# 1947–48 Rangers F.C. season

The 1947–48 season was the 68th season of competitive football by Rangers.

## Overview

Rangers played a total of 45 competitive matches during the 1947–48 season. This was the second official season played since the end of the Second World War. The club played in the Scottish League Division A and finished Runners up to Hibernian, with 46 points.
The club were knocked out the League Cup by Falkirk 1–0 at the Semi-Final stage.
The Scottish Cup campaign ended in success as the club beat Morton 1–0 in a replay in front of a crowd of 129,176 (a record for a midweek match). Williamson scored the winner in extra time.
Benfica were beaten 3–0 in a prestigious friendly match in Portugal.

## Transfers

18 December 1947: Willie Dougal to Preston North End.

## Results

All results are written with Rangers' score first.

### Scottish League Division A

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 13 August 1947 | Third Lanark | H | 5-2 | | Thornton (3), Williamson, Waddell |
| 27 August 1947 | Partick Thistle | A | 1-0 | 35,000 | Thornton |
| 20 September 1947 | Celtic | H | 2-0 | 50,000 | Williamson, Findlay |
| 18 October 1947 | Hibernian | H | 2-1 | 55,000 | Paton, Williamson |
| 25 October 1947 | St Mirren | A | 1-2 | 24,000 | Thornton |
| 1 November 1947 | Airdrieonians | H | 3-0 | 15,000 | Thornton, Shaw (pen), Marshall |
| 8 November 1947 | Queen of the South | A | 3-0 | 21,000 | Findlay (2), Marshall |
| 15 November 1947 | Clyde | A | 2-1 | 30,000 | Thornton, Marshall |
| 22 November 1947 | Morton | H | 1-1 | 25,000 | Duncanson |
| 29 November 1947 | Queen's Park | A | 4-1 | 28,000 | Gillick (2), Parlane, Duncanson |
| 6 December 1947 | Hearts | A | 2-1 | 35,750 | Duncanson, Rutherford |
| 13 December 1947 | Aberdeen | H | 4-0 | 30,000 | Gillick (2), Rutherford, Thornton |
| 20 December 1947 | Third Lanark | A | 1-0 | 20,000 | Gillick |
| 25 December 1947 | Dundee | A | 3-1 | 25,000 | Duncanson (3) |
| 27 December 1947 | Partick Thistle | H | 2-1 | 20,000 | Rutherford, Gillick |
| 2 January 1948 | Celtic | A | 4-0 | 60,000 | McColl, Thornton, Rutherford, Duncanson |
| 3 January 1948 | Dundee | H | 2-1 | 35,000 | Thornton (2) |
| 10 January 1948 | Falkirk | A | 5-1 | 22,000 | Gillick (2), Duncanson (2), Waddell |
| 17 January 1948 | Motherwell | H | 2-0 | 35,000 | Thornton, Young |
| 31 January 1948 | Hibernian | A | 0-1 | 52,570 | |
| 14 February 1948 | St Mirren | H | 3-2 | 20,000 | Thornton (3) |
| 28 February 1948 | Queen of the South | H | 2-3 | 34,000 | Gillick, Thornton |
| 13 March 1948 | Morton | A | 1-0 | 18,000 | Thornton |
| 20 March 1948 | Queen's Park | H | 1-2 | 37,000 | Rutherford |
| 29 March 1948 | Falkirk | H | 1-1 | | Duncanson |
| 2 April 1948 | Aberdeen | A | 1-1 | 43,800 | Duncanson |
| 24 April 1948 | Motherwell | A | 1-1 | 25,000 | Duncanson |
| 26 April 1948 | Clyde | H | 2-1 | | McPherson, Cox |
| 1 May 1948 | Airdrieonians | A | 2-1 | 18,000 | Findlay (2) |
| 3 May 1948 | Hearts | H | 1-2 | 10,000 | Findlay |

### Scottish Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 24 January 1948 | R1 | Stranraer | A | 1–0 | 6,000 | Thornton |
| 7 February 1948 | R2 | Leith Athletic | H | 4–0 | 17,000 | Thornton, Waddell, Cox, Rutherford |
| 21 February 1948 | R3 | Partick Thistle | H | 3–0 | 68,000 | Young (pen), Duncanson, McGownan (og) |
| 6 March 1948 | QF | East Fife | H | 1–0 | 90,000 | Duncanson |
| 27 March 1948 | SF | Hibernian | N | 1–0 | 143,570 | Thornton |
| 17 April 1948 | F | Morton | N | 1–1 | 131,975 | Gillick |
| 21 April 1948 | F R | Morton | N | 1–0 | 133,750 | Williamson |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 9 August 1947 | SR | Celtic | H | 2–0 | 80,000 | Williamson (2) |
| 16 August 1947 | SR | Third Lanark | A | 3–1 | 25,000 | Williamson (2), Duncanson |
| 23 August 1947 | SR | Dundee | H | 3–0 | 25,000 | Williamson, Gillick, Thornton |
| 30 August 1947 | SR | Celtic | A | 0–2 | 60,000 | |
| 6 September 1947 | SR | Third Lanark | H | 3–0 | 20,000 | Findlay (2), Gillick |
| 13 September 1947 | SR | Dundee | A | 1–1 | 39,000 | Paton |
| 27 September 1947 | QF | Stenhousemuir | H | 2–0 | 25,000 | Findlay, Thornton |
| 11 October 1947 | SF | Falkirk | N | 0–1 | 44,432 | |

## Appearances

| Player | Position | Appearances | Goals |
| Bobby Brown | GK | 45 | 0 |
| Sammy Cox | DF | 45 | 2 |
| Jock Shaw | DF | 43 | 1 |
| Ian McColl | DF | 43 | 1 |
| Willie Woodburn | DF | 37 | 0 |
| Willie Rae | MF | 24 | 0 |
| William Waddell | MF | 22 | 3 |
| Torrance Gillick | MF | 35 | 12 |
| Billy Williamson | FW | 12 | 9 |
| Willie Thornton | FW | 45 | 22 |
| Jimmy Duncanson | FW | 44 | 15 |
| George Young | DF | 26 | 2 |
| Willie Findlay | FW | 12 | 9 |
| Willie Paton | MF | 5 | 2 |
| Eddie Rutherford | MF | 27 | 6 |
| Dave Marshall | FW | 4 | 3 |
| Jimmy Parlane | FW | 1 | 1 |
| Jimmy Caskie | MF | 15 | 0 |
| John Lindsay | DF | 3 | 0 |
| Adam Little | MF | 1 | 0 |
| Charlie Watkins | MF | 4 | 0 |
| Joe Johnson | FW | 1 | 0 |
| John McPherson | FW | 1 | 1 |