A pint with Novo

[.Williamson. 82,241]

Decent read, even if it is fairly long 

Quote

It’s not every day you sit and have a pint with a Rangers legend.

It’s not every day you have a pint poured for you by one either.

This was as surreal and exciting as it sounds. I was meeting Nacho Novo in NN10, his Rangers pub on Paisley Road.

I had offered to pay, but he insisted I didn’t.

Playing over 250 games and winning six trophies with the club, Nacho Novo is a Rangers legend. And as if it needed any confirmation, the wee Spanish Bluenose is Rangers through-and-through

Nacho doesn’t shy away from his responsibilities to adoring Rangers fans. He embraces it. And it’s the least he feels he can do.

“That’s just me. That’s how I was brought up. I appreciate the fans,” he explains.

“You see players, when everything’s going well, everybody loves you. But when things go bad, these fans they stayed for me as well.

While I have enjoyed some great moments at Rangers, there have also been some tough times.

During these times the fans stood by me. This I will never forget. I love them. I will always support them. I am one of them and proud to be so.”

Nacho’s appreciation for supporters comes from a time in his youth when he was shunned by one of his idols for a signature. It meant so much to the young Nacho, that he promised he would have time for anyone that asked for it if he made it as a player.

It’s this which inspired his bar in Glasgow’s Southside, about a mile from Ibrox. NN10 is designed to be a modern Rangers haunt which promotes and supports the Rangers family. It’s also the perfect setting to sit down and have a chat with the man.

The pub is about memorabilia, culture, links and accessibility to ex-players and heroes. It’s down to Earth and welcoming and is designed to be a space for players and fans alike to share a drink and celebrate all that’s good about being a Rangers fan. To Nacho this is a chance to give back to the fans that supported him through the good and bad.

Fans he even plans to join in Europe.

Sporty Novo turned down a move to Spanish giants for Scotland

Novo comes from a sporting family – his father was an ex-footballer, his mother played handball and his sister played basketball for the Spanish national team. A talented player from a young age, rather amazingly Nacho turned down a move to the Spanish coastline and the bright lights of Valencia for Raith Rovers.

As insane as it sounds, it made perfect sense at the time. And he hasn’t looked back.

“As a young player I used to be crazy, and my agent, who’s like my dad, told me no, you’re not going to Valencia, you go to Scotland.

I wanted to go to Valencia because for me being Spanish they’re a big club. My agent said well, Nacho, you’re not going to sign there. I know how you are, the sun, the women, you’ll never make it. I took his advice and I came over here. And look now.”

Nacho admits that he didn’t know much about Raith Rovers before joining, but that he did know plenty about Rangers. A former Captain at previous club Huesca had travelled to Ibrox and somehow acquired a Rangers top worn by Ally McCoist with a #9 on the back of it. He gave it to Novo who wore it religiously. It was the start of his blue tinted Scottish love-affair.

Nacho scored 22 goals in his first season at Rovers and was quickly snapped up by Dundee. From there, two successful seasons at Dens Park had him interesting both sides of the Old Firm.

celtic came knocking with a higher bid than Rangers, but Nacho famously said no thanks. It was after a conversation with the biggest inspiration in his career that he convinced Dundee Chairman Peter Marr to let him move to Ibrox.

“I remember my mother telling me, “Rangers have shown the greatest interest in you, you love Rangers, money doesn’t matter, you do all you can to get to Rangers”, and Rangers have always been there for me,” said Novo.

“I love the club. [before signing] I went to watch Rangers with Jimmy Bell’s son, the Scottish Cup final against celtic. Barry Ferguson scored. The atmosphere of the fans was incredible.”

He returned to Dundee to do all he could to get to Ibrox. Then Dundee chairman Peter Marr eventually relented, allowing him to move to Rangers, even though celtic were offering more financially to both Dundee and Nacho.

Nacho would go on to make over 250 appearances and score close to 80 goals for Rangers, winning six trophies and beginning a life-long love affair with Rangers Football Club.

Nacho’s mother tragically passed away from heart disease before he could join Rangers. She was only 43. Nacho describes this time as his lowest but also the catalyst to make the most with his career and life.

There has rarely been a Rangers player play an individual role in so many iconic moments during his tenure in the modern era. He scored the winning goal against Hibs on Helicopter Sunday, the winning penalty v Fiorentina, a stunning Scottish Cup winner v Falkirk.

Not to mention six goals against celtic. The best one? “Now that I’m not playing, I cherish them all”, he says.

Novo describes those three moments as his biggest in a Rangers shirt, but also some of the biggest in his personal life. No wonder he has such an infatuation with the club. The little Spaniard has not just been a part of some of our biggest moments in recent years, he’s been a major driving force.

Of course, it’s the UEFA Cup Semi Final penalty which stands out.

“It was one of the best moments of my life,” said Nacho. “I still watch it now, I see the fans watching and crying with joy, it was just the best feeling I have experienced, beyond the birth of my son, Javier.”

Nacho Novo’s time at Rangers is littered with goals, trophies and iconic moments. It was a time when Nacho Novo the player was at the peak of his powers.

Not that he didn’t have his challenges at Ibrox.

“Paul le Guen actually tried to sell me but I said no,” he said. “Ian Durrant told me, ‘just keep working wee man’ and things like that, so then I went to see Paul. I told him I was going to work my bo*****s off because I wasn’t going anywhere. And that’s what I done, like I always do. I just worked hard until I got my chance.”

Nacho had a great relationship with all the managers he had at the club and keeps in touch with them all to this day. Novo also believes McLeish doesn’t get the credit he should for the work he done there.

But it’s Walter Smith who is the figure that Novo will always look up to the most.

“Walter for me will be my favourite, he was like my dad. What a manager he was,” he says.

Novo’s departure from Rangers was tough for the little striker. Nacho went on to play for Sporting de Gijon, Legia Warsaw, Huesca, Morton, Carlisle United, Carolina Railhawks and Glentoran. On reflection, he feels to some extent he was just going through the motions of being a professional after leaving Rangers.

After his playing career ended at Glentoran last year, there was only one place for him to go. Glasgow, which to Nacho is home.

As things wind down Nacho reiterates just how important the fans are to him, and what he wants to achieve with the pub. In the face of major health scares, Nacho hasn’t been able to be as close to the action football wise as he’d like to be. But he’s getting his fitness back and is driven to achieve his ambitions as a player and a coach.

An open invitation for anyone to come down to NN10

In the meantime, he has a message for anyone who wants to come to Paisley Road and share a drink with him.

“Me being here, I support the fans 100%, in good and bad times, like they did with me as a player.

When I opened the pub I felt like a player again, and that’s what I miss. Especially when you retire. As another supporter, I always have their backs and just welcome anyone into the pub to watch the games with me.”

Thank you for the memories Nacho, here’s to plenty more.

The wee man also believes the good times might not be so far away after all.

And he pours a pretty good pint too.

[FSM 20,892]

Stopped reading after 'Rangers legend'.

[16BlueSherbert90 19,223]

3 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

Decent read, even if it is fairly long 

 

 

I like him:) He always chats when in his bar, stops for pictures,  even when working.  Joins in and has a song with the fans.  Really good craic:)  

 

[.Williamson. 82,241]

1 minute ago, Sweettartangirl said:

I like him:) He always chats when in his bar, stops for pictures,  even when working.  Joins in and has a song with the fans.  Really good craic:)  

 

I like him too

Have gave him a hard time in the past as I genuinely felt he was limited as a player but you can clearly see he loves the club and fans and we have enough cunt ex players in the media without jumping on the genuine good guys too

[16BlueSherbert90 19,223]

Just now, .Williamson. said:

I like him too

Have gave him a hard time in the past as I genuinely felt he was limited as a player but you can clearly see he loves the club and fans and we have enough cunt ex players in the media without jumping on the genuine good guys too

Absolutely.  He might not be a legend as a player to many,  but definitely good to the fans:)  

[ForeverAndEver 71,511]

Really like him, but not a legend imo. Good read as well.

Genuinely canny remember him playing at Carlisle or Morton either  

[pcbear 10,913]

We done the Ibrox tour the Saturday before the tim game and had a beer in a few pubs up PRW, NN10 was one he was not around when we were in but the tunes were blasting out and there was a fair crowd in, there is two doors one says lounge the other says bar they both lead into the same room so fuck knows what that is about.

[16BlueSherbert90 19,223]

2 minutes ago, pcbear said:

We done the Ibrox tour the Saturday before the tim game and had a beer in a few pubs up PRW, NN10 was one he was not around when we were in but the tunes were blasting out and there was a fair crowd in, there is two doors one says lounge the other says bar they both lead into the same room so fuck knows what that is about.

You didn't get an invite into the secret room then ?

[FSM 20,892]

Novo is undoubtedly a 'nice guy', but his reputation as a Rangers player seems to grow larger with each passing year. He was bang average on a good day.

[.Williamson. 82,241]

2 minutes ago, FSM said:

Novo is undoubtedly a 'nice guy', but his reputation as a Rangers player seems to grow larger with each passing year. He was bang average on a good day.

You seem to be ignoring everything that everyone has said to get a reaction mate 

[BlueMe 25,327]

1 minute ago, FSM said:

Novo is undoubtedly a 'nice guy', but his reputation as a Rangers player seems to grow larger with each passing year. He was bang average on a good day.

Scored some big goals for us, hibs, celtic, Falkirk cup final and the penalty against Fiorentina obviously. He's not what i would class as a legend, but i can see why some might.

[cr3_bear 14,869]

4 minutes ago, ForeverAndEver said:

Really like him, but not a legend imo. Good read as well.

Genuinely canny remember him playing at Carlisle or Morton either  

He was a decent player especially in his first season with him and big dado upfront. Then he just became a very good impact sub. I wouldn't class him as a legend either, seems to come from the fact he was involved In a lot of iconic moments.

[Bears 792]

28 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

in the article:

There has rarely been a Rangers player play an individual role in so many iconic moments during his tenure in the modern era. He scored the winning goal against Hibs on Helicopter Sunday, the winning penalty v Fiorentina, a stunning Scottish Cup winner v Falkirk.

Novo had a key influence in three legendary moments (that was some goal from the throw in). He's a minor legend ?

[gmcf 34,224]

2 minutes ago, BlueMe said:

Scored some big goals for us, hibs, celtic, Falkirk cup final and the penalty against Fiorentina obviously. He's not what i would class as a legend, but i can see why some might.

Did he not also score the goal that got into the CL group stages . Memory is going , but Red Star perhaps ? 

[BlueMe 25,327]

1 minute ago, gmcf said:

Did he not also score the goal that got into the CL group stages . Memory is going , but Red Star perhaps ? 

He did indeed mate, scored in injury time I'm sure.

[cr3_bear 14,869]

1 minute ago, BlueMe said:

He did indeed mate, scored in injury time I'm sure.

Scored late on in panathanikos away in the first knockout round of the UEFA cup on the way to Manchester aswell 

[Laudrupsleftfoot 10,876]

Not a club legend? Are people fucking mental or what?

Unless by club legend we're solely defining that by how good someone was as a player.

[cr3_bear 14,869]

2 minutes ago, Laudrupsleftfoot said:

Not a club legend? Are people fucking mental or what?

Unless by club legend we're solely defining that by how good someone was as a player.

Suppose it's that whole thing about everyone having a different idea of what is a legend in their own view.

[Bobby Hume 13,093]

Good post OP .... and a good wee  read as you say.

That penalty that got us to Manchester alone gives him the right to be classed as a legend ..... not to mention all the other important goals he scored for us including the CL .... and especially against the scum .... maybe not as readily recognisable as some of our many other legends but for me and many others he is still of the mould that makes him one also.

[Tiger Shaw 30,488]

1 hour ago, .Williamson. said:

I like him too

Have gave him a hard time in the past as I genuinely felt he was limited as a player but you can clearly see he loves the club and fans and we have enough cunt ex players in the media without jumping on the genuine good guys too

Gave me a signed ball and pictures of him signing it for my daughter on her 16th birthday, also phoned her mobile to wish her happy birthday and chatted with her for about 5 minutes. Quality wee guy. 

[MisterC 12,272]

The importance of a good few of the goals he scored makes him a legend in my book

[gmcf 34,224]

4 minutes ago, Bobby Hume said:

Good post OP .... and a good wee  read as you say.

That penalty that got us to Manchester alone gives him the right to be classed as a legend ..... not to mention all the other important goals he scored for us including the CL .... and especially against the scum .... maybe not as readily recognisable as some of our many other legends but for me and many others he is still of the mould that makes him one also.

It's when you get threads like this you realise just how many important goals the wee man scored for us . 

[Loyaleastend 3,260]

He loves Rangers and played for and scored  goals  for   Rangers, he's a legend, more so than the likes of Butcher.

 

 

[Smile 26,610]

Good with the supporters.

[bluedylan 11,555]

He winds the Tims up to fuck,they absolutely hate him...the wee man is doing something right...one of us and always will be unlike others who put on the jersey and now make a living putting the boot in