Walter Smith the Memories

[ForeverAndEver 71,469]

6 minutes ago, Geo17 said:

Sadly the guy who uploaded it has said he can't find part 2 either, sorry

Aye, boy that has part 1 on FB doesn’t have it either. 

[Willis 20,919]

18 minutes ago, Geo17 said:

Absolutely brilliant. A big thank you too the man who uploaded it tonight! Cancelled my jobs for today and tomorrow, sitting with a few beers watching all the football years documentaries. 

Having a few myself and just watched Ally talking earlier which was hard, no doubt the club will put out some documentary tribute.

You could make a multi season documentary about the achievements of Walter Smith and still not cover half of what made him a great man, David Edgar fittingly said he was in the Mount Rushmore of Rangers Legends, ill be surprised if we see another in our lifetimes. The tribute on the Rangers YouTube page was great too, showing him lifting all the trophies he won, and every one of them with countless memories to go with it. I've watched Walter Smith win cups for Rangers in 4 different countries throughout my life. Hopefully I'll be home to see us win the next in his honour 

[Heshootshescores 1,904]

Too many to mention, but I loved when he was allowing Ally to take the Cup games, while he watched from upstairs. Then,when things werent to his liking, he would stride down to the dugout. He didnt even have to issue instructions at that point, just his presence put a spring in the players step. Absolute giant of a man.

[gmcf 34,152]

10 hours ago, RFC55 said:

One of my gaffers was saying today when they worked at stadium or training ground he'd never pass them without a wee chat 

Aye , he came across as that kind of man . It was the only interaction I ever had with him but like I say , it made my day . 

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

Watch Walter on approx 31:37 what a night!

 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,530]

Born in 1994 so don't remember his first spell so St Mirren cup final is the one for me. Not only winning a cup final with 9 men but winning a cup final with 9 men when the score is 0-0. Not as if we were ahead and managed to hold the lead, we actually went and got the goal to win the game.

 

[The Godfather 71,874]

[markem 7,251]

I worked in Cameron house during the period that Rangers had a huge presence there, basically every foreign player that signed would stay until they found a house (unlike Gazza who from memory never left)

Worked in a restaurant that would close for 3 hours, maybe 3-6 so staff would work split shifts. One particular day I was asked if I’d work through the split as a group needed a private area, just top up the tea etc so I agreed.  

In walked Walter with some other guys I didn’t know but it transpired they were representing a potential signing. 

It quickly became clear the name Brian was being mentioned a lot and then I heard the iconic surname (admittedly more through Michael for me) I stood there the next couple of hours as they (as it appeared to me) if not close certainly put in place the Laudrup deal. 

Won’t mean much to others that story but for me to have been present that day when such a pivotal moment occurred involving such giants of our club, it’s hard to believe to be honest. Hand on heart the great man took time to chat to me during their break, in hindsight I should have left him alone but well, young and dumb so was right in chatting to him.  
 

Walter was always around the hotel and it’ll surprise nobody when I say all the hallmarks of his character and values were constantly evident - had time for everyone, I recall we played a staff 5 aside game out the back one day and he stood for ages watching, i could barely move  

So many stories from Cameron House at that time (Gazza!) but to digress a little I’ll finish on a lighter note …. Working a shift at their marina when this bloke started talking to me about Rangers, we were playing Celtic the next day and he asked me if I was going, I said no, I had no ticket…are you going mate says I? He said aye I'm going, I am the Rangers goalkeeper. It was Dibble…I genuinely think he was about to give me a ticket until I said that.

 

[McEwan's Lager 30,522]

15 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

Born in 1994 so don't remember his first spell so St Mirren cup final is the one for me. Not only winning a cup final with 9 men but winning a cup final with 9 men when the score is 0-0. Not as if we were ahead and managed to hold the lead, we actually went and got the goal to win the game.

 

I can remember from about 92/93 onwards. 

My first game was under Advocaat but apart from that all my best memories and moments are under Walter, both first and second spell, even though I didn’t get to attend many games and first away game attended was under Walter as well. 

Tbh this is going to sound bizarre but I still don’t think it’s the same without him in the dugout. He will always be my Rangers manager.

 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 64,530]

2 minutes ago, McEwan's Lager said:

I can remember from about 92/93 onwards. 

My first game was under Advocaat but apart from that all my best memories and moments are under Walter, both first and second spell, even though I didn’t get to attend many games and first away game attended was under Walter as well. 

Tbh this is going to sound bizarre but I still don’t think it’s the same without him in the dugout. He will always be my Rangers manager.

 

I went to my first game in 2001 but wasn't until 2008 I got my first season ticket and started going regularly so same for me with regards to the memories.

[GA1972 9,555]

I was too young to remember 9IAR but Lyon was the one for me, probably the most stunned I’ve ever been watching a Rangers game. No one thought we had a chance against them 

McCulloch scores that header and you’re still thinking we’ve got ages to hang onto this, then Cousin scores one right out of the top drawer and all of a sudden you’re thinking we might actually come away with something from this then Cousin plays one of the best passes I’ve ever seen to Beasley, Beasley slots it and you could scarcely believe what you were watching it was like something from a dream.

He also gave me the privilege of watching some of my favourite Rangers players through my high school/teenage years in guys like Mendes, Jelavic and Cousin. I was a big fan of Beasley when he was at PSV and I was absolutely buzzing when Walter signed him, I remember my Mum saying she hadn’t seen excitement like that since my Dad heard we’d signed Gazza. 

Above all and even more important than everything he did for us he was a man who always carried himself with class and that for me is what being a Rangers man is all about. 

Thanks for the memories Mr Smith, rest easy 

[Assegai 7,745]

Apologies if posted already, just seen a great point made;

 

Rangers are 150 years old. We wear five stars to represent our achievements in that time. Walter Smith is responsible for one of them.

 

[cr3_bear 14,830]

7 minutes ago, Assegai said:

Apologies if posted already, just seen a great point made;

 

Rangers are 150 years old. We wear five stars to represent our achievements in that time. Walter Smith is responsible for one of them.

 

Rangers have 116 Major honours. Walter is responsible for 21 of them . That is roughly around 1/6 of our trophy haul one man is responsible for. The count goes up when you consider his involvement as assistant with Souness where he played a major part in delivering success. 
 

before even considering the help and guidance he has given managers who took over the role. I have no doubts Walter’s wisdom ove the years helped Gerrard deliver 55
 

 

[rangersross 6,530]

A colleague's just been telling me about one of his most cherished family stories. His gran was a carer and was invited to a charity dinner. She got sat next to a stranger and, throughout the whole meal, he asked her lots of questions about her work, her colleagues, and her patients - showing lots of interest in it all. As the dinner was about to finish, she finally says "I'm so sorry, I never asked what you did" and he replied "oh, I just manage a football team". She says "what team's that?" to which he says "Rangers", much to her surprise. Cue her getting Walter Smith to sign every napkin and scrap of paper she could find for her Rangers-mad grandkids. My colleague says his gran's favourite subject from that day on was Walter Smith and how much of a gentleman he was. 

[Madina 3,808]

Obviously I have the 9iar memories but I was too young to appreciate them. My fave memory is when I met Walter after the Hearts game a few weeks away from his 2nd spell ending. He was in his car and stopped to sign for fans and I told him to go and win the last 2 games (I think it was 2) to give him the send off he deserved. He laughed and said hopefully! I met him after an OF game in 2019 as well and he was a gent as usual. Always had time for autographs and pics with fans unlike a few other mangers/players we've had including our current one

[BallochBear 1,613]

As someone once said " In Walter we trust" sums up what he meant to his family and the Rangers.

RIP Sir Walter, a huge devastating miss. 

[G.E.C. 18,760]

2008/9 - first title win in his second spell 😢 

[McEwan's Lager 30,522]

One thing Walter gets lauded for is his tactical nous for individual games but I think where he is under-appreciated is his tactical flexibility across his entire career.

Until we signed Laudrup we were a relatively standard British 442 team. Laudrup was a game changer, it meant we could jettison wingers and from 94 until 98 we played a variation of 352 or 3412. 

On his return we changed between 442 (sometimes 433) for lesser domestic games and 451 for games against Celtic and then in Europe we played either 451 or 541. 

He was a master at knowing exactly what he could get out of his squad, he knew their individual traits inside out and it meant he could play Albertz as a wing back, Broadfoot as a right back, Davis wide right, Whittaker as a CM and we would be absolutely fine.

[Thermopylae 15,286]

Always remember the first time I saw Walter was in the directors box at Love Street and I thought he was the sternest person I had ever seen in my young life   (probably tells u all u need to know about the team at that time ). Souness was still tidying up a few lose ends in Italy at the time and Walter had taken the reigns. 

[thedarvelmarvel 796]

On 26/10/2021 at 19:45, scottyc06 said:

I’m sure I heard when Hearts beat us in the cup final he sent a crate of champagne on to the hearts bus for them heading back to Edinburgh! Even in his worst moments he was an absolute class act! 
 

 

that smile of the man lit up a lot ,cant find any rememberance from souness,or did i miss it?

[10pshortof17pound 2,492]

25 minutes ago, thedarvelmarvel said:

that smile of the man lit up a lot ,cant find any rememberance from souness,or did i miss it?

Issued a joint message with David Murray.

[G.E.C. 18,760]

3 hours ago, McEwan's Lager said:

One thing Walter gets lauded for is his tactical nous for individual games but I think where he is under-appreciated is his tactical flexibility across his entire career.

Until we signed Laudrup we were a relatively standard British 442 team. Laudrup was a game changer, it meant we could jettison wingers and from 94 until 98 we played a variation of 352 or 3412. 

On his return we changed between 442 (sometimes 433) for lesser domestic games and 451 for games against Celtic and then in Europe we played either 451 or 541. 

He was a master at knowing exactly what he could get out of his squad, he knew their individual traits inside out and it meant he could play Albertz as a wing back, Broadfoot as a right back, Davis wide right, Whittaker as a CM and we would be absolutely fine.

Iirc when we played 4-1-4-1 in Europe the entire midfield were central midfielders which was genius. No width just grit.

Hemdani, Ferguson, Thomson, Davis and Adam all played together in a game I’m sure.

[SteveEarle 9,745]

Genuine question here. Watched so many recent tributes to Walter and the glory years I couldn't help but think of David Murray. Does anyone know if Murray has spoken yet or how things were between them both in recent years? They must have worked so closely over a long period of time. I've not seen anything yet but may have missed it.

[KaiserJon 12,393]

13 minutes ago, SteveEarle said:

Genuine question here. Watched so many recent tributes to Walter and the glory years I couldn't help but think of David Murray. Does anyone know if Murray has spoken yet or how things were between them both in recent years? They must have worked so closely over a long period of time. I've not seen anything yet but may have missed it.

Joint statement with him and Souness was issued quick smart.

[goaaaal 946]

Watched the Fergie fae Govan and Super Eulogies again outstanding tributes to a Rangers legend from like minded Rangers men .

Sums up the mentalness and values  of Scottish Football from seasoned pros in management like Fergie &  Super more so Super who carried The Rangers mentality  as a player and Fergie as a manager throughout their careers .

The High Church was in its element in the service of the remembrance befitting the Presbyterian ideology .

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