Ally McCoist timeline as Rangers manager

FROM the moment he was announced as Walter Smith’s successor to yesterday’s drama.

Ally McCoist arriving at Palmerston Park, Dumfries. Picture: PA

22 February 2011: McCoist is unveiled as the man who will replace outgoing manager Walter Smith. He takes over in June.

July 2011: Juan Ortiz becomes McCoist’s first signing but he misses out on David Goodwillie, Roland Juhasz, Wesley Verhoek and Boris Pandza, leaving a question mark over chairman Craig Whyte’s transfer market clout.

August: After crashing out of the Champions League qualifiers to Malmo, McCoist’s men are humbled over two legs in the Europa League preliminaries by Slovenians Maribor. In the SPL, they record nine wins in the first ten games including a 4-2 triumph over Celtic. September: League Cup defence ends after just one game at Falkirk.

5 November: Nikica Jelavic’s double inspires a 3-1 home win over Dundee United which moves Rangers 15 points clear of Celtic having played two games more.

13 February 2012: Already behind Celtic in the title race, Rangers apply to go into administration and do so 24 hours later. A ten-point deduction effectively kills off any lingering title hopes.

13 May: Charles Green’s consortium takes control as Rangers finish second, 20 points behind Celtic.

June: HMRC reject a CVA proposal so the club is liquidated and Green transfers Rangers’ assets to a new company. Several high-profile players refuse to move their contracts over and depart for nothing.

July: Rangers are placed in the Third Division. A year-long transfer embargo from September gives McCoist 42 days in which to recruit and he signs the likes of Ian Black, Dean Shiels and David Templeton.

October: Rangers crash out of the Challenge Cup to Queen of the South and fail to win in any of their first four away league games. They are also knocked out of the League Cup by Inverness, 3-0 at Ibrox, but begin to pull away in the title race.

30 March 2013: Rangers claim the title with a 0-0 draw at Montrose and McCoist lifts his first trophy as boss on the final day of the season.

3 August: Despite bringing in the likes of Nicky Law and Jon Daly, Rangers slump to a 2-1 extra-time defeat at Forfar in the first round of the League Cup, hours after Green – no longer chief executive at Ibrox but still an influence behind the scenes – is quoted as saying McCoist has to win at least one major trophy in 2013/14 or he’ll be out of a job.

12 March 2014: Rangers secure promotion to the Championship as unbeaten League One champions.

6 April: Rangers lose 1-0 in extra-time to Raith in the final of the Challenge Cup. Six days later, they’re also eliminated from the Scottish Cup by Dundee United.

10 August: As title favourites, Rangers lose their opening league fixture 2-1 to Hearts at Ibrox.

20 September: After seven wins in a row in all competitions, Rangers draw 1-1 at Alloa then lose 3-1 at home to Hibs.

26 October: Chief Executive Graham Wallace, one of McCoist’s few boardroom allies, leaves Ibrox.

3 December: Rangers surrender a two-goal lead in the last 18 minutes to lose 3-2 to Alloa in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

12 December: Hours before taking the team to play Queen of the South, McCoist tenders his resignation. And Rangers lose 2-0.