Recently, we looked at Rangers wearing a fourth kit against NK Osijek in the Europa League second qualifying round, following a tradition of ad hoc red and black strips in Europe.
That was their second European tie; against Shkupi in the previous round, they had worn all-white in the away leg.
Coupled with all-blue at home to Shkupi and their default first kit against Osijek at Ibrox, it meant four kit combinations in as many games.
The reason given for the use of the red kit in Croatia was that the rules there prevented the advertising of their shirt sponsor and so it wouldn’t be worth having a special set of their orange third shirts made.
So you can pretty much guess what was worn away to Slovenian side NK Maribor in the third qualifying round:
To be fair to Rangers, the fault lies with Hummel, who appear to be having problems delivering kit to a lot of teams in this still-nascent season.
As Alex Anderson pointed out to us, it may be some kind of record to have worn three different change kits in as many consecutive away games in the same competition. Not even Chelsea in their five-kit 1990-91 season managed it.
Unfortunately for those of us who like multiple combinations of the same kit, the all-blue was back for the home leg against Maribor.
Russian club Ufc provide the opposition for Rangers in the play-off round this week and next – they wear all-red so it’s unlikely Rangers will need an alternative kit. But you never know.
First British side to compete in the Champions League proper, the European Super Cup and the final of the Cup-Winners’ Cup;
Holders of the record for the biggest ever aggregate defeat in a European semi-final and biggest aggreagate quarter-final win (Achieved in successive seasons);
Scorers of the first official Champions League goal on German soil – first winners to be banned from defending a European trophy:
Celtic’s “first non-Latin side to win the European Cup” might roll off the tongue easier, but Rangers’ collection of continental records is far more interesting for being far more convoluted and often more unsavoury.
Yes it is.
So I’d beg the help of all MoJ readers in validating this latest Ibrox claim on Euro history.
Before I write to Uefa, demanding they commemorate this unique feat with some sort of trophy presented to our legendary kit executive Jimmy Bell – (perhaps a miniature golden hamper set on a mahogany plinth studded with mother of pearl discarded jock straps) I want its veracity subjected to laboratory test conditions; i.e. can you all try really quite hard to remember if any other club has worn three totally different away kits in three straight European away ties … in the same season.
Give it a good two, three minutes thought and let me know if you come up with anyone (Barcelona I’ll bet – they always ruin everything).
I also want Rangers to wear their trad “European kit” in Ufa next Thursday: All-blue wouldn’t be an “away kit” but it would mean four successive European away games in which our outfield players have worn four totally different colours of shirt, shorts and socks.
Now that’s a record almost as catchy as First British Club To Reach The Final of a Uefa Club Competition Because While A London Select XI and Birmingham City Reached European Finals Before Rangers Those Were In The Inter-City Fairs Cup Which Didn’t Come Under the Auspices of Uefa Until 1971 When it Changed Its Name To The UEFA Cup.
And if we’ve heard that stat once …
rangers played a european tie in austria[bjorkland was no 6] wearing a red top.When? Strip only worn once