Your favourite Walter Smith moment.

For someone my age it's:
  • Road to Manchester - particularly Lisbon and Florence
  • 2009 League win at Tannadice after 3 years without
  • 2011 League Cup Final
  • 2011 at Rugby Park - winning the league within 6 minutes
For older gents there are far more ones. His first league title has to be up there along with 92/93 and that brilliant team.
 
The Aberdeen title win in 1991.

Players dropping like flies injured, players barely fit, players out of position and yet they ran through a brick wall for him and delivered the title.

Start as you mean to go on. And he did.

We are never going to see anyone like him ever again.
 
The Aberdeen title win in 1991.

Players dropping like flies injured, players barely fit, players out of position and yet they ran through a brick wall for him and delivered the title.

Start as you mean to go on. And he did.

We are never going to see anyone like him ever again.
Absolutely. They don’t make many like Mr Struth or Mr Smith.
 
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His 3in a row combined with euro cup final is his greatest achievement. To do so at a time of massive downsizing was remarkable
 
The Aberdeen title win in 1991.

Players dropping like flies injured, players barely fit, players out of position and yet they ran through a brick wall for him and delivered the title.

Start as you mean to go on. And he did.

We are never going to see anyone like him ever again.

The team he assembled for 92/93 will always be my favourite. I can talk all day about that season.

Special time.
 
I’ll go with the league cup final against St Mirren. Down to 9 men in a cup final and still won. What epitomises Walter more than that? You know you’re a winner when you’re forced to run a race on one leg and you still come out on top.
 
There’s too many to choose from but THAT letter in the trophy room, as precious as it is, will be extra poignant now.
Of all the silverware and medals won, of all the pennants and gifts from footballing royalty, I think that the letter to Walter's dad is the most special item in there.
 
I thought this was a well written piece from an Everton perspective (from Phil McNulty who is chief football writer for BBC sport),

Walter Smith’s time at Everton may ultimately be regarded as unfulfilling when measured in trophies but he provided stability and continuity in a time of trauma at Goodison Park while retaining dignity, decency and a wonderful sense of humour.

And, when his early days at Everton are reflected upon, there must also be a sense of what might have been.

When Smith rejected Sheffield Wednesday to join Everton in the summer of 1998 after leaving Rangers, his first moves in the transfer market showed his eye for an emerging player and his ability to attract the best.

Archie Knox and Walter Smith joined Everton in 1998Image caption: Archie Knox and Walter Smith joined Everton in 1998
His first three pieces of business were to sign a young defender called Marco Materazzi from Perugia, who went on to become a World Cup winner with Italy in 2006, a little-known midfielder Olivier Dacourt from Strasbourg destined to become one of Europe’s finest operators at Leeds United and Inter Milan then John Collins from Monaco.

Scotland midfield man Collins was in demand by numerous top clubs in the Premier League and beyond as he was available on a free transfer from Monaco but he chose Everton, a somewhat unlikely choice at the time, because of his respect for Smith.

This was what Smith wanted, the standards and level of ambition he wanted to set.

It was all undermined within months when Everton ran into financial strife and the talisman Duncan Ferguson was sold to Newcastle United without his knowledge. He could have walked out to protect his reputation but stayed on, much to the admiration of Everton fans, and it was owner Peter Johnson who left.

As Everton languished in limbo, Dacourt and Materazzi left after only one season as Smith was forced to rein back on his big plans.

This turned Smith’s task at Everton into a holding operation as ownership switched from Johnson to Bill Kenwright and the club went through a transitional period when cash was tight.


Duncan Ferguson was sold to rivals Newcastle UnitedImage caption: Duncan Ferguson was sold to rivals Newcastle United
Even then, Smith was a shrewd operator, bringing in the likes of Thomas Gravesen, David Weir, Tomasz Radzinski, Lee Carsley, Alan Stubbs and Kevin Campbell, who all went on to serve his predecessor David Moyes so well.

On a personal level, Smith will be remembered a complete gentleman with a wonderfully dry Scottish sense of humour that made him a hugely popular figure with the media on Merseyside, available day and night and someone who took praise but also accepted constructive criticism.

It was also Smith who provided a memorable 1-0 win against Liverpool at Anfield in September 1999, a feat none of his successors could repeat until Carlo Ancelotti oversaw a 2-0 triumph there in February 2021.

Smith may not have brought silverware to Everton but the importance of how he held the club together in a very troubled time of change must never be under-estimated and he will be sadly missed by all of us who had the pleasure to get to know him personally and deal with him professionally.
 
Far too many to chose from but probably getting to Manchester for me, I'd just turned 18 at the time so it was a great period.
 
Had the honour of meeting him in Majorca around 1991. He was with the old kit man doddie Souter. Think mark hately had just signed. I asked him about super Ally’s position. He said as long as he was at Ibrox so would McCoist be
 
I can’t separate two moments.the gazzas hat trick to win 8 in a row and just last week I watched a program over here with Gazza and he said the best football he ever played was his first season at spurs and at Rangers.
Standing in the stadium in Manchester and watching my team walk out at an European final
 
As I said on another thread just last week I am now proud to say I have been the recipient of a Walter look. Also as I said I nearly keeched my pants.

o_O o_O o_O
 
Just the way he seemed to know how to beat them, and the wee curveball selections he’d throw in against them will always stick in my mind. So many happy memories. So hard to think he’s gone.
 
As many others have said, the Bo Anderson one is iconic. Also his celebrations on the pitch at Hampden in the rain after beating them 1-0 in the cup in 1992.
 
Considering all the obvious moments, the one that always sticks out for me is the track-run when Erik Bo Andersen got the 3rd against them.

A massive moment in a massive season. Walter Smith, just like the rest of us, celebrated as a Rangers fan that night.
 
The Aberdeen title win in 1991.

Players dropping like flies injured, players barely fit, players out of position and yet they ran through a brick wall for him and delivered the title.

Start as you mean to go on. And he did.

We are never going to see anyone like him ever again.
That day epitomised both him and the club.
 
Night of nine in a row which doubled up with my son being born. Met the team at Seville airport and to this day the aura around the man was immense.RIPx
 
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.
Amazingly, despite all the on field high's this was exactly what came to my mind as well... first response too! Hysterical full blooded Wattie!.
 
There are so many to pick from. The sheer amount of joy Walter gave us all means that it's difficult to choose just one. For me, it's Florence.

soccer-uefa-cup-semi-final-second-leg-1033697.jpg


Sincere apologies if some feel this thread is too soon, I understand that we are all feeling genuine grief at the moment. I, personally, find it helps to talk about the good times, but I know not everyone feels the same.
Chick young interview.
 
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.
Aye, wasn’t he in the stand in this match and he came down to the touch line to rally the troops? Legend.
 
Always remember as a wee boy - house full of family for the New year OF game. Erik Bo Anderson comes off the bench with a double to win 3-1 ….. Sir Walter sprints down the touch line punching air to the fans. Glorious memory that for me
 
So many.

Taking the team to a Euro Final
9 in a row
Signing Gazza and Laudrup
Returning and giving us glory again

Maybe not Walter himself but the suited mask wearer jumping the boards at Kilmarnock that day always raises a smile
 
That night at Hampden beating them 1-0 after Robertson got sent off and Walter doing his nut at Waddell and the linesman.
The UEFA run will be his legacy in my opinion.
 
UEFA cup semi in 2008. Never thought I’d ever see us in a European final and doubt I ever will again in my lifetime
 
A wee thumbs up outside Hampden I gave the team bud as it passed into the ground.I put my thumb up and got a thumb up back from him. Meant everything as he acknowledged me and was one of us.
 
Has to be charging down the track after Eric Bo Anderson scored. Probably summed up how every single Rangers fan in the world felt at that moment.
 
So many to pick from.

Would probably go with when he stepped forward when we went down to 9 men against St Mirren in the cup final.

That was a leader stepping forward.
 
So many glorious memories from Walter's time with Rangers,on a personal note i was a ballboy with Ashfield juniors in 1965/66 when Walter was a young wing half and i would be told slow down wee man if the 'field where in front near the end of game,a true legend and a great man.
 
Tannadice 1997.
After doing a tv interview Walter ran half the park and launched himself on top of the players who were doing a huddle at the time.
First and only time I saw Walter loosing hid discipline completely.:))
Love the man.
 
Just that feeling when he came back, I’d experienced his first spell as a kid then the joy of having him back as an adult. Such a calm presence, you just knew we were going to be alright.
 
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