9 Bill Struth

Bill Struth was manager of Glasgow Rangers over a 34 year period, winning 18 league championships, 10 Scottish cups and 2 league cups. He is Rangers' most successful manager of all-time in terms of trophies, though they were won in a less sophisticated era. Struth is considered a legend at Ibrox, having made Rangers the most powerful club in Scotland. He was a disciplinarian and reputed to be a master psychologist by his former players, who insisted he knew exactly how to get the best out of them. He ensured all his players wore bowler hats with collars and ties when in and around Ibrox or on official duties. He rarely interacted with his players at all on match days and instead preferred to prepare them beforehand. He often said little but what he did say was felt to be extremely helpful and he rarely wasted a word. In his 34 years as manager, he never gave a pre-match pep talk and is rumoured only once to have visited the dressing room - after an embarrassing defeat. The players thought he was about to explode for the first time but his only words were, "God help the team you'll be playing next week.” According to former Struth player, Dr Adam Little, "Playing The Rangers Way was handed down from generation to generation. You were introduced to a system and the first team players told you what to do. If you didn't, you wouldn't last long.” Dr Little - a medical doctor - also explained, "he was way ahead of his time. And in psychology, he was a wizard - he controlled the team. You've eleven players and no two are alike - he could handle each and every one of us. He knew our weaknesses. He was strict - you had to live by his standards and if you didn't you were out the window. If you disobeyed certain things you were just transferred.” One player, Archie Macaulay was “out on the skip on the Thursday night." The following week he was transferred to West Ham, no questions asked and without Struth even explaining why he was no longer required at Ibrox. Struth never played professional football but was an athlete and a stonemason by trade. As he aged, he became less authoritarian and more interested in topping up his winter tan with UV tubes. He even changed his tactics, which had hitherto been set in stone. He is spoken of in hushed terms by the Rangers faithful and regarded as their finest ever manager.

British league champions: 18
Foreign league champions: 0
European cup: 0