Where Rangers' 2012/13 squad who won Third Division are now over decade after success

Rangers' future was looking decidedly grim in 2012, to put it mildly.

The club found themselves demoted to the fourth tier of Scottish football after going into administration in February of that year, which led to liquidation by October. To add insult to injury, the Glasgow team were hit with a 12-month transfer ban, preventing them from signing new players over the age of 18 until the summer transfer window of 2013 had closed.

As we all know now, Rangers managed to bounce back, securing consecutive promotions to the Championship, before finally clawing their way back to the Scottish Premiership at the end of the 2015/16 season - where they've stayed ever since, even managing to snatch the title from Celtic in the 2020/21 season.

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But who were the loyal Rangers players who stuck with the team through the good times and the bad during their first season in the Scottish Third Division back in 2012, and where are they now? Football.Scotland has the lowdown...

Players who have since retired

Given that it's been 12 years since Rangers were relegated to the fourth tier, several players have since hung up their boots for good. Goalkeeper Neil Alexander played for teams like Crystal Palace, Aberdeen and Dunfermline before retiring in 2022 and moving into coaching, where he is now head of goalkeeping at Motherwell, while centre-half Dorin Goian moved onto Asteras Tripoli before becoming a manager with Foresta Suceava in 2016.

Lee McCulloch hung up his boots in 2016 after a stint at Kilmarnock, before taking a managerial role at the same club and coaching stints at Lechia Gdansk, Dundee United and Hearts. Carlos Boganegra retired in 2014 after playing for Chivas USA, while Ian Black moved to Shrewsbury Town in 2015 and played for several clubs before retiring in 2021.

Andy Little, a former centre-forward, transferred to Preston North End in 2014 and later played for Stirling Albion and Dumbarton before retiring in 2018. Lewis Macleod, a centre-mid, had spells at Brentford, Wigan Athletic and Plymouth Argyle before ending his career in 2021.

Striker Kevin Kyle left Rangers in 2013 and played for Ayr United for a year before retiring in 2014. Lee Wallace, a left-back, stayed with Rangers until 2019 before moving to Queens Park Rangers and retiring in 2022. He now works as an assistant coach at Hearts/ Dean Shiels departed Rangers in 2016 to play for a number of clubs including Dundalk, FC Edmonton, Dunfermline Athletic, Derry City and Coleraine, where he is currently the manager.

Those who are still playing

Several players from the 2012/13 season are still active in football in 2024. Tough centre-back Kirk Broadfoot is still playing for Greenock Morton at the ripe age of 40. Kal Naismith, who left Rangers in 2013, has had stints with Accrington Stanley, Portsmouth and Luton Town before joining Bristol City in 2022, where he's currently part of Liam Manning's Championship squad.

Right-back Sebastian Faure is now playing for FC Limonest in the fifth tier of French football, while Kyle Hutton is plying his trade at Pollok in the Scottish sixth-tier. Andy Mitchell is currently with NIFL Premiership side Carrick Rangers, while Robbie Crawford, aged 31, plays for USL Championship team Charlseton Battery.

Andy Murdoch, who parted ways with Rangers in 2016, played for Greenock Morton and Ayr United before moving to Clyde FC, while Francesco Stella transferred to Melbourne Victory in 2013. He has since played for Sisaket, Avondale, Central Coast Mariners, Nest Sotra, Port Melbourne and Caroline Springs George Cross, but has struggled to settle at any club. Now aged 33, Stella is currently with Upfield SC.

David Templeton, on the other hand, is currently with Drumchapel United, after spells with Hamilton Academical and Burton Albion following his departure from Rangers in 2016. EFL fans will be familiar with Barrie McKay, who has had stints at Nottingham Forest, Swansea City and Fleetwood Town since departing Rangers in 2017.

However, the Paisley-born 29-year-old made a return to his homeland in 2021, joining Hearts where he continues to play. Other notable players from the 2012/13 season include striker Kane Hemmings - currently plying his trade at Crewe Alexandra - and centre-forward Danny Stoney, who was playing for Johnstone Burgh FC at the time of writing.

And what about the gaffer?

Ally McCoist, a former Rangers player between 1983 and 1998, took up the managerial reins in 2011. In a remarkable display of loyalty, McCoist stayed with Rangers following their relegation to the Third Division, steering them to a first-place finish in the 2012/13 season with an impressive 83 points - a clear 24 points ahead of second-placed Peterhead.

McCoist led Rangers to 25 victories, eight draws and just three defeats that season, also guiding them to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup where they were eventually knocked out by Dundee United 3-0. McCoist remained with Rangers until December 2014, when he was placed on gardening leave after handing in his notice.

McCoist's contract was mutually ended in September 2015. The only club he has managed in his distinguished career is Rangers, after which he transitioned into football punditry. He has collaborated with major networks such as ESPN, Sky Sports and Amazon Prime Video over the years, and currently lends his expertise to ITV Sport and TNT Sports.