Barry Ferguson's Rangers feat emulates legendary manager's start v Celtic over three decades ago

Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson inspired his team to an away victory over Celtic in his first Old Firm match in charge

It is fair to say you must be doing something right if your Rangers reign as manager, albeit interim, is already evoking comparisons with Walter Smith.

Much was made of Barry Ferguson’s bid to become the first Rangers manager to win a first Old Firm derby since Ally McCoist in the run-up to Sunday’s thrilling Premiership clash between the teams. Ferguson’s side duly won 3-2 following a late winner from substitute Hamza Igamane. The victory, on top of last Thursday’s Europa League shootout win over Fenerbahce, has inevitably led to more calls to give the former skipper the post on a permanent basis.

The instinct of many might be to urge caution and with Rangers on the brink of being taken over by the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, the decision-makers are not even in place yet.

But Ferguson has certainly caused a stir while emulating McCoist in the process. Eight managers have come and gone since the legendary striker was put in charge at a club heading inexorably towards financial meltdown. Some of them, like Ferguson, were appointed only on an interim basis. Not one of them managed to taste victory when up against Celtic for the first time.

So Ferguson has achieved something notable in that respect, even if he sought to make some fun of it on Friday in his pre-match press conference. He joked that he was surprised he had not received a text from McCoist reminding him of this claim to fame, though, he added, “there was still time”. No doubt Ferguson will have been quick to reply on Sunday afternoon if that message from McCoist had been forthcoming.

But the current manager’s maiden victory over Celtic is an even more impressive feat when one considers that Ferguson’s first win had come at Celtic Park. McCoist’s was at Ibrox in a 4-2 win in September 2011.

The last Rangers manager to win their first Old Firm derby in the east end of Glasgow was the man McCoist succeeded. Smith’s win was in September 1991, near the start of the legendary manager's first full season in charge in his first spell after succeeding Graeme Souness.

Helping date things further is that this particular game saw Andy Goram’s Old Firm debut. The goalkeeper had been signed from Hibs that summer and had been at fault for the goal in a 1-0 defeat to Hearts a couple of weeks earlier.

“If I allowed myself to think that mistake against Hearts was the last one I would ever make in my career, I would be foolish,” he said.

Goram was barely troubled at Celtic Park as Mark Hateley, someone else who had succeeded to win over fans after a tricky start, scored a double. “Two goals against Celtic will cement his relationship with the fans,” said Smith.

As for Celtic, a long hard season beckoned under Liam Brady. They finished third in the league and were runners-up to champions Rangers in the Scottish Cup. “The malodorous scent of mediocrity rose from the pitch and sent some of Celtic’s support towards the exit doors before the end of the match,” wrote Hugh Keevins in his match report for The Scotsman.

He noted that it was ominous that Rangers had been able to beat Celtic so easily without even having to call on Ally McCoist and Alexei Mikhailichenko from the bench. The Parkhead side, meanwhile, crashed out of the Skol Cup to Airdrie in their next match on penalties.