{{short description|Scottish footballer and manager}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Use British English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Gavin Rae | image = Gavin Rae.jpg | caption = Rae playing for Cardiff City in 2009 | full_name = Gavin Paul Rae<ref name=Hugman>{{Hugman|25036|access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|11|28|df=y}}<ref name=Hugman/> | birth_place = Aberdeen, Scotland | height = | position = Midfielder<ref name=Hugman/> | currentclub = | years1 = 1996–2004 | clubs1 = Dundee | caps1 = 223 | goals1 = 26 | years2 = 2004–2007 | clubs2 = Rangers | caps2 = 28 | goals2 = 3 | years3 = 2007–2011 | clubs3 = Cardiff City | caps3 = 130 | goals3 = 7 | years4 = 2011–2012 | clubs4 = Dundee | caps4 = 13 | goals4 = 3 | years5 = 2012–2013 | clubs5 = Aberdeen | caps5 = 47 | goals5 = 3 | years6 = 2013–2014 | clubs6 = Dundee | caps6 = 14 | goals6 = 1 | years7 = 2014–2018 | clubs7 = Hakoah Sydney City East | caps7 = 57<ref>{{cite web|title=Gavin Rae|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=199299256&client=1-10179-161234-337597-22413976|website=sportstg.com|publisher=sportstg|access-date=25 September 2018}}</ref> | goals7 = 2 | totalcaps = 512 | totalgoals = 45 | nationalyears1 = 1999 | nationalteam1 = Scotland U21<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fitbastats.com/scotlandu21/player.php?playerid=327 |title = Scotland U21 Player Gavin Rae Details}}</ref> | nationalcaps1 = 6 | nationalgoals1 = 1 | nationalyears2 = 2001–2009 | nationalteam2 = Scotland | nationalcaps2 = 14 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | manageryears1 = 2017–2019 | managerclubs1 = Hakoah Sydney City East | manageryears2 = 2019–2021 | managerclubs2 = Rydalmere Lions }} '''Gavin Paul Rae''' (born 28 November 1977) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player.
A midfielder, Rae started his playing career with Dundee, making over 200 league appearances for the club. He moved to Rangers in January 2004, but struggled to hold down a regular place in their team due to injury. He moved to Cardiff City in 2007 and featured regularly in the team that reached the 2008 FA Cup final. Rae left Cardiff in 2011 and had spells later in his career with Dundee and Aberdeen. He also won 14 caps for Scotland between 2001 and 2009.
Rae began coaching Hakoah Sydney City East in 2018 while still registered as a player with the club. From 2019 to 2021 he managed Rydalmere Lions.
==Club career== ===Dundee=== Rae was born in Aberdeen.<ref name=Hugman/> His first club was Dundee. In total he made 223 games for the club scoring 26 goals in a period of eight years. In November 1999 he memorably scored a last minute winner to beat future club Rangers at Ibrox.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/scottish_premier/540615.stm |title=Rae stuns Ibrox |publisher=BBC |date=28 November 1999 |access-date=19 October 2018}}</ref>
Rae stuck with the club during the bad financial days during the 2003–2004 season when Dundee hit administration until he was sold to Rangers for £250,000 in January 2004.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/3346663.stm "Rangers parade signing Rae"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref><ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/d/dundee/3540060.stm "Dundee to enter new era"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref>
===Rangers=== Rae made his debut for Rangers on 3 January 2004 against Celtic but only lasted 30 minutes due to a hamstring injury. After recovering, he managed to score his first goal against Dundee, his former club. However, he suffered another injury, damaging his knee against Dundee United on 24 April 2004. His road to recovery was hit by several set-backs before he finally made his return to the Rangers first team on 18 February 2006 against Hibernian. He went on to make regular appearances in the Rangers team, particularly towards the end of the season with fellow midfielder Barry Ferguson requiring an operation due to a long running leg injury.
In the 2006–07 season, Rae was given the captaincy in a number of games when Barry Ferguson was not playing. On 1 January 2007, he was announced as permanent captain after Ferguson's meeting with Paul Le Guen, which saw Ferguson stripped of the captaincy and removed from the squad.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6223023.stm "Gers strip Ferguson of captaincy"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref> On 4 January 2007, Le Guen resigned from the managerial position at Rangers and new manager Walter Smith re-appointed Ferguson as club captain. He was offered a new deal at the club by Smith but he decided it would be better for him to attempt to find first team football.<ref>[http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=612672007 "How reliable Rae was caught in the crossfire"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102095823/http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=612672007 |date=2 November 2007 }} The Scotsman Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref> Rae left Rangers as a free agent at the end of the 2006–07 season when his contract expired.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6625799.stm "Rangers confirm Rae's departure"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref>
On 21 May 2007, he was linked with a move to Heart of Midlothian with his former teammate at Rangers, Stephen Hughes<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/6676697.stm "Hearts targeting Rae and Hughes"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref> but the move did not come to fruition.
===Cardiff City=== Rae was watched by several sides from England, Wales and Scotland and came very close to joining Football League Championship side Norwich City<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/norwich/6743943.stm "Norwich move for midfielder Rae"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref> but instead on 23 June 2007 he joined Championship side Cardiff City along with fellow Scotsman Steven MacLean on a free transfer.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/6232000.stm "Cardiff capture Rae and MacLean"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 7 October 2007</ref> On 26 June 2007, he was quoted in an interview saying "Believe me, I am coming to Cardiff fully fit and fully committed. I am fired up to make the most of this chance".{{Citation needed|reason=27 January 2010|date=January 2010}}
On his arrival Rae found himself in first team action from the start of the season due to a long-term injury to Riccardo Scimeca and also took over the captaincy for the 2–1 home win against Burnley with Darren Purse starting the match on the bench, Scimeca injured and Stephen McPhail dropped from the side and he scored his first goal for the Bluebirds not long after on 15 September in a 2–1 victory over Plymouth Argyle. He went on to make a total of 55 appearances in all competitions in his first year, more than any other player at the club including playing in all six matches during the clubs run to the FA Cup Final.
The following season began badly for Rae when, after making just two appearances, he chipped a bone in his leg just below his knee during a 2–1 win over AFC Bournemouth in the League Cup. Rae was told that he could continue playing with the injury if he could withstand the pain,<ref>[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2008/08/18/rae-could-play-the-pain-game-91466-21552677/ "Rae could play the pain game"] South Wales Echo Retrieved 29 October 2008</ref> returning to the side after a month out. He went on to appear in 46 matches in all competitions for Cardiff, the second highest amount behind Roger Johnson.
Rae started the 2009–10 season on the bench but was handed his first appearance of the year after 45 minutes of the opening game with Joe Ledley suffering from an illness. With Ledley away on international duty, he was handed a start in a 3–1 win over Dagenham & Redbridge in the first round of the Football League Cup and scored the first goal of the game.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/8187694.stm "Cardiff 3–1 Dag & Red"] BBC Sport Retrieved 18 August 2009</ref> He made his 400th club appearance in a 4–3 win over Sheffield United on 24 October 2009, coming on for Stephen McPhail, and made his 100th league appearance for Cardiff on 1 November 2009 against Nottingham Forest as a substitute. During a 4–4 draw with Peterborough United on 28 December 2009, Rae suffered a broken hand keeping him out for up to four weeks,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120324120733/http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10335~1918264%2C00.html "Broken Hand KOs Gav"]</ref> but returned on 9 January 2010 against Blackpool after a remarkable recovery.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/8442419.stm "Cardiff 1–1 Blackpool"]</ref> On 9 April 2010, Rae was confirmed to be sidelined for the rest of the season after he suffered a ruptured tendon in his ankle.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120309171407/http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10335~2019285%2C00.html "Gavin out for Season"]</ref> Having fallen out of favour at the start of the 2010–11 season following the arrivals of Danny Drinkwater and Seyi Olofinjana, Rae was allowed to open talks with Leeds United in August 2010 over a possible transfer.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/8939410.stm |title=Gavin Rae and Ross McCormack eye Leeds move |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 August 2010 |access-date=26 August 2010}}</ref> Rae left Cardiff later in the summer.<ref name = "dundee return"/>
=== Return to Dundee === Aberdeen were interested in signing Rae,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13446958 |title=Cardiff's Gavin Rae on Aberdeen radar |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=18 May 2011 |access-date=18 May 2011}}</ref> but on 14 October 2011, he signed a short-term deal with his former club Dundee.<ref name = "dundee return">{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/15312080 |title=Gavin Rae joins Dundee for second time |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |date=14 October 2011 |access-date=14 October 2011}}</ref> Rae scored against Morton in a 2–1 victory. On 26 November 2011, Rae scored a header against Falkirk as Dundee won 4–2. Rae also scored against Kilmarnock in a fourth round Scottish Cup Replay with Dundee losing out 2–1.
=== Aberdeen === On 30 January 2012, Rae signed for his home town club Aberdeen.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16772412 |title=Aberdeen sign veteran Dundee midfielder Gavin Rae |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 January 2012 |access-date=30 January 2012}}</ref> He scored his first goal for the club in the Scottish League Cup against Greenock Morton, and his first league goal for Aberdeen on 23 September 2012 playing against Motherwell. He then went on to score goals against Hibernian and Kilmarnock. Rae left Aberdeen at the end of the 2012–13 season, as his contract was not renewed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/20130513/dons-release-seven_2212158_3177366 |title=Dons release seven |publisher=Aberdeen FC |date=13 May 2013 |access-date=13 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609003234/http://www.afc.co.uk/articles/20130513/dons-release-seven_2212158_3177366 |archive-date=9 June 2013}}</ref>
=== Third spell at Dundee === On 6 June 2013, Rae once again joined Dundee, this time as a player/coach. He scored his first goal in this spell in a 4–1 win against Dumbarton on 12 October 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24408815|title=Dumbarton 1 - 4 Dundee|publisher=BBC|date=12 October 2013 |access-date=21 December 2013}}</ref> He decided to leave the club after gaining promotion to the Scottish Premiership in May 2014<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dundeefc.co.uk/news/gavin-moves-on |title = Gavin moves on - Dundee Football Club - Official Website| date=13 May 2014 }}</ref> and subsequently retired.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28647038 |title=Dundee 1–1 Kilmarnock |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=9 August 2014 |access-date=9 August 2014 |first=Liam |last=McLeod |quote=The Dees unfurled the Championship flag before kick-off, with retired former captain Gavin Rae helping do the honours after guiding the team last season.}}</ref>
===Hakoah Sydney City East=== In September 2014, Rae moved to Australia and signed with National Premier Leagues NSW club Hakoah Sydney City East.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gavin Rae|url=http://hakoahfc.com.au/player/gavin-rae/|website=hakoahfc.com.au|publisher=Hakoah Sydney City East Football Club|access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Introducing our new signing, Gavin Rae|url=http://www.maccabi.com.au/NSW/HakoahSydneyCityEastFC/News/3448/Introducing-our-new-signing-Gavin-Rae.cfm|website=maccabi.com.au|access-date=8 September 2015|archive-date=25 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825234658/http://www.maccabi.com.au/NSW/HakoahSydneyCityEastFC/News/3448/Introducing-our-new-signing-Gavin-Rae.cfm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bossi|first1=Dominic|title=Former Socceroos captain Lucas Neill close to returning to Australia with Hakoah|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/former-socceroos-captain-lucas-neill-close-to-returning-to-australia-with-hakoah-20150908-gjhpkh.html|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=8 September 2015 |publisher=Fairfax Media|access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Blau|first1=Adam|title=Hakoah find Rae of Scottish sunshine|url=http://www.jewishnews.net.au/hakoah-find-rae-of-scottish-sunshine/37779|website=jewishnews.net.au|publisher=Jewish News|access-date=8 September 2015}}</ref>
==Managerial career==
===Hakoah Sydney City East FC=== Rae became Hakoah's head coach in January 2018 while still registered as a player. He retired as a player later that year. He left the club in July 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mens.nplnsw.com.au/2019/07/28/gavin-rae-parts-company-with-hakoah-sydney-city-east/ |title=GAVIN RAE PARTS COMPANY WITH HAKOAH SYDNEY CITY EAST |publisher=Football NSW |date=28 July 2019 |access-date=16 August 2020}}</ref>
=== Rydalmere Lions FC === Rae was appointed Rydalmere Lions manager in September 2019.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://footballnsw.com.au/2019/09/16/gavin-rae-appointed-rydalmere-lions-head-coach/ | title = GAVIN RAE APPOINTED RYDALMERE LIONS HEAD COACH | date = 16 September 2019 | access-date = 15 August 2022 | publisher = Football NSW }}</ref> He and his assistant Neil Jablonski left the club in August 2021.<ref>{{Cite web | url = https://footballnsw.com.au/2021/08/17/rae-and-jablonski-bid-farewell-to-rydalmere-lions-fc/#:~:text=National%20Premier%20Leagues%203%20NSW,taking%20a%20break%20from%20the | title = RAE AND JABLONSKI BID FAREWELL TO RYDALMERE LIONS FC| date = 17 August 2021 | access-date = 15 August 2022 | publisher = Football NSW }}</ref>
== International career == Rae was still at Dundee when he gained international recognition, winning his first cap for Scotland in 2001 against Poland.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/1297284.stm |title=New caps do the business|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 October 2007|date=25 April 2001}}</ref> On 24 March 2008 he received his first call-up to the squad for two years, and also his first while at Cardiff.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7310062.stm |title=Burley upbeat despite call-offs|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=24 March 2008|date=26 March 2008|first=Colin|last=Moffat}}</ref> He came on as a substitute at half-time during a 1–1 draw with Croatia. Rae was once again called up to replace the suspended James McFadden in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Holland on 9 September 2009.
==Other ventures== Along with Curtis Davies and Chris Burke, Rae co-founded and was a director of the clothing company Seven One Zero,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/14929604.Burnley_defender_taking_hands_on_role_after_investment_in_developing_clothing_label/ |title=Burnley defender taking hands-on role after investment in developing clothing label |first=Tyrone |last=Marshall |newspaper=Lancashire Telegraph |date=26 November 2016 |access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref> which was voluntarily dissolved in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC471166/filing-history |title=Seven One Zero Clothing Limited: Filing history |website=Companies House |access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10335~6857%2C00.html |title=Cardiff City | Team | Profiles | Gavin Rae |website=www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526010207/http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10335~6857%2C00.html |archive-date=26 May 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes Scottish Cup, FA Cup.}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Scottish League Cup, League Cup.}} !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="10"|Dundee |1995–96 |rowspan="3"|Scottish Premier Division |6||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||6||0 |- |1996–97 |17||2||3||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||20||2 |- |1997–98 |6||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||6||0 |- |1998–99 |rowspan="6"|Scottish Premier League |30||1||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||30||1 |- |1999–2000 |35||4||2||1||3||0||colspan="2"|–||40||5 |- |2000–01 |32||4||4||0||2||0||1||0||39||4 |- |2001–02 |36||6||2||0||2||0||1||0||41||6 |- |2002–03 |37||4||6||1||1||0||colspan="2"|–||44||5 |- |2003–04 |13||2||colspan="2"|–||1||0||4||1||18||3 |- !colspan="2"|Total !212!!23!!17!!2!!9!!0!!6!!1!!244!!26 |- |rowspan="5"|Rangers |2003–04 |rowspan="4"|Scottish Premier League |10||2||1||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||11||2 |- |2004–05 |colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||0||0 |- |2005–06 |8||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||8||0 |- |2006–07 |10||1||1||0||2||0||7||0||20||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !28!!3!!2!!0!!2!!0!!7!!0!!39!!3 |- |rowspan="5"|Cardiff City |2007–08 |rowspan="4"|Championship |45||4||6||0||4||0||colspan="2"|–||55||4 |- |2008–09 |41||1||3||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||46||1 |- |2009–10 |36||1||2||0||3||1||colspan="2"|–||41||2 |- |2010–11 |7||1||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|–||10||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !129!!7!!13!!0!!10!!1!!0!!0!!152!!8 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !369!!33!!32!!2!!21!!1!!13!!1!!435!!37 |}
{{notelist}}
== Honours == === Player === '''Dundee''' *Scottish Championship: 1997–98, 2013–14<ref>{{Cite web | title = Gavin Rae Player Profile | url = https://www.deearchive.co.uk/player.php?id=34 | access-date = 15 August 2022 | publisher = Dee Archive }}</ref> *Scottish Cup runner-up: 2002–03
'''Cardiff City''' *FA Cup runner-up: 2007–08
'''Scotland''' *Kirin Cup: 2006<ref>{{ cite web | url = http://www.scotlandfootballstats.co.uk/competitions/kirin-cup/2006 | title = Kirin Cup 2006 | publisher = Scotland Football Stats | access-date = 18 June 2019 }}</ref>
=== Manager === '''Hakoah Sydney City East''' *Waratah Cup: 2017;<ref name="parts">{{Cite web | url = https://mens.nplnsw.com.au/2019/07/28/gavin-rae-parts-company-with-hakoah-sydney-city-east/ | title = GAVIN RAE PARTS COMPANY WITH HAKOAH SYDNEY CITY EAST | date = 28 July 2019 | access-date = 15 August 2022 | publisher = Football NSW }}</ref> runner-up 2018<ref name="parts"/>
'''Rydalmere Lions''' *NPL NSW Three Championship: 2020 *NPL NSW Three Premiers: 2020
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} *{{SFA profile}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110526010207/http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10335~6857%2C00.html Gavin Rae player profile] at cardiffcityfc.co.uk *[http://www.football.co.uk/cardiff/players/gavin_rae_6878.shtml Gavin Rae player profile] at football.co.uk *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071207235553/http://www.4thegame.com/club/cardiff-city-fc/player-profile/29176/gavinrae.html Gavin Rae player profile] at 4thegame.com *[http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Firstteamprofilesindex/0,,5~6857,00.html Gavin Rae player profile]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} at rangers.co.uk
{{Dundee F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rae, Gavin}} Category:Scottish men's footballers Category:Scotland men's international footballers Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Dundee F.C. players Category:Rangers F.C. players Category:Cardiff City F.C. players Category:Aberdeen F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:Scottish Premier League players Category:Scottish Football League players Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Aberdeen Category:People educated at Oldmachar Academy Category:Scottish Professional Football League players Category:Scottish expatriate men's footballers Category:Scottish expatriate sportspeople in Australia Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Australia Category:Scottish football managers Category:Scottish expatriate football managers Category:Expatriate soccer managers in Australia Category:Hakoah Sydney City East FC players