Your favourite Walter Smith moment.

Manchester for me was one of the greatest days of my life, to see Rangers in a European final was simply unreal, walking to the stadium and the realisation I was going see my team in a European final was incredible.

It was bordering on miraculous that we made the final with the team we had, that was down to Walter.
 
LOL 133 said:
Getting my picture taken with him at a Rangers' Ball. Walter happy to oblige. Got it framed. A treasured memory.
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Lucky enough to get my picture with him on my 18th outside Ibrox, had been to the players lounge met most of the players but not walter.
 
There are too many favourite moments to mention so -

In the darkest days of lockdown I would go out for a drive and head over to Ibrox to sit outside. I'd think of all the great memories I'd had and all the great times that would come again.

I'd look at the pictures of all the players and I'd see Walters photo and it was his picture above all others that gave me butterflies in my tummy - he is the epitome of a Rangers man.
 
So many football memories, I only ever met him once, I am a little taller, quite broad and I felt like a toddler next to him such was his stature, he just had a persona. The interaction lasted less than a minute, he smiled the whole time, but you knew this was a man to be repected.
 
So many....Old Firm wins, title wins, Florence, Chick Young interview, scudding Durrant, but the one that epitomises Walter's Rangers to me was being doing to 9 men against St Mirren in the Cup Final & winning 1-0.
 
thomsonstackle said:
His celebration after Miller’s winner against St Mirren in the 2010 League Cup Final.

It was the first final that I attended as a fan and if there was ever a display that summed up Walter Smith’s Rangers career that was it. Down to 9 men and he’ll still managed to secure the famous a trophy.
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Love when the camera pans to him after the goal giving a big fist pumped to the crowd

Our Gaffer
 
IbroxForever said:
The night 9in a row was secured. I was still at high school and will never forget celebrating all night and all day at school the next day.
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Was the night of my 23rd birthday. I've never had, and doubt I will ever get again, such an amazing birthday present. The emotion of Walter was there for all to see, and like Gough, there was no doubt how much it meant to him.
 
BWO said:
Same here, he went properly tonto on the sidelines like us. Still a very underrated Rangers win, one of our greatest.
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I count myself lucky to have been at Hampden to witness it. If you could distill what makes Rangers then that performance would be a good place to start.
 
On a personal note,Walter attended a speakers night at our local Church back in August 2007.We were allowed to ask questions and I was surprised to be first pick.I was lucky to be in Barcelona in 72 and my question was,did he think we could win another European trophy.His response was while he thought the Champions League would be difficult for us the EUFA Cup would be more likely,of course that was the season we went all the way to the final.
I will never forget those few minutes as it was like having a personal conversation .
On another point the way he answered the question,the way he spoke and looked directly at you there was no way you would disagree with his answer.He was some man and you can understand why he is held in such esteem.
 
One daft one that sticks in my mind was him pulling McCoist back at the piggery so he wouldn’t start arguing with that wee wanker Lennon. Needless to say Ally bit and the two of them started on each other. Loved the way Walter tried to hold him back as if to say “don’t let that wee prick annoy you ignore him”. Very much in the Rangers class not to lower yourself to that mobs standards, unfortunately Ally couldn’t help himself lol. I’d probably have bit too in fairness with that wee turd. Showed Walters calmness under pressure for me.
 
Florence an obvious one but the Scottish Cup semi v Celtic in 1992 was the night a team was born. The nucleus of the team that night saw us through NIAR and it became Smith’s team over that season. That night was very important.

Walter Smith on the pitch celebrating with his players told a lot.
 
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Maybe not my most favourite but one of my earliest memories of Walter and realising who he was, was watching a cup final where he turns to the stand (to Souness while he was sitting in the stand?) while celebrating a goal and shouting clearly "ya beauty". That and seeing Smith and Souness at Pittodrie after winning the league with the tracksuit top on.


Edit : '87 Skol Cup Final after Durrant goal. I'd have been about 7 or 8 at the time. Amazing to think that in the years ahead I'd grow up watching Rangers dominate Scottish football while Walter Smith was in charge. Thinking back, when he's not been in charge we have never got near those levels of success. He is, in my lifetime, Mr Rangers.
 
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Gazza 8 said:
His second spell in general were the best times of my life.

I was 17 when Walter returned and the next few years as a young fan going to all the games were unbelievable.

Walter spoiled us with success.. I'll be forever grateful.
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Walter running down trackside after Bo Anderson’s winner. Celebrations after Gazza’s goal for 8 in a row. League cup final down to 10 men with Ally getting the winner.
 
As a 23 year old I’ll go for Edu’s goal against Celtic. Up there with Whittaker’s goal against Sporting and the 3 goals in 5 minutes vs Kilmarnock to win the league. Envious of you older generation people that had so many of these memories over 2 spells. RIP Walter.
 
Laudrup97 said:
Slapping Durrant during an old firm game in the stands to get down and tell the players to get their fingers out. This is what he was like, this is what I will miss dearly.
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Watched that this morning. Sums the great man up and how much respect he had.
 
Where do you start

Vs Aberdeen - 1991
Vs Leeds and Marseilles- 1992
Vs Aberdeen SCF - 1993
Lambasting chick - 1994
Gazza 1995
The speech at Ibrox after the hearts beamback - 1997
Manchester - 2008 (including the look he gave Britney at the press conference)
Vs Dundee utd 2009
Vs killie 2011
Arguing with mixu at Ibrox vs hibs

That’s just off the top of my head. I am gutted today, so many memories following rangers with Walter as manager
 
I started going to football in 2003, so not that long after 9IAR, but it was of course spoken about like a magical and distant past and Walter Smith was almost like a mythical legend now living a quiet life as Man U assistant.

When he returned in 2007 I got my own Walter period to experience and I am so glad I did. Those years were brilliant.

My favourite moment would have to be his goodbye on the final day of the 2011 season.
 
I fell off a high stage at a NARSA event in Florida while taking a picture of him and my wife much to his amusement (once he found out I was ok). At a similar event the following year I was taking another picture of him and my wife and he said “don’t fall off the fucking stage this time”.
 
The League Cup final against St Mirren in 2010. Watching him come to the touchline and guide us to victory with only 9 men and then seeing how much it meant to him when he collected the trophy afterwards is a very poignant memory.
 
Cardee said:
League Cup final.

Down to 10 men, only to go down to 9.

The Gaffer leaves his seat in the Main Stand at Hampden.

30 minutes later, league Cup secured.
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Yep - second spell always watching from upstairs. Coming down personally was a weirdly invigorating gesture only reserved (at least in my mind) for the most drastic of circumstance.
 
Funniest moment was when he was telling durrant to go down to the dugout and the best moments were every title we won
 
He gave us so many great times in his first spell but him coming back was special, we were a shambles at the time but with Walter coming home we just knew it was going to be ok, like he gave us all a big cuddle and said its going to be fine I'm here
I love the guy
 
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