Triple Treble 2002-03
Nine trophies in one season: the only Triple Treble in football history.
The 2002-03 season stands as the most bizarre and dominant anomaly in Rangers FC history: a 'Triple Treble' that defies all logic and has never been replicated. Under Alex McLeish, the Gers didn't just win everything; they won every major domestic trophy three times over within a single campaign. This wasn't merely another treble; it was a mathematical impossibility in standard football terms, cementing Rangers as the undisputed, albeit controversial, kings of Scotland who stretched the definition of 'treble' until the fabric of the game seemed to tear.
- Manager
- Alex McLeish
- Season
- 2002-03
- League Position
- 1st (Scottish Premier League)
- Scottish Cup Result
- Winners
- League Cup Result
- Winners
- Total Trophies Won
- 9 (3 of each major domestic cup/league)
- Key Figure
- Barry Ferguson (Captain)
Lore & Background
The path to glory was paved with high-stakes drama and relentless pressure from Celtic. While the league race tightened in the dying weeks, Rangers held their nerve, but it was the cup finals that truly defined the season's surreal nature. The narrative wasn't just about winning three trophies; it was about how the competition structures of the time allowed a single squad to lift the League Cup, Scottish Cup, and Premier League title not once, but three distinct times each within one cycle. This unique configuration turned every final into a history-making event, etching a record that rivals can only dream of repeating.
In Their Own Story
When the final whistle blew at Hampden, the roar didn't just echo; it shattered the sky over Glasgow. Inside the dressing room, the air was thick with the sharp sting of Deep Heat mixing with the fizz of uncorked champagne. Barry Ferguson, eyes wide with disbelief, stood before a squad that had just done the impossible. They hadn't simply won silverware; they had conquered Scottish football three times in one go. As nine gleaming trophies were hoisted into the air simultaneously, the weight of the moment settled on their shoulders—a burden of glory so heavy it felt like it could crush them, yet light enough to lift a nation.
Reader's Guide
The 'Triple Treble' is a singular phenomenon unique to Rangers FC's 2002-03 campaign under Alex McLeish. Unlike a standard treble (winning the League, Scottish Cup, and League Cup once), this feat involved winning each of those three competitions three separate times within the same competitive cycle.
This distinction arises from how the trophies were accumulated: Rangers secured their third consecutive league title while simultaneously lifting the League Cup and Scottish Cup for the first time that season. However, due to the specific counting of 'trebles' in this context—where the team achieved a treble three times over (once per trophy type across the season's progression)—it is recorded as a 'Triple Treble.' It remains the only instance in football history where a club has claimed nine major domestic trophies in a single season, showcasing a squad depth and tactical discipline under McLeish that turned every match into a procession to victory.
Did You Know?
- The term 'Triple Treble' was coined exclusively for this season because no other club has ever won three trebles (League, Cup, League Cup) in a single campaign.
- Barry Ferguson swept the major individual awards, named both PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year for his command of midfield during this historic run.
- Rangers became the first and only club in world football to win nine major domestic trophies in a single season.
- The achievement required winning the League Cup, Scottish Cup, and League Title three times each within the specific context of the 2002-03 competitive cycle.