Ally McCoist ‘devastated’ as Rangers legend Walter Smith sadly dies
By Daniel Feliciano
Former Rangers striker and club legend Ally McCoist has paid tribute to his “second father” Walter Smith following his tragic passing today.
Smith lost his long battle with illness on Tuesday aged 73. He had previously been the manager and chairman of the Ibrox side and oversaw 10 Scottish league title wins, five Scottish Cup wins, six Scottish League Cup wins and a UEFA Cup runners-up place during two separate stints in charge.
McCoist played under Smith during his first spell in charge and went on to become his assistant manager during his second spell at the club, before taking over as manager himself.
Speaking to talkSPORT, where he is a regular pundit on the airwaves, the club’s all-time top goalscorer revealed his devastation at the news and spoke for almost eight minutes live on air as he paid tribute to someone he referred to as his ‘second father’.
“He’s everything to a lot of folk, myself included. He was my boss, my coach, he was my second father. Then he turned into one of my best friends, to be honest with you. The loss is incredible.
“However, the good thing is and I say the good thing, is he’s not in pain. We went to see Walter recently, I spoke to him on Saturday and Sunday because he was too unwell. We knew there was an inevitability about this horrible illness and we did know it would only be a matter of time. However it still does not take away the pain and the grief, and at this moment in time all I can think about is Ethel [his wife].
“All Walter would’ve wanted was a few more years to watch his grandkids playing football and spend a little time with Jessica and that’s the most painful thing for me.
“I can sit here and tell you about Walter Smith the manager until the cows come home, about how good a coach and how good a football man he was. But I think it’s only fair to say that I can safely say he was probably the best husband, the best father and the best friend. Everything you’d expect in a man and it’s a tragedy. I can’t tell you how devastated, absolutely devastated I am.
“He was the best. By some considerable distance for me. I was lucky enough to play under him, I was 17 when I first played under him in the Scottish youth team. I can still remember wondering about on the balcony in Monte Carlo and him giving me that look.
“When you say old school, because times have changed and times have moved on, sometimes I do feel, in many cases not all cases, we’re all a bit precious all of a sudden, but Walter. One thing Walter was, he was absolutely honest. One hundred per cent honest and fair.
“If he said something to you he wasn’t saying it for effect he was saying it for a reason and because it had to be said. He was just the most genuine of men. Hard, fair, honest, wicked sense of humour, just brilliant to be around.”
Rest in peace
Smith will undoubtedly go down as one of Rangers’ greatest club legends of all-time having been so successful with them as a manager and a player during his career.
The outpouring of emotion from those that know him best proves to the world what a top man he was and his death will be mourned across Scotland and the United Kingdom over the next week as fixtures continue to take place.
He was the man in charge of one of the greatest squads in Scottish football history that included the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Brian Laudrup and Stuart McCall.
The word legend is one that is thrown around quite loosely in today’s game but if there is one man in the blue of Rangers that epitomises that title then it was Smith.
His personality, love for the game and honesty is something that all fans will remember him for as well as the successful football he played no matter where he went.
Rest in peace gaffer, you’ll be sorely missed.
In other Rangers news, Paul Gascoigne has also paid his tribute to Smith.