With Rangers’ first post-Christmas game not taking place until Motherwell visit Ibrox tomorrow, it’s the perfect time to revisit the 13 Boxing Day fixtures the club has played since the turn of the century. From shocking defeats to dominant victories, they have been ranked from worst to best, taking into account the result, the performance on the day, the context at the time, and how the season ultimately unfolded.
- St Mirren 2 Rangers 1, 2024
The most recent entry on the list comes from Boxing Day last year, when Rangers slipped to a late defeat away to St Mirren in Paisley, one of only two losses to feature in these rankings.
Philippe Clement was already under pressure, as was the Rangers board, following a run of poor results and questionable recruitment. A trip to Paisley on a cold December evening is rarely straightforward, and this proved no exception.
St Mirren deservedly took the lead just after the half-hour mark through an Oisin Smyth penalty. Rangers responded midway through the second half when Danilo equalised, and briefly looked capable of pushing on for the win. Instead, it was the organised and resilient hosts who struck late, Caolan Boyd-Munce firing home a dramatic 91st-minute winner to condemn Rangers to a fifth league defeat of the season.
In truth, the match summed up a largely forgettable campaign. Rangers fell short domestically, finishing a distant second after Clement’s dismissal and Barry Ferguson’s temporary spell in charge, with only a couple of Old Firm victories and a respectable Europa League run providing the few high points. A frustrating Boxing Day, but one that never truly shocked.
- Motherwell 1 Rangers 0, 2002
Rangers’ first league defeat of the 2002/03 season arrived unexpectedly on Boxing Day at Fir Park, as Alex McLeish’s side were stunned by bottom-placed Motherwell.
The visitors travelled in a confident mood, sitting top of the table and unbeaten, while Motherwell were struggling both on and off the pitch amid severe financial problems. On paper, it looked routine.
Instead, a 19-year-old James McFadden produced the moment of the match, firing the hosts ahead after 65 minutes. Rangers threw everything at an equaliser, but a forward line featuring Michael Mols, Ronald de Boer, and Claudio Caniggia couldn’t find a way through, failing to score in the league for the first time that season.
The defeat proved little more than a festive hiccup. Rangers regrouped quickly and went on to claim a world-record 50th league title and a seventh domestic treble, making this shock loss an outlier in an otherwise historic campaign.
- Rangers 1 Stranraer 1, 2013
By Boxing Day 2013, Rangers were cruising towards the League One title, but off the pitch, the club remained in turmoil.
The feel-good novelty of “The Journey” had long since faded, replaced by supporter unrest and a growing disconnect between fans and the board. Ibrox was far from a happy place when Stranraer arrived, hoping to become the first team to take points from Ally McCoist’s side.
Rangers eventually broke the deadlock when Lee McCulloch converted a 37th-minute penalty, seemingly setting up a routine win. Instead, a flat second half followed, and the part-time visitors were rewarded deep into stoppage time with a deserved equaliser, silencing Ibrox and prompting boos at full time.
While Rangers would go on to win the league unbeaten, this match captured the mood of the season perfectly: promotion was achieved with ease, but optimism was in short supply amid ongoing chaos behind the scenes.
- Dunfermline 3 Rangers 3, 2005
Rangers’ trip to East End Park on Boxing Day 2005 delivered one of the most chaotic festive fixtures of the era, as a struggling Dunfermline side held McLeish’s men in a six-goal thriller.
The hosts struck first through Andy Tod, only for Peter Løvenkrands to equalise minutes later. Dunfermline responded almost immediately, Mark Burchill restoring their lead before half-time. Løvenkrands’ second-half penalty levelled things again, and when Chris Burke put Rangers 3-2 ahead, it looked like the visitors would finally see the game out. Instead, a late Sotirios Kyrgiakos foul gifted Dunfermline a penalty, converted by Darren Young to cap a breathless 3-3 draw.
The result summed up a disappointing season domestically, as Rangers finished third and exited both cups early. Europe provided some relief, however, with a memorable Champions League run to the last 16, and McLeish would step down as manager upon the conclusion of the season, to make way for Frenchman Paul Le Guen.
- Rangers 1 Hibernian 1, 2018
Rangers’ first Boxing Day fixture since 2013 saw Hibernian visit Ibrox, with Steven Gerrard’s improving side looking to keep pace at the top of the table.
The teams had drawn 0-0 at Easter Road a week earlier, a match Rangers dominated without reward, and hopes were high for a breakthrough at home. Alfredo Morelos duly delivered, firing Rangers ahead after 25 minutes following a strong start.
Despite controlling much of the game, Rangers failed to extend their lead and were made to pay late on when Hibs defender Darren McGregor headed home an equaliser with just minutes remaining, and it was another two points dropped.
Although the season ended without silverware, progress under Gerrard was evident. Old Firm victories and a successful European campaign that saw the team progress through four gruelling Europa League qualifying rounds before narrowly missing out on group stage progression signalled that Rangers were finally moving in the right direction, even if Boxing Day once again brought frustration.
- Rangers 3–0 Clyde, 2012
From this point on, the list is made up of victories, though this one stands out for all the wrong reasons. For the first time, and hopefully the last, Rangers played a Boxing Day fixture as a Third Division club.
Clyde arrived at Ibrox in December 2012 with Rangers well into the first stage of their climb back up the leagues. Early stumbles had been ironed out, momentum was building, and Ally McCoist’s side had opened up a commanding lead at the top of the table. Anything other than a comfortable win would have been a surprise.
The match itself followed the script. Lee Wallace opened the scoring after 21 minutes, David Templeton doubled the lead just before half-time, and Dean Shiels added a third late on to complete a routine 3–0 victory, Rangers’ ninth win in succession. The second half passed with little drama, with the outcome long since decided.
Rangers wrapped up the Third Division title with ease, sealing promotion in March. Cup competitions provided fewer highlights, with quarter-final exits in the League Cup and Challenge Cup alongside a heavy 3-0 loss at Tannadice in the Scottish Cup, rounding off a season that was always more about progress than memorable afternoons.
- Rangers 1–0 Kilmarnock, 2019
The second Boxing Day fixture of the Steven Gerrard era had all the makings of a potential banana skin.
Rangers had continued to improve under Gerrard, recruiting smartly and shedding much of the previous season’s deadwood. By Christmas, they were firmly involved in a tight title race, with little margin for error. Alex Dyer’s well-drilled Kilmarnock side arrived in strong form, and with a daunting trip to Parkhead looming, three points were essential.
As expected, it was a tense and finely balanced contest. Kilmarnock were compact and disciplined, while Rangers probed patiently in front of an increasingly anxious Ibrox crowd. The breakthrough finally came after 65 minutes when substitute Alfredo Morelos reacted quickest from close range, his 29th goal of the season proving decisive.
The closing stages were nervy, but Rangers held on for a hard-fought 1–0 win, precisely the type of result required in a title race. They followed it up days later with a landmark victory at Parkhead, their first there in over nine years.
Ultimately, the momentum didn’t last. League form collapsed, cup exits followed, and the season was brought to a premature end by the Covid-19 shutdown. In isolation, however, this Boxing Day win felt significant, even if hindsight dulls its impact.
- Rangers 3–0 St Johnstone, 2000
The oldest entry on the list dates back to Boxing Day 2000, as Rangers hosted St Johnstone looking to extend an improving run of form in a season that had already threatened to drift away.
After losing four of their opening 12 league matches, Dick Advocaat’s side found themselves chasing a Celtic team revitalised under new manager Martin O’Neill. With momentum slowly returning as the New Year approached, only three points would suffice if Rangers were to keep their fading title hopes alive.
Rangers delivered in comfortable fashion. Neil McCann opened the scoring after 32 minutes, before Fernando Ricksen struck early in the second half to practically settle the contest. With the game winding down, the returning Tore André Flo added a third late on to add some gloss to the scoreline and complete a convincing 3–0 victory.
Despite the routine nature of the win, the campaign itself proved deeply disappointing. Rangers finished second, failed to lift a trophy for only the second season in 13 years, and exited both European competitions before Christmas. In hindsight, this Boxing Day success was a rare bright spot during a period that effectively signalled the beginning of the end of Advocaat’s time at Ibrox.
- Rangers 2–0 St Mirren, 2021
Boxing Day 2021 was played in eerie surroundings, with St Mirren visiting an empty Ibrox following the sudden return of Covid restrictions.
The fixture came amid growing controversy, with Celtic leading calls for the winter break to be brought forward, a move that conveniently postponed an upcoming Old Firm clash with an in-form Rangers side (absolutely nothing to do with their poor form and growing injury list, apparently) and after the round of Boxing Day matches that were to be played behind closed doors, the league acted, and football was paused earlier than planned.
Rangers entered the game six points clear at the top of the table, looking to build on their title triumph earlier in the year. Steven Gerrard had departed for Aston Villa, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst making a strong early impression as his replacement.
On the pitch, Rangers were professional and in control. Scott Wright opened the scoring after 14 minutes, and Alfredo Morelos doubled the lead soon after, effectively settling the contest before the half-hour mark. Rangers continued to dominate, creating chances for a more comfortable scoreline, but St Mirren’s resistance kept it at 2–0.
The season would end with silverware, as Rangers lifted the Scottish Cup, while a remarkable Europa League run carried them all the way to the final in Seville. This Boxing Day win was unspectacular, but efficient, fitting comfortably into the middle of the rankings.
- Hibernian 0–3 Rangers, 2001
A year on from the previous entry, Rangers again found themselves chasing faint title hopes, but much had changed. Dick Advocaat was gone, replaced by former Hibs boss Alex McLeish, whose appointment had been met with scepticism. Boxing Day 2001 saw McLeish return to Easter Road to face his old club in just his third game in charge.
Rangers were second best early on, but struck first when Craig Moore headed home after 16 minutes. The match opened up in the second half, with Hibs pushing for an equaliser and Rangers threatening on the break. With five minutes remaining, Tore André Flo produced a composed finish to settle nerves, before Shota Arveladze added a late penalty to complete a flattering 3–0 scoreline.
The result proved an early marker under McLeish. Rangers would finish second again, but success came in both domestic cups, including a famous Scottish Cup final win over Celtic. A decent European run was enjoyed too, only coming to an end at the Last 16 stage after losing narrowly to eventual winners Feyenoord, and this Boxing Day win felt like the first glimpse of a new era taking shape.
- Rangers 3–1 Motherwell, 2007
Boxing Day 2007 brought another potential banana skin, with Mark McGhee’s impressive Motherwell side arriving at Ibrox sitting third in the table amid a fierce Old Firm title battle.
Walter Smith’s return had transformed Rangers. Smart recruitment and a settled squad saw momentum build rapidly, and by Christmas, Rangers looked well placed to reclaim the title. Motherwell, however, provided stubborn resistance.
The breakthrough came just before the interval when Daniel Cousin finished from close range following a fine Steven Whittaker delivery. Motherwell dominated spells of the second half and were rewarded when Paul Quinn headed an equaliser on 65 minutes. Rangers responded immediately, retaking the lead through a Chris Porter own goal, before Kris Boyd sealed the points late on.
The 2007/08 season would become one of the most dramatic of the century, with domestic cup success, a run to the UEFA Cup final, and a title challenge that ultimately fell short. This Boxing Day victory was a crucial step in a relentless campaign that stretched Rangers to their limits.
- Rangers 1–0 Hibernian, 2020
By Christmas 2020, Steven Gerrard’s Rangers were in complete control. The long rebuild was nearing its peak, and Rangers sat clear at the top of the league, dictating the title race for the first time in nearly a decade, all amid the surreal backdrop of football behind closed doors.
Hibs, flying under Jack Ross, arrived in strong form and were, at the time, chasing second place. This was no free hit, and what followed was tense, cagey, and low on quality, but massive in significance.
With the game drifting towards half-time, Kemar Roofe’s clever low cross was met by Ianis Hagi, who swept home in the 43rd minute. Clear chances were scarce after the break, but Rangers defended well to secure a vital 1–0 win.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was defining. Rangers would go on to complete an invincible league campaign, amassing 102 points and delivering a long-awaited 55th title. This Boxing Day victory may have been forgettable in isolation, but in the context of the season, it was indispensable.
- Motherwell 1–4 Rangers, 2010
Top spot belongs to Boxing Day 2010, when Rangers delivered one of the most complete festive performances of the century away at Motherwell.
Played during a brutal winter freeze that wiped out fixtures across the country, Rangers arrived in Lanarkshire holding a two-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand, and an Old Firm clash looming days later. Fir Park had proven a difficult venue in recent seasons, but Walter Smith’s side were at their ruthless best.
Kenny Miller opened the scoring after 26 minutes, and Rangers doubled their lead soon after when Steven Saunders turned the ball into his own net. Motherwell briefly threatened a comeback through John Sutton early in the second half, but any doubt was extinguished moments later when Vladimir Weiss embarked on a superb solo run before finishing clinically. Miller added his second to make it 4–1, completing a dominant display.
Rangers went on to have a great season. Europe, thought of at the time as a sideshow given the exhausting nature of this suffocating campaign, was memorable. Rangers finished third in their Champions League group, ahead of Bursaspor but behind Manchester United and Valencia, and dropped down into the Europa League, seeing off Sporting Lisbon on away goals before losing narrowly to PSV Eindhoven in the Last 16. The League Cup was won with an extra-time victory over Celtic at Hampden, and although the Scottish Cup could not be claimed, the league title was, with Rangers winning 5-1 at Rugby Park to make sure Smith bowed out with another trophy t