 McGregor in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Allan James McGregor[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1982-01-31)31 January 1982 (age 43)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1995 | Hutchison Vale[3][4] | ||
| 1998–2001 | Rangers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2012 | Rangers | 205 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | →St Johnstone (loan) | 20 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | →Dunfermline Athletic (loan) | 26 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Beşiktaş | 27 | (0) |
| 2013–2018 | Hull City | 141 | (0) |
| 2017 | →Cardiff City (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| 2018–2023 | Rangers | 141 | (0) |
| Total | 579 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 2002–2003 | Scotland U21 | 6 | (0) |
| 2004 | Scotland B | 1 | (0) |
| 2007–2018 | Scotland | 42 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:16, 24 May 2023 (UTC) | |||
Allan James McGregor (born 31 January 1982) is a Scottish former professionalfootballer and currentgoalkeeping coach atRangers. McGregor has previously played for Rangers,St Johnstone,Dunfermline Athletic, Turkish teamBeşiktaş, English clubHull City and Welsh sideCardiff City, and made 42 international appearances forScotland.
A product of theHutchison Vale youth football club[5] inEdinburgh, McGregor made hisfirst team debut forRangers in February 2002 in aScottish Cup match againstForfar Athletic. He was later loaned out to St Johnstone and Dunfermline Athletic, before becoming a regular Rangers first team player at the start of the 2006–07 season. McGregor made over 200 appearances for Rangers, winning 11 major honours in the process, including a hat-trick of league titles in 2009, 2010 and 2011, threeScottish Cups and fiveScottish League Cups.
Following theliquidation of Rangers in 2012, McGregor exercised his legal rights to become a free agent. He then signed a two-year contract withBeşiktaş. After one season in Turkey, McGregor moved toHull City. In May 2018, McGregor signed a two-year contract with Rangers. After five seasons in his second spell there, during which he won a league title in 2021, McGregor retired from playing in 2023.
McGregor made his full international debut forScotland in May 2007. After multiple breaches of squad discipline following Scotland's 3–0 defeat to theNetherlands on 28 March 2009, McGregor was suspended for two weeks by his club, and theScottish Football Association said that he would never play for Scotland again.[6][7] The following year, this ban from international football was overturned by Scotland managerCraig Levein.[8] He made 42 appearances for Scotland in total, and announced his retirement from international play in March 2019.
McGregor signed forRangers on 14 July 1998.[9] His early career suffered a setback when he injured his wrist during a youth match followed by a broken hand that kept him out of action for nearly a year and stunted his development.[10] However, upon returning from the injury he became a regular in thereserve team.
McGregor first appeared in a senior match squad in January 1999, featuring as an unused substitute at age 16. He made hisfirst team debut in February 2002 in aScottish Cup match againstForfar Athletic[11] and hisScottish Premier League debut againstAberdeen aged 20.[12] McGregor did not play a single minute of competitive football during the2002–03 season, being an unusedsubstitute in every match of Rangers'Treble success. The following season, McGregor made six appearances, twice in theScottish League Cup and four times in the league.[12]
In the2004–05 season McGregor wasloaned toFirst Division clubSt Johnstone, making his debut in aScottish Challenge Cup match againstAlloa Athletic. McGregor featured consistently for St Johnstone and kept six consecutive clean sheets for the club.[13] While playing on loan, McGregor was namedSFL Player of the Month for December 2004.[13] He made 24 appearances in total for the club and kept 11clean sheets.[13] Upon returning to Rangers in January 2005, McGregor looked to have been given the opportunity of becoming the number one goalkeeper at the club after an injury to first choiceStefan Klos,[14] but managerAlex McLeish signed Dutch keeperRonald Waterreus[15] on deadline day in January 2005, a move which angered McGregor.[16]
For the2005–06 season, Rangers retained Waterreus and Klos, leaving McGregor as third choice.[17]Dunfermline Athletic took advantage of this situation and signed McGregor on loan for the season.[18] He made his debut in a 3–2 league defeat toKilmarnock. McGregor played for Dunfermline in the2006 Scottish League Cup final, losing toCeltic, and made 31 appearances in all competitions, keeping seven clean sheets.
With the arrival of FrenchmanPaul Le Guen as manager at Rangers, McGregor was made third choice goalkeeper behind Letizi and Klos.[19] A pre-season cycling injury to Stefan Klos[20] meant that McGregor started the2006–07 season as back-up toLionel Letizi.[21] When Letizi was himself injured, McGregor started the next match for Rangers, a 2–2 draw away toKilmarnock.[22] McGregor was then awarded the man of the match award for his performance in Rangers Uefa Cup qualifying match against Molde.[23] He went on to be awarded theScottish Premier League Player of the Month for September[24] and was then rewarded with a new contract.[25] Despite his performances Le Guen still considered McGregor to be the second choice goalkeeper.[21] McGregor was dropped when Letizi returned from injury. When Letizi was injured again, McGregor returned in goal and was confirmed as first choice by Le Guen even after Letizi returned from injury.[26]
Later in the 2006–07 season McGregor wassent off during Rangers'UEFA Cup match at Ibrox against Israeli sideHapoel Tel Aviv, which they won 4–0. AfterBarry Ferguson's second goal, Italian refereeMatteo Trefoloni gave a straight red card to McGregor for allegedly headbutting Hapoel substituteLuciano De Bruno. The incident was not caught on television cameras and McGregor denied headbutting De Bruno. However, he was given a two-match ban, which was reduced to one game on appeal.[27] At the end of his first season as first choice keeper, he was voted by his Rangers teammates as thePlayer's Player of the Year.[28] In September 2007 McGregor signed a new four-year contract with Rangers.[29]
He continued to be Rangers' number one the following season, despite the arrival and subsequent departure of formerManchester United goalkeeperRoy Carroll.[30][31] Rangers progressed to the quarter-finals of the2008 UEFA Cup after putting outSV Werder Bremen in the fourth round. McGregor's display in the second-leg of the tie drew praise from the manager.[32] He made his 100th appearance for Rangers in a league match againstHibernian in March 2008.[33] In the2008 Scottish League Cup final the match finished 2–2 after extra time and went to penalty kicks.[34] McGregor saved two penalties and Rangers went on to win the shoot-out and the League Cup.[34] In the third Old Firm League match of the 2007–08 season McGregor saved a penalty while limping with an injury when the scores were tied at 1–1.[35] McGregor had to be substituted shortly after[35] and didn't play again that season through injury, missing out on both the2008 Scottish Cup final and Rangers European run to the2008 UEFA Cup final.[36]
McGregor signed another new contract in June 2008, keeping him at the club until 2013 and was worth £5 million.[37] In the opening game of the 2008–09 season McGregor saved a penalty in the match against Falkirk, Rangers went on to win 1–0.[38] McGregorcaptained the club for the first Scottish Premier League match of the2008–09 season againstFalkirk due to the absences of captainBarry Ferguson and senior playersDavid Weir andCarlos Cuéllar.[39] McGregor was a regular in the side, up until theBoozegate scandal which saw himself and Ferguson dropped by both club and country and was replaced as the Rangers number one byNeil Alexander.[40] He played his last game of that season on 21 March, a 2–2 draw at home toHearts.[41] McGregor played 27 league matches in the 2008–09 season and picked up an SPL winners medal.[42]
In the 2009–10 season McGregor was reinstated as the number one goalkeeper for Rangers and made 46 appearances in all competitions,[43] picking up winners medals in the Scottish League Cup and the SPL championship.[44] Although McGregor was preferred as first choice in League, Europe and Scottish Cup matches the managerWalter Smith decided to let Neil Alexander play all of the League Cup matches, a decision which continued the following season.[citation needed]
In October 2010 McGregor was given a one match retrospective ban by the SFA for kicking out at Aberdeen playerChris Maguire even though no contact was made.[45] In April of season 2010–11 McGregor saved a penalty against Hamilton in a match that Rangers went on to win 1–0.[46] McGregor was praised for his performances in the second half of the 2010–11 season winning the SPL player of the month award for April.[47] This included 5 clean sheets in the month including a man of the match performance in the finalOld Firm game of the season where he saved a penalty with 8 minutes of the game remaining.[47][48] Rangers went on to win the SPL championship for the third consecutive time by one point.[49] McGregor kept 22 clean sheets for Rangers in 36 SPL matches during season 2010–11 and signaled his intention to sign a new contract once the season was finished.[50]
On 4 July 2011, it was announced by Rangers that McGregor had signed a new six-year contract with the club.[51] McGregor started the first nine matches for Rangers in season 2011–12 conceding only one goal domestically in the season opener against Hearts.[52] In the firstOld Firm game of the season McGregor was criticised for making a bad mistake which gifted a goal to Celtic just before half time which made the score 2–1 in Celtic's favour.[53] Rangers however went on to win the match 4–2.[53] McGregor was praised by his managerAlly McCoist for preventing Rangers conceding a goal in their 1–0 victory over Hibernian in October 2011.[54]
Rangers enteredadministration in February 2012. After its creditors rejected aCVA in June 2012, the company was liquidated.[55] The administrator sold the assets, including player contracts, to a new Rangers company set up byCharles Green.[55] McGregor made a legal objection (under the "TUPE" regulations) to his contract being transferred to the new company, and became a free agent.[55][56]
On 26 July 2012, McGregor joined Turkish clubBeşiktaş on a two-year contract,[57] after undergoing a medical in Istanbul.[58] A first team regular, McGregor helped Beşiktaş to a third-placed finish in the TurkishSüper Lig.
On 2 July 2013, McGregor signed forHull City for £1.5 million,[59] signing a three-year contract.[60] He made his debut on the first day of the 2013–14 season in a 2–0 loss away atChelsea.[61] Five minutes into his debut, McGregor conceded a penalty, mistiming a punch and subsequently hitting Fernando Torres in the head. He made up for it however, as he saved the resulting penalty from Frank Lampard. In the 25th minute, Lampard got the better of him, scoring a free-kick from 30 yards. On 17 May 2014, he played in the2014 FA Cup final againstArsenal, in which Hull City lost 3–2.[62]
During the 2016–17 season, McGregor was recovering from a back injury, thus leaving him behindEldin Jakupovic andDavid Marshall in the pecking order. He was loaned toCardiff City in January 2017 to bolster his fitness before he could play for Hull again.[63] He kept a clean sheet on his debut during a 1–0 victory overBurton Albion on 21 January 2017.[64] He left Hull in the summer of 2018, having rejected the offer of a new contract.[65]
In May 2018, McGregor accepted the offer of a two-year contract with Rangers.[65] At the end of the2018–19 season, he was named in thePFA Scotland Team of the Year (for a fourth time in his career).[66]
During the first half of the2019–20 season, McGregor helped Rangers qualify from their Europa League group. In December 2019, Rangers and McGregor agreed to extend his contract by a year.[67] In theOld Firm derby played on 29 December 2019, McGregor saved apenalty fromRyan Christie.[68] Rangers went on to win the match 2–1, which was their first victory at Celtic Park since October 2010.[68]
At the start of December 2020, McGregor set a club record for appearances inUEFA competitions.[69] At the end of the month he made his 400th appearance across his two Rangers spells.[70] McGregor was praised for his performance in a 1–0 Old Firm win againstCeltic on 2 January 2021, particularly for a fingertip save fromLeigh Griffiths.[71] McGregor helped Rangers reach the2022 UEFA Europa League final, which they lost onpenalties toEintracht Frankfurt.[72] He then appeared as a substitute in their2022 Scottish Cup final victory againstHearts.[72]
On 20 June 2022, McGregor signed a new one-year contract with Rangers.[72] He started the season as second choice toJon McLaughlin and had to wait until the end of August to make a first team appearance, in aLeague Cup match againstQueen of the South.[73] The following month McGregor re-established himself in the starting eleven after McLaughlin made several high-profile errors in matches againstCeltic andAjax respectively.[74][75] Thereafter he was predominately selected as first choice goalkeeper for the rest of the season, including in the remaining fiveUEFA Champions League group stage matches which increased his record number of European appearances for Rangers to 109.[76] McGregor made his 500th competitive appearance for Rangers in a league match withDundee United on 1 April 2023.[77][78]
Rangers confirmed on 23 May 2023 that McGregor would leave the club at the end of the 2022–23 season.[79] A testimonial match for McGregor was played on 18 July 2023 againstNewcastle United at Ibrox.[80]
McGregor was capped six times atunder-21 level before representing the senior national side.[81]
On 30 January 2007, ex-Rangers managerAlex McLeish named McGregor in his first squad asScotland manager.[82] He made his international debut againstAustria on 30 May 2007, playing the first half in goal before being substituted.[83] McGregor received his second cap for Scotland after coming on as a second-half substitute forCraig Gordon in a friendly against Northern Ireland at Hampden in August 2008.[84] He gave away a penalty when he brought downWarren Feeney but saved the resulting spot kick fromDavid Healy and the match ended in a 0–0 draw.[84] McGregor was then first choice goalkeeper for the friendly match against Argentina at Hampden in November 2008; Scotland lost 1–0 but McGregor made a number of notable saves.[85] McGregor made his first competitive start for Scotland when he was selected ahead of Craig Gordon for Scotland's2010 World Cupqualifier against theNetherlands.[86]
On 3 April 2009, McGregor was banned from representing Scotland again after multiple breaches of squad discipline. After returning to their hotel at 4am from the international game with the Netherlands on 28 March, McGregor and then-teammateBarry Ferguson were the last to leave the bar at lunchtime.[87] They were subsequently dropped from the following match againstIceland on 1 April 2009, the incident has been referred to by the media asBoozegate.[87] Gestures made by the players to cameras when they were both unused substitutes in the Iceland match led the SFA to inform the players by fax that they would not be considered for national team selection again.[88] McGregor later apologised and was docked two weeks' wages by Rangers.[89] McGregor was on the verge of being recalled to the national team by managerCraig Levein, but was omitted from the squad after he was attacked on the way home from a night out inGlasgow city centre.[90] On 2 August 2010, McGregor was recalled to the national team[8] for the 3–0 friendly defeat againstSweden. He made a number of important saves in the match to prevent a heavier defeat.[91]
McGregor was named as first choice goalkeeper for Scotland'sEuro 2012 qualifying matches in 2010, starting the first two matches againstLithuania[92] andLiechtenstein.[93][94] In the qualifying match against theCzech Republic McGregor was given theMan of the match award even though Scotland lost 1–0.[95] McGregor was then given the man of the match award for his performance againstWorld andEuropean championsSpain even though Scotland were defeated atHampden 3–2.[94] Spain internationalistPablo Hernandez believed McGregor to be a world class goalkeeper and said, "He made some amazing saves, it was a fantastic performance,"[96]
McGregor remained first choice goalkeeper for Scotland when he was selected for the friendly againstBrazil at theEmirates Stadium London in March 2011.[97] Scotland lost 2–0.[97] He was then selected for Scotland's first match in theNations Cup againstNorthern Ireland inDublin.[98] Before the second match of the tournament against Wales, McGregor was praised by the Scotland manager Craig Levein as being an "absolute diamond" since Levein had taken over the Scotland team manager's job.[99] McGregor then received his 12th and 13th caps in the tournaments matches against Wales,[100] and Ireland.[101] McGregor received theScottish Sports Writers International Player of the Year award for season 2010–11.[102]
McGregor started both international matches against Denmark and Czech Republic in August and September 2011 but was criticised for making a mistake in the friendly game against Denmark which cost Scotland a goal.[103][104]
McGregor announced his retirement from international football in March 2019, having made 42 appearances for Scotland.[105] His last appearance was in a2018–19 UEFA Nations League game againstIsrael, when he produced an important save late on to preserve a 3–2 win.[105]
On 24 February 2025, McGregor was appointed as interim goalkeeping coach atScottish Premiership sideRangers. McGregor worked under interim Head Coach and former Rangers team mateBarry Ferguson following the dismissal ofPhilippe Clement.[106]
McGregor married his fiancée Cheryl Dunn at a ceremony held atLoch Lomond Golf Club in November 2020. His former Rangers and Scotland team-mateAlan Hutton was his best man.[107]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other[a] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rangers | 2001–02 | Scottish Premier League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | Scottish Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | Scottish Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | Scottish Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | Scottish Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | Scottish Premier League | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Scottish Premier League | 31 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 53 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | Scottish Premier League | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | Scottish Premier League | 34 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |
| 2010–11 | Scottish Premier League | 37 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Scottish Premier League | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 0 | |
| Total | 205 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 278 | 0 | ||
| St Johnstone (loan) | 2004–05 | Scottish First Division | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Dunfermline Athletic (loan) | 2005–06 | Scottish Premier League | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 31 | 0 | |
| Beşiktaş | 2012–13 | Turkish Süper Lig | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| Hull City | 2013–14 | Premier League | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | Championship | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Championship | 44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 44 | 0 | ||
| Total | 141 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 148 | 0 | ||
| Cardiff City (loan) | 2016–17 | Championship | 19 | 0 | — | — | — | 19 | 0 | |||
| Rangers | 2018–19 | Scottish Premiership | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Scottish Premiership | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 49 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Scottish Premiership | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 42 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Scottish Premiership | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 48 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Scottish Premiership | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| Total | 141 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65 | 0 | 227 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 579 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 116 | 0 | 754 | 0 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 2007 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 42 | 0 | |
Rangers
Hull City
Scotland U16s
Individual
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
