 Rae duringJody Craddock's testimonial in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Scott Rae[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1969-09-30)30 September 1969 (age 56)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Partick Thistle (assistant head-coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rangers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987–1990 | Falkirk | 83 | (20) |
| 1990–1996 | Millwall | 218 | (63) |
| 1996–2001 | Sunderland | 114 | (12) |
| 2001–2004 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 107 | (15) |
| 2004–2006 | Rangers | 34 | (1) |
| 2006–2008 | Dundee | 26 | (3) |
| 2009–2010 | Milton Keynes Dons | 3 | (0) |
| Total | 585 | (114) | |
| International career | |||
| 1990–1992 | Scotland U21[3] | 9 | (3) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2006–2008 | Dundee | ||
| 2009 | MK Dons (assistant) | ||
| 2010–2011 | Notts County (assistant) | ||
| 2013–2014 | Blackpool (assistant) | ||
| 2014–2015 | KRC Genk (assistant) | ||
| 2015–2016 | St Mirren | ||
| 2022–2023 | Reading (assistant) | ||
| 2025– | Partick Thistle (assistant) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alexander Scott Rae (born 30 September 1969) is a Scottish professionalfootballmanager and formerplayer who played as amidfielder. He is assistant head coach atPartick Thistle.
Rae began his youth career atRangers and started his senior career atFalkirk. Rae played forMillwall,Sunderland,Wolverhampton Wanderers,Rangers,Dundee,Milton Keynes Dons. Back from rehab clinic for alcoholism in 1998, he was withSunderland and played regularly in the top flight until September 2001. He then joinedWolverhampton Wanderers,[4] and quickly became the key player in the team, winning the fans's player of the season award. In 2003, he helped the team back into thePremier League, and had his best seasonal tally with 8 goals. He then went back to Scotland, joiningRangers where he had started his youth career, in May 2004,[5] and won the league title in his first season.[6]
Rae was appointed player-manager ofDundee in May 2006. He led the club to third place in theFirst Division in his first season and took them a place higher in his second. He stopped his career as a footballer during the 2008–2009 season[7] and went to Sweden as part of his work towards aUEFA Pro Licence.[8]
Rae was born inGlasgow.[1] He started his career as a youngster at boyhood heroesRangers but was rejected by bossGraeme Souness. He dropped down tojunior leagues withBishopbriggs before he joinedFalkirk and enjoyed a successful two years before heading south to sign forMillwall in 1990 for £100,000. He made his Millwall debut on 25 August 1990 and played for the club for six years. While at the club he would go on to become one of Millwall's highest goalscorers, with 71 goals in all competitions. His form for Millwall earned him a big money move to Premier LeagueSunderland for £1 million in 1996, where he established himself as a crowd-pleasing, combative midfielder. His career took a downturn though, as he descended into alcoholism, leading to him attending a rehab clinic during 1998. He stayed sober after this treatment and further rehabilitation, and later became a patron for theSporting Chance clinic.[citation needed]
Back on the field, he won promotion as champions back to thePremier League withSunderland in1998–99 and played regularly in the top flight. By 2001, he had dropped out of managerPeter Reid's plans and was sold toWolverhampton Wanderers in September 2001, for £1.2 million.[4] He quickly became an important player for Wolves, winning the fans' player of the season award in his first campaign. The following year, he helped them back into thePremier League when they wonthe play-offs in 2003. He had a strong year in the top flight, finishing as the club's leading scorer with eight goals – his best-ever seasonal tally – but could not prevent the club's relegation. Rae re-signed forRangers in May 2004,[5] and won the league title in his first season, scoring once in the process against Dunfermline.[6] He only featured 12 times in his second season, however, and was later released by the club.[9]
Rae was appointed player-manager ofDundee on 24 May 2006.[9] He led the club to third place in theFirst Division in his first season and took them a place higher in his second. He gave up playing for the 2008–09 season but was sacked on 20 October 2008 with the team in eighth place in the league.[7] Following this, Rae travelled to Sweden as part of his work towards aUEFA Pro Licence.[8]
In July 2009 he joinedMK Dons, on a temporary basis with a view to a permanent deal, as first team coach working under his former Wolves teammatePaul Ince.[10]
In 2010, Rae made a return to competitive football to cover for injuries. On 29 October 2010, Rae joinedNotts County as assistant manager,[11] but he left the club following the departure of managerPaul Ince on 3 April 2011.[12]
In February 2013, Rae joinedBlackpool, once again with Paul Ince.[13] Theseason finished with Blackpool in 15th place.[14]
On 21 January 2014, along with Paul Ince, Rae's Blackpool contract was terminated and he left the club.[15] In August 2014 he became assistant manager at Belgian clubKRC Genk, working withAlex McLeish.[16]
Rae was appointed manager ofScottish Championship sideSt Mirren in December 2015,[17] after former managerIan Murray resigned.[18] After an unsuccessful start to the2016–17 season, Rae and his assistantDavid Farrell were sacked by the club.[19]
Rae became assistant toPaul Ince atReading in February 2022. On 11 April 2023, Rae and Ince were sacked by Reading.[20] On 1 October 2023, Rae joinedScottish Premiership side Rangers as a first-team coach after the sacking of managerMichael Beale.[21]
On 19 June 2025, Rae joinedScottish Championship sidePartick Thistle as assistant head coach underMark Wilson.[22]
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||||||
| Dundee | 24 May 2006 | 20 October 2008 | 97 | 42 | 22 | 33 | 043.30 | ||||
| St Mirren | 18 December 2015 | 18 September 2016 | 32 | 13 | 6 | 13 | 040.63 | ||||
| Total | 129 | 55 | 28 | 46 | 042.64 | ||||||
Sunderland
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Rangers
Scotland U21
Individual
