalkeeper for the friendly match against Argentina at Hampden in November 2008, Scotland lost the match 1-0 but McGregor made a number of notable saves. McGregor made his first competitive start for Scotland when he was selected ahead of fellow keeper Craig Gordon
for Scotland's 2010 World Cup
qualifier against the Netherlands
.
On 3 April 2009, McGregor was banned from representing Scotland again after multiple breaches of squad discipline. After returning to their hotel at 4am from the international game with the Netherlands on 28 March 2009 the team were granted permission by then Scotland manager George Burley to have a drink in the bar. McGregor and then teammate Barry Ferguson
were the last to leave the bar at lunchtime. They were subsequently dropped from the following match against Iceland
on 1 April 2009, the incident has been referred to by the media as Boozegate. Gestures made by the players to cameras when they were both unused substitutes in the Iceland match led the SFA to inform the players by fax that they would not be considered for national team selection again. McGregor later apologised and was docked two weeks wages by Rangers. McGregor was on the verge of being recalled to the national team by manager Craig Levein
, but was omitted from the squad after he was attacked on the way home from a night out in Glasgow
city centre. On 2 August 2010, McGregor was recalled to the national team for the 3-0 friendly defeat against Sweden
. McGregor made a number of important saves in the match to prevent a heavier defeat.
McGregor was named as first choice goalkeeper for Scotlands Euro 2012 qualifying
matches in 2010, starting the first two matches against Lithuania
and Liechtenstein
. In the qualifying match against the Czech Republic
McGregor was given the Man of the match
award even though Scotland lost the match 1-0. McGregor was then given the man of the match award for his performance against World
and European champions Spain even though Scotland lost the match at Hampden
3-2. Spain internationalist Pablo Hernandez
believed McGregor to be a world class goalkeeper and said, "He made some amazing saves, it was a fantastic performance,"
McGregor received the Scottish Sports Writers International Player of the Year award for season 2010-11.
McGregor was then selected for Scotlands first match in the Carling Nations Cup against Northern Ireland
in Dublin. Before the second match of the tournament against Wales McGregor was praised by the Scotland manager Craig Levein as being an "absolute diamond" since Levein had taken over the Scotland team managers job. McGregor then received his 12th and 13th caps in the tournaments matches against Wales, and Ireland.
McGregor remained first choice goalkeeper for Scotland when he was selected for the friendly against Brazil
at the Emirates Stadium
London in March 2011. Scotland lost the match 2-0. McGregor started both international matches against Denmark and Czech Republic in August and September 2011 but was criticized for making a mistake in the friendly game against Denmark which cost Scotland a goal.
Personal awards
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and the Scotland national team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. McGregor is currently Rangers' longest-serving player, having been a professional at the club since 2001.
A product of Rangers youth development, McGregor made his first team debut in February 2002 in a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
match against Forfar Athletic
Forfar Athletic F.C.
Forfar Athletic Football Club are a Scottish semi-professional football club from the town of Forfar, Angus. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Second Division...
and was later loaned out to St. Johnstone and Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
, before becoming a regular first team player at the start of the 2006-07 season. McGregor has made over 200 appearances for Rangers, winning 11 major honours in the process, including a hat-trick of league titles in 2009, 2010 and 2011, three Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
s and five Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
s.
McGregor made his international debut against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
on 30 May 2007 and has 14 international caps. McGregor was suspended for two weeks by his club, and the Scottish Football Association
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
said that McGregor would never play for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
again, after multiple breaches of squad discipline following Scotland's 3–0 defeat to the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
on 28 March 2009. The following year, McGregor's lifetime ban from international football
International football
International football generally refers to association football matches between representative national teams carried out under the regulation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
was overturned by Scotland manager Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
.
Early Rangers career
McGregor signed for RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
on 14 July 1998. His early career suffered a setback when he injured his wrist during a youth match followed by a broken hand that kept him out of action for nearly a year and stunted his development. However, upon returning from the injury he became a regular in the reserve team
Rangers F.C. Reserve and Youth squads
In addition to the first team, Rangers F.C. also have a reserve team and an under-19 side.On 20 April 2004, Rangers Football Club announced the creation of a new company which would oversee the development of the club's youth players. The company, called Rangers Youth Development Limited, is...
.
He made his first team debut in February 2002 in a Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
match against Forfar Athletic
Forfar Athletic F.C.
Forfar Athletic Football Club are a Scottish semi-professional football club from the town of Forfar, Angus. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Second Division...
and his Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
debut against Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
aged 20. McGregor did not play a single minute of competitive football during the 2002–03 season, being an unused substitute in every match of Rangers' Treble success. The following season, McGregor made six appearances, twice in the Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
and four times in the league.
Loan spells
In the 2004–05 season McGregor was loaned to Scottish Football LeagueScottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
club St. Johnstone, making his debut in a Scottish Challenge Cup match against Alloa Athletic
Alloa Athletic F.C.
Alloa Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Alloa, Clackmannanshire. They are members of the Scottish Football League and currently play in the Third Division....
. McGregor featured consistently for St. Johnstone and kept six consecutive clean sheets for the club. While playing on loan, McGregor was named SFL Player of the Month for December 2004. He made 24 appearances in total for the club and kept 11 clean sheet
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s. Upon returning to Rangers in January 2005, McGregor became the number one goalkeeper at the club after an injury to first choice Stefan Klos
Stefan Klos
Stefan Klos is a retired German football goalkeeper who played for Borussia Dortmund and Rangers during his career.He played for Borussia Dortmund from 1991, until he moved to Glasgow on 24 December 1998....
. He played consistently for Rangers, however, the then manager Alex McLeish
Alex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
signed Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
keeper Ronald Waterreus
Ronald Waterreus
Ronald Katarina Martinus Waterreus is a former Dutch football goalkeeper, who most notably played for PSV Eindhoven, before ending his career at New York Red Bulls in the Major League Soccer.-Club career:...
on deadline day in January 2005, a move which angered McGregor.
For the 2005–06 season
2005-06 in Scottish football
The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...
, Rangers retained Waterreus and Klos, leaving McGregor as third choice. Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
took advantage of this situation and signed McGregor on loan for the season. He made his debut in a 3–2 league defeat to Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
. He played in the 2006 Scottish League Cup Final
2006 Scottish League Cup Final
The 2006 Scottish League Cup Final was a football match played on 19 March 2006 at Hampden Park in Glasgow. It was the final match of the 2005–06 Scottish League Cup and the 59th Scottish League Cup Final. The final was contested by Dunfermline Athletic and Celtic...
defeat to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
and made 31 appearances in all competitions, keeping seven clean sheets. Dunfermline manager Jim Leishman
Jim Leishman
Jim 'Leish' Leishman MBE, is a former professional footballer and current director of football of Scottish Premier League side Dunfermline Athletic.-Playing:...
credited McGregor for helping them reach that cup final and a surprise 1–0 league victory against Celtic.
Rangers first team
With the arrival of Frenchman Paul Le GuenPaul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
as manager at Rangers, McGregor was made third choice goalkeeper behind Letizi and Klos. A bizarre pre-season cycling injury to Stefan Klos meant that McGregor started the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in Scottish football
The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...
as back-up to Lionel Letizi
Lionel Letizi
Lionel Letizi is a French former professional football goalkeeper. He played 4 matches for the France national team.-France:...
. When Letizi was himself injured, McGregor started the next match for Rangers, a 2–2 draw away to Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
. McGregor was then awarded the man of the match award for his performance in Rangers Uefa Cup qualifying match against Molde. He went on to be awarded the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Player of the Month for September and was then rewarded with a new contract. Despite his performances Le Guen still considered McGregor to be the second choice goalkeeper. McGregor was dropped when Letizi returned from injury. When Letizi was injured again, McGregor returned in goal and was confirmed as first choice by Le Guen even after Letizi returned from injury.
Later in the 2006-07 season McGregor was sent off during Rangers' UEFA Cup match at Ibrox against Israeli side Hapoel Tel Aviv, which they won 4–0. After Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
's second goal, Italian referee Matteo Trefoloni
Matteo Trefoloni
Matteo Simone Trefoloni is a top Italian football referee, who has refereed many UEFA Cup matches in recent years. He became well known to Scottish football fans when he controversially sent Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor off in a UEFA Cup against Hapoel Tel Aviv played on 22 February...
gave a straight red card to McGregor for allegedly headbutting Hapoel substitute Luciano De Bruno
Luciano De Bruno
Luciano De Bruno is an Argentine football offensive Midfielder who is currently playing for Ñublense in the Primera Division of Chile. He amazed with his great skills at AEL FC and the fans still call him son of the ball.-External links:...
. The incident was not caught on television cameras and McGregor denied headbutting De Bruno. However, he was given a two-match ban, which was reduced to one game on appeal. At the end of his first season as first choice keeper, he was voted by his Rangers teammates as the Player's Player of the Year. In September 2007 McGregor signed a new four-year contract with Rangers.
He continued to be Rangers' number one the following season, despite the arrival and subsequent departure of former Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
goalkeeper Roy Carroll
Roy Carroll
Roy Eric Carroll is a Northern Irish footballer who is currently playing for Greek Superleague club OFI Crete. He is a goalkeeper and is best known for his spells at Wigan Athletic and Manchester United, where he won the 2004 FA Cup...
. Rangers progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2008 UEFA Cup after putting out SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen
SV Werder Bremen is a German sports club best known for its association football team playing in Bremen, in the northwest German federal state of the same name. The club was founded on 4 February 1899 as Fußballverein Werder by a group of sixteen vocational high school students who had won a prize...
in the fourth round. McGregor's display in the second-leg of the tie drew praise from the manager. He made his 100th appearance for Rangers in a league match against Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
in March 2008. In the 2008 Scottish League Cup Final
2008 Scottish League Cup Final
-Statistics:-References:...
the match finished 2-2 after extra time and went to penalty kicks. McGregor saved two penalties and Rangers went on to win the shoot-out and the League Cup. In the third Old Firm League match of the 2007-08 season McGregor saved a penalty while limping with an injury when the scores were tied at 1-1. McGregor had to be substituted shortly after and didnt play again that season through injury, missing out on both the 2008 Scottish Cup Final
2008 Scottish Cup Final
The 2008 Scottish Cup Final was a football match which took place at Hampden Park in Glasgow on 24 May 2008. The match was the final of the 123rd Scottish Cup and was contested by Queen of the South and Rangers. Queen of the South beat Aberdeen 4–3 in their semi-final, Rangers beat St...
and Rangers European run to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final
2008 UEFA Cup Final
The 2008 UEFA Cup Final was the 37th final of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second tier club football tournament. The match was played at the City of Manchester Stadium, home ground of Manchester City F.C., in Manchester, England, at 20:45 CEST on 14 May 2008.The match was contested by Zenit St. Petersburg...
.
McGregor signed another new contract in June 2008, keeping him at the club until 2013 and was worth £5 million. In the opening game of the 2008-09 season McGregor saved a penalty in the match against Falkirk, Rangers went on to win 1-0. McGregor captained the club for the first Scottish Premier League match of the 2008–09 season
2008-09 in Scottish football
The 2008–09 season was the 112th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Hamilton Academical competed in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first season in the top-flight since the 1988–89 season, after being promoted as First Division champions the...
against Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
due to the absences of captain Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
and senior players David Weir and Carlos Cuéllar
Carlos Cuéllar
Carlos Javier Cuéllar Jiménez is a Spanish footballer who plays for Aston Villa. He is primarily a central defender, but can also operate as a right-back.-Early career:...
. McGregor was a regular in the side, up until the Boozegate scandal which saw himself and Ferguson dropped by both club and country and was replaced as the Rangers number one by Neil Alexander
Neil Alexander
Neil Alexander is a Scottish professional football goalkeeper who is currently playing for Scottish Premier League side Rangers.-Early career:...
. He played his last game of that season on 21 March, a 2–2 draw at home to Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. McGregor played 27 league matches in the 2008–09 season and picked up an SPL winners medal.
In the 2009–10 season McGregor was reinstated as the number one goalkeeper for Rangers and made 46 appearances in all competitions, picking up winners medals in the Scottish League Cup and the SPL championship. Although McGregor was preferred as first choice in League, Europe and Scottish Cup matches the manager Walter Smith
Walter Smith
Walter Smith, OBE is a Scottish football manager. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League club Rangers.Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United which was split by a short time at Dumbarton.A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at...
decided to let Neil Alexander play all of the League Cup matches, a decision which continued the following season.
In October 2010 McGregor was given a one match retrospective ban by the SFA for kicking out at Aberdeen player Chris Maguire
Chris Maguire
Christopher Jack "Chris" Maguire is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays for English Championship side Derby County after agreeing a three year deal.-Aberdeen:...
even though no contact was made. In April of season 2010-11 McGregor saved a penalty against Hamilton in a match that Rangers went on to win 1-0. McGregor was praised for his performances in the second half of the 2010-11 season winning the SPL player of the month award for April. This included 5 clean sheets in the month including a man of the match performance in the final Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
game of the season where he saved a penalty with 8 minutes of the game remaining. Rangers went on to win the SPL championship for the third consecutive time by one point. McGregor kept 22 clean sheets for Rangers in 36 SPL matches during season 2010-11 and signaled his intention to sign a new contract once the season was finished.
On July 4, 2011 it was announced by Rangers that McGregor had signed a new six year contract with the club. McGregor started the first nine matches for Rangers in season 2011-12 conceding only one goal domestically in the season opener against Hearts. In the first Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
game of the season McGregor was criticised for making a bad mistake which gifted a goal to Celtic just before half time which made the score 2-1 in Celtic's favor. Rangers however went on to win the match 4-2. McGregor was praised by his manager Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist
Alistair Murdoch "Ally" McCoist, MBE ; 24 September 1962) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Rangers in Scotland....
for preventing Rangers conceding a goal in their 1-0 victory over Hibernian in October 2011.
International career
On 30 January 2007, ex-Rangers manager Alex McLeishAlex McLeish
Alexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
named McGregor in his first squad as Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
manager. He made his international debut against Austria
Austria national football team
The Austria national football team is the association football team that represents the country of Austria in international competition and is controlled by the Austrian Football Association ....
on 30 May 2007, playing the first half in goal before being substituted. McGregor received his second cap for Scotland after coming on as a second half substitute for Craig Gordon in a friendly against Northern Ireland at Hampden in August 2008. He gave away a penalty when he brought down Warren Feeney but saved the resulting spot kick from David Healy and the match ended in a 0-0 draw. McGregor was then first choice goalkeeper for the friendly match against Argentina at Hampden in November 2008, Scotland lost the match 1-0 but McGregor made a number of notable saves. McGregor made his first competitive start for Scotland when he was selected ahead of fellow keeper Craig Gordon
Craig Gordon
Craig Sinclair Gordon is a Scottish footballer, currently playing as a goalkeeper for both Sunderland and the Scotland national team. He was a nominee for STV's Scotland's Greatest Ever Football Team in 2010....
for Scotland's 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
.
On 3 April 2009, McGregor was banned from representing Scotland again after multiple breaches of squad discipline. After returning to their hotel at 4am from the international game with the Netherlands on 28 March 2009 the team were granted permission by then Scotland manager George Burley to have a drink in the bar. McGregor and then teammate Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
were the last to leave the bar at lunchtime. They were subsequently dropped from the following match against Iceland
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
on 1 April 2009, the incident has been referred to by the media as Boozegate. Gestures made by the players to cameras when they were both unused substitutes in the Iceland match led the SFA to inform the players by fax that they would not be considered for national team selection again. McGregor later apologised and was docked two weeks wages by Rangers. McGregor was on the verge of being recalled to the national team by manager Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
, but was omitted from the squad after he was attacked on the way home from a night out in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
city centre. On 2 August 2010, McGregor was recalled to the national team for the 3-0 friendly defeat against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
. McGregor made a number of important saves in the match to prevent a heavier defeat.
McGregor was named as first choice goalkeeper for Scotlands Euro 2012 qualifying
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 is a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, to be held in Poland and Ukraine...
matches in 2010, starting the first two matches against Lithuania
Lithuania national football team
The national football team of Lithuania is under the auspices of the Lithuanian Football Federation. It played its first match in 1923. In 1940, Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union; the country regained its independence in 1990 and played their first match as a new nation against Georgia on...
and Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein national football team
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German. The team's first match was an unofficial match against Malta in Seoul, a...
. In the qualifying match against the Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
McGregor was given the Man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
award even though Scotland lost the match 1-0. McGregor was then given the man of the match award for his performance against World
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
and European champions Spain even though Scotland lost the match at Hampden
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
3-2. Spain internationalist Pablo Hernandez
Pablo Hernández Domínguez
Pablo Hernández Domínguez, , known as Pablo or Hernández, is a Spanish footballer who plays for Valencia CF mainly as a right winger.-Club career:...
believed McGregor to be a world class goalkeeper and said, "He made some amazing saves, it was a fantastic performance,"
McGregor received the Scottish Sports Writers International Player of the Year award for season 2010-11.
McGregor was then selected for Scotlands first match in the Carling Nations Cup against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
in Dublin. Before the second match of the tournament against Wales McGregor was praised by the Scotland manager Craig Levein as being an "absolute diamond" since Levein had taken over the Scotland team managers job. McGregor then received his 12th and 13th caps in the tournaments matches against Wales, and Ireland.
McGregor remained first choice goalkeeper for Scotland when he was selected for the friendly against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
at the Emirates Stadium
Emirates Stadium
Ashburton Grove, currently known as the Emirates Stadium, is a UEFA elite football stadium which is home to Arsenal FC, where they moved from Highbury in 2006. It has an current capacity of 60,361, and there have been rumours of an expansion...
London in March 2011. Scotland lost the match 2-0. McGregor started both international matches against Denmark and Czech Republic in August and September 2011 but was criticized for making a mistake in the friendly game against Denmark which cost Scotland a goal.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Scottish Cup Scottish Cup The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The... |
League Cup Scottish League Cup The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by... |
Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... |
2001–02 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| St. Johnstone (loan) | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Dunfermline Athletic Dunfermline Athletic F.C. Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League.... (loan) |
2005–06 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... |
2006–07 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 53 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 2009–10 in Scottish football The 2009–10 season was the 113th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* St. Johnstone are competing in the Scottish Premier League for the fifth time, their last season in the top-flight since the 2001–02 season, after being promoted as First Division champions last... |
34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 2010–11 in Scottish football The 2010–11 season is the 114th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Rangers won the SPL title, pipping rivals Celtic on the final day of the season, their third title in a row and their 54th Scottish league championship... |
36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Scottish Premier League The 2011–12 Scottish Premier League is the fourteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football, since its inception in 1998. The season started on 23 July 2011.... |
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Rangers Total | 184 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 255 | 0 | |
| Career Total | 230 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 310 | 0 | |
Honours
RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
(3): 2009Scottish Premier League 2008-09The 2008–09 Scottish Premier League season was the eleventh season of the Scottish Premier League and the second season under the sponsorship of the Clydesdale Bank...
, 2010, 20112010–11 Scottish Premier LeagueThe 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011...
-
-
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
(3): 20022002 Scottish Cup FinalThe 2002 Scottish Cup Final was played on 4 May 2002 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 117th Scottish Cup. Celtic and Rangers contested the match, Rangers won the match 3–2, thanks to Peter Løvenkrands's last minute goal.-Match details:...
, 20032003 Scottish Cup FinalThe 2003 Scottish Cup Final was played on 31 May 2003 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 117th Scottish Cup. The final was contested by Dundee and Rangers. Rangers won the match 1–0 with a Lorenzo Amoruso goal.-Match details:...
, 20092009 Scottish Cup FinalThe 2009 Scottish Cup Final was the final of the 124th season of the main domestic football cup competition in Scotland, the Scottish Cup. The final was played at Hampden Park in Glasgow on 30 May 2009...
- Scottish Cup
-
- Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
(5): 20022002 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 2002 Scottish Cup Final was played on 17 March 2002 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 55th Scottish League Cup. The final was contested by Ayr United and Rangers. Rangers won the match 4–0, thanks to goals from Tore Andre Flo, Barry Ferguson and a double from Claudio...
, 20032003 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 2003 Scottish League Cup Final was played on 16 March 2003 at Hampden Park in Glasgow and was the final of the 56th Scottish League Cup. The final was contested by Celtic and Rangers. Rangers won the match 2–1, thanks to goals from Claudio Caniggia and Peter Løvenkrands...
, 20082008 Scottish League Cup Final-Statistics:-References:...
, 20102010 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 2010 Scottish League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Scottish League Cup, the 63rd season of the Scottish League Cup.-St. Mirren:...
, 20112011 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 2011 Scottish League Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Scottish League Cup, the 64th season of the Scottish League Cup. It was played by Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers. Rangers won the trophy after extra time 2–1.-Celtic:...
- Scottish League Cup
-
Personal awards
- Scottish Premier League Player of the Month (2): September 2006, April 2011