The Widow's Son 399 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Read somewhere that Willie Henderson's saddest day was the day of the ECWC Final in 1972. Apparently he was on the outs with Waddell and was not involved with the team (I'm not sure if he was even still under contract). Apparently Colin Jackson and Ronnie McKinnon drowned their sorrows when they were told that they weren't playing. And to think that Jim Baxter was pulling pints in his pub at the age of 32 when this was happening. So many wonderful players were still in their prime at 32. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcb 1,167 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 McKinnon broke his leg v Sporting Lisbon and Jackson twisted a ankle in training iirc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stourloyal 92 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 it must have been awful for all the players involved with the rangers that did not play in the cup winners cup final... But history shows us that the manager picked the rite side to win the match on the day.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clan macrae 292 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Willie was well past his best then,he was in the squad but had been out of favour for some time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
achaleven 38 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Waddell wanted rid of the old guard. Wee Willie was only 27 - 28 and should have been in his prime. Waddell preferred Tommy Maclean. Henderson 29 caps, McLean 6.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainAmerica18 846 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 He was an after dinner speaker at an event I was at. Given a free transfer to South Africa a few weeks before the final if I remember correctly? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant_1986 73 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Willie Henderson was at my work today to raise awareness of the charity set up in his daughter's memory, the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust. An absolute hero and gentleman, gutted I wasn't old enough to see him play. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumbrian bear 75 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Willie Henderson was at my work today to raise awareness of the charity set up in his daughter's memory, the Michelle Henderson Cervical Cancer Trust.An absolute hero and gentleman, gutted I wasn't old enough to see him play.The wee barra is right up there with my all time rangers favs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Louden Tavern 1,765 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Willie was well past his best then,he was in the squad but had been out of favour for some time.I believe Willie was already transferred to Sheffield Wednesday at the time, and with all due respect it's only football. RM Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Louden Tavern 1,765 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 He was an after dinner speaker at an event I was at. Given a free transfer to South Africa a few weeks before the final if I remember correctly?Ithink he went there for a month on loan to see if he liked it,then signed for Seffield Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibroxholm 2,274 Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Willie was well past his best then,he was in the squad but had been out of favour for some time.Agree although on his day he could still do the biz. Think he broke through into first team in early 60s at tender age of 17 so he had good 9-10 years with us. Remember him being badly affected by a bunion in late 60s which put him out for quite a while.Willie was a character. I have lasting memory of him, with his Mexican style moustache, holding the game up as he took a throw-in in order to jokingly shout up to somebody in the enclosure who had heckled him about his shortsightedness (he was as blind as a bat). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the fixer 65 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Wullie Henderson was simply the best outside right to play in Britain using the old school two wingers, inside forwards and centre forward.the scum would of course say that Johstone was a better winger - utter bollocks!!Wullie had amazing ball skills, speed, great crosser of the ball, and went to the byline for a cut back better than any winger i've ever seen.What puts Wullie head and shoulders above Johnstone was his ability to read the game, and make plays that allowed Brand and Millar endless tap ins.Baxter constantly threaded pin point passes from his left half position to the right wing. He did this and risked such passes because Jim knew how important and effective Wullie was for making goals.Johstone on the other hand didn't know what was going on around him 10 yards away because his head was down beating the same player twice. he was so good at dribbling that bears on many occasions pissed ourself laughing watching him dribbling himself.the only thing funnier than watching him beat himself was watching Grieg shoulder charge him regularly into the jungle at parkheid.Wulliie was a magnificent player.One of his best games, along with Baxter was the Scotland game where they humliated England at Wembley with 10 men.Those were the days when Rangers players and fans were the core of a Scotland team which was one of the most respected sides in the world.Changed days, eh....Rarely a Rangers player or fan near the joke of a Scotland team. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wednesday Loyal 998 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Willie was loved at Wednesday the darkside of Sheffield bought Jimmy Johnstone and the argument of who was best carried on down here Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannerall 25,935 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Don't remember seeing a lot of Willie Henderson but remember when we signed Tommy McLean (£60,000 from Kilmarnock).McLean took a lot of stick for years from quite a few gers fans after he signed (very unfairly imo) which I could not figure at the time, but was the fact he replaced wee Wullie Henderson perhaps part of the reason ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannerall 25,935 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Wilie Henderson and Jimmy Johnstone were the two greatest Scottish post-war wingers.Tin hat on here. From the little bits I remember and the videos I've seen I think Johnstone was slightly better, but Henderson actually won more international caps. Was Henderson the better player ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyinroyalblue 16,478 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Wilie Henderson and Jimmy Johnstone were the two greatest Scottish post-war wingers.Tin hat on here. From the little bits I remember and the videos I've seen I think Johnstone was slightly better, but Henderson actually won more international caps. Was Henderson the better player ?Worth pointing out that Willie was selected for a world 11 in the Stanley Matthews testimonial that included Di Stefano,Puskas and Eusebio so if he was good enough for Sir Stanley Matthews that's good enough for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmcf 34,090 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 I'm sure I watched a documentary where he said he was on the beach when he heard we'd won the ECWC . As has been said previously , Tommy McLean signed at the start of the season and I think Willie's days were numbered then. One of the things I remember of him was scoring the 3rd goal v Sporting Lisbon ( to put us three up ) and celebrated by doing 2/3 summersaults before jumping onto a teammate . Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayesteady 78 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 He used to wear contact lenses and I recall a game when he lost one on the pitch and the ref stopped the game and both sides spent a bit of time looking for it without any luck. Just a boy at the time and damned if I can remember who they were playing that day. Maybe someone else on here of a certain age group can advise further. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric_Caldow 60 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Don't remember seeing a lot of Willie Henderson but remember when we signed Tommy McLean (£60,000 from Kilmarnock).McLean took a lot of stick for years from quite a few gers fans after he signed (very unfairly imo) which I could not figure at the time, but was the fact he replaced wee Wullie Henderson perhaps part of the reason ?McLean was afraid of being tackled. He used to jump over defenders to avoid a tackle, much to the derision of the fans. Then, according to an article in the papers, he began car sharing with Tam Forsyth. Tam gave him a few lessons in how to dish it out as much as take it and Wee Tommy became an evil wee bastard almost overnight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainAmerica18 846 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Wilie Henderson and Jimmy Johnstone were the two greatest Scottish post-war wingers.Tin hat on here. From the little bits I remember and the videos I've seen I think Johnstone was slightly better, but Henderson actually won more international caps. Was Henderson the better player ?No, it was a conspiracy against catholics. That's why Henderson won more caps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepooka 126 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Willie made his Rangers debut at 16Scotland cap at 18http://en.m.wikipedi...national_career Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ 743 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Read somewhere that Willie Henderson's saddest day was the day of the ECWC Final in 1972. Apparently he was on the outs with Waddell and was not involved with the team (I'm not sure if he was even still under contract). Apparently Colin Jackson and Ronnie McKinnon drowned their sorrows when they were told that they weren't playing. And to think that Jim Baxter was pulling pints in his pub at the age of 32 when this was happening. So many wonderful players were still in their prime at 32.Do you realise that 32 was not the same then as 32 today? These lads drank like fishes, smoked like Arbroath haddock and worked out like Homer Simpson. Today's footballers can last later because they live clean lives and work hard.As someone said - the correct team was chosen for the win. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
harlands plater 16,958 Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 Do you realise that 32 was not the same then as 32 today? These lads drank like fishes, smoked like Arbroath haddock and worked out like Homer Simpson. Today's footballers can last later because they live clean lives and work hard.As someone said - the correct team was chosen for the win.I had a copy of "The Scottish Football Book No. 12", in it's feature on the 1966 Scottish Cup final (Kai Johansen's) it described Jimmy Millar as "the old warhorse". He was 31 at the time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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