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Tears and cheers at Ibrox as Rangers lift title: Rangers 3 Stranraer 0

by Andrew Muirhead at Ibrox

It was an emotional day at Ibrox on Saturday, as Rangers celebrated their League One championship win but also said farewell to one of their greatest sons.

The League One champions despatched Stranraer with little fuss to break through the 100-point barrier, but the match will be remembered more for the remembrance and celebration of the late Sandy Jardine who lost his fight against cancer on Thursday.

Canadian youngster Fraser Aird opened the scoring for the home side with a 16-yard strike in the first half.

Arnold Peralta and Dean Shiels got on the scoresheet also, as Rangers continued their unbeaten run in the league that stretches to 35 games this season.

From Rangers' point of view the game had little importance.In fact it was merely a side show to the title party and for most fans the remembrance of the great Jardine.

With scarfs, flags and shirts adorning the famous gates of Ibrox, 46,000 supporters inside stood in silenced remembrance for one of the greatest ever players to pull on the light blue jersey.

With the game barely two minutes old, the Rangers fans stood to a man and woman, chanting: "There's only one Sandy Jardine" in reference to the number two jersey that was worn by the former player.

Eight minutes before the break the deadlock was broken.

A pass from midfielder Nicky Law found Aird, who cut in from the left before firing home.

On 60 minutes, Aird slid a pass through to Peralta to score his first ever goal for the Ibrox side and the second of the game.

Shiels made it three when he prodded a rebound home to score his 10th goal of the season.

After the match manager Ally McCoist dedicated the title win to Jardine.

McCoist said: "Sandy unfurled the [Third Division] flag [at the start of the season] and on Thursday night when the news came in, it was tough for everyone.

"So without doubt we dedicated that championship to one of Rangers' greatest sons."

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