| Ninteen-year-old Ian Redford created Scottish football history in
February 1980 when his transfer from Dundee to Rangers shattered the
Scottish transfer record. John Greig splashed out £210, 000 to lure the
cultured, goal-scoring midfielder to Ibrox, and Redford repaid a large
chunk of that sizeable outlay during a five-year stay in Govan.
Ian made his Rangers debut against Morton and played his part in a
3-1 win that helped his new team-mates arrest an alarming dip in form
that had witnessed Rangers fail to register a victory in their previous
four Premier Division fixtures. That was the first of thirteen
appearances that Redford made in the 1979/80 season, but he had to wait
until September 1980 to register his first goals for his new club. He
netted a brace in an emphatic 8-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park -
a result that still stands as the Club's record Premier Division
victory away from home - and he developed something of a goal-scoring
habit over the remainder of the 1980/81 season. By the season's end he
had notched a total of twelve goals in fifty appearances, a total that
placed him third in the Ibrox scoring charts behind Colin McAdam and
John MacDonald.
Arguably his most important strike of the season was his last-minute
goal in a Scottish Cup-tie against St Johnstone at Muirton Park on St
Valentine's Day 1981. Rangers looked to be heading for a humbling exit,
as they trailed 3-2 against the First Division side, but a late rally
created an opening for Redford to notch his second goal of the game and
earn the Light Blues a replay. They duly despatched The Saints at the
second attempt and eventually made it through to the Final where Redford
once again played a central role. A dull and uninspiring match against
Dundee United suddenly burst into life when Rangers were awarded a
penalty in the final minute. With no recognised penalty taker in the
ranks, Redford, who had enjoyed some success from twelve yards during
the season, took responsibility, but drilled his effort against the legs
of the United goalkeeper, Hamish McAlpine. His blushes were spared in
the replay, though, when Rangers turned in a dynamic display to defeat
United by four goals to one.
Redford enjoyed better luck against the men in tangerine when he next
faced them at Hampden in the Final of the 1981/82 League Cup. With the
teams tied at 1-1, Redford came off the bench to score the winner with a
delightfully executed chip from the edge of the penalty area. Ian had
fond memories of the League Cup that season; in addition to his goal in
the final he also plundered four goals in one of the sectional matches
when Raith Rovers were hammered 8-1 at Ibrox.
Ian was never quite as prolific again after his initial burst of
goals in a Rangers jersey, but he remained one of the shining lights in
what was a poor Rangers team. He would add one more winners' medal to
his tally before he left Ibrox in the summer of 1985, and once again
Dundee United were the vanquished opponents, this time in the 1984/85
League Cup Final. Redford's appearance at Hampden that afternoon also
made up for the fact that he had missed out on a medal when the Light
Blues lifted the same trophy during the previous season when a red card
against former club Dundee counted him out of a 3-2 win over Celtic
through suspension.
After making almost 250 appearances for Rangers, Redford returned to
Tayside in 1985 when he joined Dundee United. He enjoyed a fine career
at Tannadice, playing in the 1987 UEFA Cup Final, and he also played for
Ipswich Town, St Johnstone and Brechin City before ending his playing
days in style when he was part of the Raith Rovers team that shocked
Celtic to win the League Cup in 1994/95. (Alistair Aird, Author of Ally McCoist - Portrait of a Hero).
Ian Redford died on 10th. January 2014 aged 53. His body was found in woodland near Irvine Scotland.
There were no suspicious circumstances.
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