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FRIDAY was a day of celebration for Rangers manager Ally McCoist because it was the first time he’d been able to speak to Ibrox icon Sandy Jardine since the 63-year-old was operated on for liver cancer last month.

McCoist freely admits he couldn’t have come through the traumas of 2012 without the support he received from the club legend.

Jardine offered advice and encouragement when McCoist was at his lowest points during the dark days when it seemed possible that there wouldn’t be a Rangers – newco or oldco – playing anywhere this season.

And now the younger man insists it’s his turn to be a rock for Jardine to thank him for guiding him through the biggest crisis ever to hit the club.

McCoist said: “To this day, I don’t know how I go through it but, without doubt, the support of everyone in the club and the support of the fans has got us to where we are now.

“During that time I didn’t think it was affecting me, but clearly – with some of the pictures I’ve seen – it was.

“It was the longest year of my life. I was just getting on with it, doing my job, which I thought was the correct thing to do.

“You learn things about yourself, but I also had people within the club like Sandy, who was fantastic. He was in the office every day.

“He and Stephen Kerr and Carol Patton in our press office were the people I was working with every day in preparation for what I was about to deal with.

“Sandy would be in at the training ground every morning and we’d have a moan at one another.

“Then we’d chew the fat and discuss how I’d prepare for things and what was going to happen in meetings with the SFA or the Scottish League.

“We’d just sit, have a cup of tea and chat and 99 per cent of the time we’d agree. Very rarely did we disagree on what the approach should be.

“We both had the club’s best interests at heart. We felt we both knew what would be best for the supporters and the club.

“He was great to bounce off because he knows the club as well as anyone and was hurting as much as anybody.

“Sandy was also able to take a wee step back and look at the big picture. That was very important.

“I was at the front line, in the face of it and it was important there was somebody at my back looking down at what was happening.

“Now we have to be strong for Sandy. His illness puts everything into perspective.

“I can’t wait to have him back for those wee chats. Everyone at Murray Park misses him.

“His health will dictate when he comes back, but it will be a far better place when the door gets kicked open and Sandy comes back one morning.”

McCoist admits even the liquidation of the old club means nothing compared to the problems being faced by his friend and mentor.

“We’re talking about the club and people’s jobs, which is very important – but we’re not talking about the scenario now facing Sandy, which is the ultimate,” he said.

“He hasn’t been taking visitors but Sandy phoned us before training on Friday. His spirits were fantastic.

“Our thoughts are with Sandy wanting him to recover but it doesn’t half give you a boost to hear from him.”

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FRIDAY was a day of celebration for Rangers manager Ally McCoist because it was the first time he’d been able to speak to Ibrox icon Sandy Jardine since the 63-year-old was operated on for liver cancer last month.

McCoist freely admits he couldn’t have come through the traumas of 2012 without the support he received from the club legend.

Jardine offered advice and encouragement when McCoist was at his lowest points during the dark days when it seemed possible that there wouldn’t be a Rangers – newco or oldco – playing anywhere this season.

And now the younger man insists it’s his turn to be a rock for Jardine to thank him for guiding him through the biggest crisis ever to hit the club.

McCoist said: “To this day, I don’t know how I go through it but, without doubt, the support of everyone in the club and the support of the fans has got us to where we are now.

“During that time I didn’t think it was affecting me, but clearly – with some of the pictures I’ve seen – it was.

“It was the longest year of my life. I was just getting on with it, doing my job, which I thought was the correct thing to do.

“You learn things about yourself, but I also had people within the club like Sandy, who was fantastic. He was in the office every day.

“He and Stephen Kerr and Carol Patton in our press office were the people I was working with every day in preparation for what I was about to deal with.

“Sandy would be in at the training ground every morning and we’d have a moan at one another.

“Then we’d chew the fat and discuss how I’d prepare for things and what was going to happen in meetings with the SFA or the Scottish League.

“We’d just sit, have a cup of tea and chat and 99 per cent of the time we’d agree. Very rarely did we disagree on what the approach should be.

“We both had the club’s best interests at heart. We felt we both knew what would be best for the supporters and the club.

“He was great to bounce off because he knows the club as well as anyone and was hurting as much as anybody.

“Sandy was also able to take a wee step back and look at the big picture. That was very important.

“I was at the front line, in the face of it and it was important there was somebody at my back looking down at what was happening.

“Now we have to be strong for Sandy. His illness puts everything into perspective.

apostropheLeft.jpg

During that time I didn’t think it was affecting me, but clearly – with some of the pictures I’ve seen – it was

apostropheRight.jpg

Ally McCoist

“I can’t wait to have him back for those wee chats. Everyone at Murray Park misses him.

“His health will dictate when he comes back, but it will be a far better place when the door gets kicked open and Sandy comes back one morning.”

McCoist admits even the liquidation of the old club means nothing compared to the problems being faced by his friend and mentor.

“We’re talking about the club and people’s jobs, which is very important – but we’re not talking about the scenario now facing Sandy, which is the ultimate,” he said.

“He hasn’t been taking visitors but Sandy phoned us before training on Friday. His spirits were fantastic.

“Our thoughts are with Sandy wanting him to recover but it doesn’t half give you a boost to hear from him.”

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