There’s a simple pattern here, and you can see why fans feel prickly about it. Since around 2012 we stopped spending properly in Scotland and instead picked up a string of names for minimal fees or on frees — and it’s hard to pretend that’s accidental when most clubs voted us out of the SPFL.
The players that illustrate the point
Look at the list and it’s obvious. The post you mentioned names a load of players who came with very small fees or no fee at all: Templeton, Lafferty, Holt, Greg Docherty, Scott Wright, Glen Kamara, Cameron and then the earlier crop — Ryan Jack, Jordan Jones, Jake Hastie, Danny Wilson, Connor Barron, John Souttar, Liam Kelly, Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller, Ian Black, David Bates, John Daly, Sandaza. Every one of those was important to their previous clubs, yet they didn’t command the kind of fees we used to pay at home.
What changed after 2012?
To be fair, the football landscape shifted after 2012. Financial realities, priorities and recruitment models at Rangers altered. But there’s also a feeling among supporters that relationships with other Scottish clubs cooled — and that’s led to fewer big domestic deals. Before then we’d spend decent sums on names like Whittaker, Boyd, Naismith, Miller, Thompson, Wallace, Dunc, McCann, Robertson, Ian Ferguson and even Novo Caniggia in a different era. That feels like a line in the sand.
Does it matter?
Yes, for a few reasons. Buying domestically keeps the league competitive and brings players who already know the game here. It also shows willingness to back scouts and pay for proven talent. On the other hand, the low-fee strategy reduced risk and helped the club rebuild quickly. Truth is, you can understand both sides, but the emotional impact is real — fans remember when Rangers invested in Scottish football and notice when that stops.
Whatever the reasoning, it’s fair to ask whether we should be more willing to do proper business with our neighbours again. It’s not snobbery to want us to put our hand in our pocket and keep Scottish football healthy.
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