Rangers vs Hibs 1993 FInal

The 1993 Scottish League Cup Final pitted Rangers against Hibs in late October, as Walter Smith’s side looked to kick life into a stuttering season. After the double in 1991/92 and the treble in 1992/93, this was a chance to claim a sixth domestic honour in a row. Alex Miller’s team had started the season well and arrived at Celtic Park, where the final was being held due to Hampden being under renovation, as the surprise league leaders. That, coupled with Rangers’ lethargic start to the campaign, meant it was by no means a foregone conclusion that another trophy would be added to the Ibrox trophy room with the same ease with which the prior five had.

The Rangers squad were still feeling the effects of the marathon that was the previous season. They had beaten Aberdeen to all three domestic trophies. They had embarked on a remarkable European run that saw the team a goal away from appearing in the inaugural UEFA Champions League final. Instead, the top spot in the group went to Marseille, who, controversially as it would soon come to light, progressed to Munich, where they beat Fabop Capello’s star-studded AC Milan 1-0 thanks to a winner from future Rangers defender Basil Boli.

That energy-sapping run was still taking its toll on the club around the autumn and early winter of 1993. An inconsistent and often unbalanced squad had only managed to win five of their 12 league games played by the time this showdown with Hibs arrived. And of course, there was no Europe either. The success of 92/93 really whetted the appetite for what the club could achieve on the continent. But they were eliminated at the first hurdle of their European adventure in season 93/94.

In what was the shock of the round, Rangers were knocked out on away goals at the hands of Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia. And back in the days of no drop-down to other European competitions, the adventure was over before it even got started. The cup final provided an opportunity to take stock, resume some normality, keep up the sequence of collecting domestic silverware, and get the season back on track.

Ally Maxwell kept his place in goal for Rangers as he had done all season, with Andy Goram still recovering from surgery to resolve a lingering injury that had plagued him since the previous campaign. The Goalie hadn’t trained since March 1993; such was the pain, but with a treble chase and European glory on the line, proper medical attention was delayed until summer. By now, the team was feeling the effects of having to do without their number one. Maxwell, his replacement, had racked up a few errors, and the need for a fit and firing Goram had never been greater.

The back four contained Gary Stevens, Dave McPherson, captain Richard Gough, and David Robertson. The two Ian’s – Durrant and Ferguson – were joined in midfield by Trevor Steven and Stuart McCall Mark Hateley, the undoubted talisman of the Rangers side over the entirety of this season, partnered Peter Huistra in the attack, with Ally McCoist making the bench on what was his third squad list inclusion since returning from long-term injury following his leg break on Scotland duty against Portugal earlier in the year.

There was no Duncan Ferguson in the squad either, with the British transfer record summer signing from Dundee United still sidelined through injury after a faltering start to his Rangers career.

The cup final started in a typical cautious fashion. Neither side was sparkling, and chances were few and far between. An uneventful first half of football came to an end with the scoreline unsurprisingly still goalless. It was not until the second period that the final would burst into life – providing those in attendance with an opening goal, an own goal, and one decisive moment of magic from the ultimate showman.

That opener would be scored by Durrant early in the second half. The midfield dynamo played a clever one-two with Hateley to find himself clear through on goal. He held his nerve and delicately dinked the ball over Jim Leighton to put the holders in front with 55 minutes on the clock.

The earlier-mentioned lethargy that had haunted the Rangers team all season then made another appearance. And just four minutes later, Hibs were back on level terms. A defensive mishap saw Keith Wright intercept the ball, and as he flashed it across the face of the goal, McPherson turned it into his own net, and parity was restored.

With the game on a knife-edge and looking like it could go either way, the team needed a spark. Enter a returning hero - a man born for the big occasion. Back from injury, he came off the bench, channelled his inner Roy of the Rovers, and scored a goal of sheer brilliance, in a way only he could, to save the day for his off-form teammates.

Ally McCoist had been introduced to help find a winner and avoid extra time. He did precisely that with just nine minutes remaining when Robertson's long throw made its way to the Scotland striker, and with his back to goal he controlled well with his chest before unleashing a sublime overhead kick that flew in the top corner of the net and put Rangers ahead once more. It would be the final goalscoring action of the cup final, and Smith’s team had won the League Cup for the second year running.

After the full-time celebrations, a joyous Smith gave a humoured description when discussing his star striker: ‘He is a lucky bastard. He is sure to go through life like that. There is no point in me spoiling it.’

It wasn’t the first time, and it most certainly wouldn’t be the last, that Super Ally would be the difference. That moment of genius from a man, always at his most comfortable when playing the lead role, was another chapter in a storied career full of them.

His sensational overhead kick has since gone down as one of the most iconic cup final goals in Rangers' history. And as the ball flew past Leighton and hit the back of the net, Jock Brown’s immediate words on commentary summed it up perfectly: “McCoist does it for Rangers.”