Gordon Smith takes a pop at John Greig in Open Goal interview

deedle said:
Not the first to question John Greig's personal skills.

Really bad decision by Rangers to appoint him manager directly from being a player.
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I totally agree, in my day I held him in high esteem, however Rangers Football Club, have more than looked after him financially. He also received an EBT of just under a £100,000. Too many times in the past there’s been posts on FF about being aloof at not signing Fans Autographs.
 
As I suspected. A thread that slowly starts to disrespect a true club legend based on the ramblings of someone very fortunate to play for us. My god, where next on here?
 
Said for years that football clubs are just like an office/factory environment,not everybody gets on with there being different personalities etc.
 
Twosignals said:
I totally agree, in my day I held him in high esteem, however Rangers Football Club, have more than looked after him financially. He also received an EBT of just under a £100,000. Too many times in the past there’s been posts on FF about being aloof at not signing Fans Autographs.
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What does £100k divided by 17 equal? As for the autographs, most end up on eBay. Many older sports stars wont do autographs outwith charity stuff.
 
dh1963 said:
GORDON SMITH has revealed how he and John Greig clashed from his first day at Rangers.

Gers legend Jock Wallace signed Smith from Kilmarnock in 1977 for just £65,000.

The midfielder hit the ground running at Ibrox, scoring 27 goals and winning the Treble in his debut season.

But while things were running smoothly on the park, he endured a strained relationship with the club's greatest ever player off it.

Smith was team-mates with Greig for a year before the Light Blues icon replaced Wallace as manager in 1978.

However, Rangers' record appearance holder was less than impressed with Smith's arrival and wasn't shy in letting the new boy know.

Smith told Open Goal: "I got on quite well with him. But two things happened which had significance.

"The first day when I joined Rangers; I arrived at Ibrox, I had just signed the day before, I had my first training session, and I walked up to the club and Sandy Jardine and John Greig got out of a taxi.

"Sandy Jardine says, 'Welcome to the club Gordon, that's good', and John Greig said, 'Hello, I don't know what we've signed you for!'

"That was the first welcome of my captain to Rangers. I goes, 'What do you mean?'

"He goes, 'Well we've got Cooper left wing' and I said, 'Well I'm not going to be playing left wing'.

"He went, 'Alright'. Maybe that's what he meant; we've got another left winger so I don't know why we've got you because that's where I'd been playing.

"But it was not exactly the best welcome!

"And then, the second point was in that first season, I was scoring really regularly when I came into the team at first and then I went about three games without scoring and that was the first team he said anything to me.

"He went, 'Ah you're not scoring now for us, eh?' I was like that, 'Oh, cheers.'"

Asked if he ever took Greig to task, Smith said: "You find it hard. I had so much respect for him because he'd been a club legend, a great player, he'd won the Cup Winners' Cup for them.

"You're thinking to yourself, you don't want to have an argument with him.

"I'm glad I never really went into detail with my arguments with him because then he became manager and I had to deal with that.

"But I never really got on with him that well when he was the manager either."
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It’s all in Gordon Smiths book
 
Thought there was something wrong with my TV whilst trying to watch this episode. The whole thing is so beige, it’s like a documentary from the Eastern Bloc in the 80s.
 
Think its poor its poor from Greig he brings Smith back for a loan then after a week and a LC Final defeat didn't speak to him for the remainder or the loan.
 
bilkobear said:
Big John never had it as a manager.
He inherited a fine team and then fckd it all up.
Gordon Smith is perhaps opening a window into why this happened.

Nonetheless, as a player, I thought Big John was just fckn great.
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He did inherit a great team but it was also an ageing team. Time proved that Greig was not the right man at that point to carry out that task. I was unaware of his history with Gordon Smith but reading it here helps to explain one or two things that I could not understand back in the day. Gordon Smith was great for us in Wallace's last season but imo he was never the same player after Walace departed Ibrox. I have also held that opinion about Bobby Russell as well.
 
jimbear said:
He did inherit a great team but it was also an ageing team. Time proved that Greig was not the right man at that point to carry out that task. I was unaware of his history with Gordon Smith but reading it here helps to explain one or two things that I could not understand back in the day. Gordon Smith was great for us in Wallace's last season but imo he was never the same player after Walace departed Ibrox. I have also held that opinion about Bobby Russell as well.
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Not having a go at Gordon Smith here, but in my humble opinion he was nowhere near as good a player as Bobby Russell.
 
I met John Greig, at Ibrox, whilst he was manager, only once. He was vile, odious and ignorant. I wish I had never met him. Thankfully, that same day I also met Willie Thornton, a real gentleman, who could not have been more accommodating.
 
Greig has more appearances for Rangers than any other player. He may not have been a good manager but despite that he was still inducted into the Hall of Fame and voted Greatest Ever Ranger by the fans. And he still goes to nearly every match. Smith was a decent enough player but was no Rangers legend.
 
John greig = legend as a player. Management. when you have a player score 41 goals and another 27 they d be the first 2 on your team sheet playing similar roles. No he sells one to centre half and
 
I remember when as a kid I was in Greigs sports shop in Edinburgh (sixties) and thought he was a grumpy un-approachable twatt even then.
Certainly a playing legend but not a pleasant character by all accounts.
 
dh1963 said:
Not having a go at Gordon Smith here, but in my humble opinion he was nowhere near as good a player as Bobby Russell.
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The season we won the treble in 78 I thought that both of them were great. After Wallace left, however, I never thought either player achieved the same level of performance as that of the 77/78 season.
 
mulguy1953 said:
Greig doesn't come across as a very nice guy , I know a few people who have dealings with him & was disappointed to hear the way he conducted himself
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I don't think Greig is very nice and never was. I don't think he's especially intelligent either.

Thankfully neither qualities are required of a professional footballer.

What Greig did do, though, was 1. Run through brick walls for Rangers if you asked him to do and 2, Recreate his career a couple of times and be as about as effective in the mid 70s as he was in the mid 60s.

The guy was an absolute phonomenon and carried us through many a narrow strait.
 
Porto bear said:
Greig had his faults as a manager perhaps because he went straight from being captain one season to manager the next but he guided us to two of our best European results knocking out Juve and Eindhoven.
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I read Alex MacDonald a few years ago saying we won in Eindhoven after the players just disregarded everything Greig said.

Greig had an inferiority complex with Jock Wallace and tried to break up the Treble team rather than build on it. Selling Smith and trying to sell Cooper whilst filling the team with shit just sums him up as manager. I think he’s very lucky to be as highly thought of as he is by many.
 
the bridge said:
What does £100k divided by 17 equal? As for the autographs, most end up on eBay. Many older sports stars wont do autographs outwith charity stuff.
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Greig got a testimonial in 1978 that brought him nearly half a million in today’s money. I don’t think Rangers owed him anything after that.
 
Taki said:
Greig got a testimonial in 1978 that brought him nearly half a million in today’s money. I don’t think Rangers owed him anything after that.
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Really? I might not quite agree, but I’m possibly of a different vintage. So what was Gordon Smith owed out of interest?
 
HillsBill said:
Greig has more appearances for Rangers than any other player. He may not have been a good manager but despite that he was still inducted into the Hall of Fame and voted Greatest Ever Ranger by the fans. And he still goes to nearly every match. Smith was a decent enough player but was no Rangers legend.
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With absolutely no disrespect to John Greig he takes second place to Dougie Gray when it comes to appearances for Rangers. And by some margin I might add.
 
Sheamaker said:
Gordon Smith does an interview and speaks honestly, he didn't get on well with John Greig so what many people have personality clashes with others. The fact this has been made into an article suggests an overreaction.

It's not like Gordon Smith is slating Greig just stated a couple of incidents thag led to them not being best of friends.
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Yeah some people really are sensitive to the point it’s laughable. The guy gave an honest recollection of events, big deal.

Two great Rangers man who didn’t get on, it happens.
 
Steve Snedden said:
JG was our worst ever manager in my lifetime until Pedro rocked up with his powerpoint presentation and his world's 48th best coach epithet.

I would take Ally as manager over JG, although both remain legends.
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Seriously, Ally couldn't win the petrofac cup
jimbear said:
The season we won the treble in 78 I thought that both of them were great. After Wallace left, however, I never thought either player achieved the same level of performance as that of the 77/78 season.
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I would add David Cooper to that list never reached the heights of 77-78 until Souness arrived and was magnificent in 86-87
 
I recollect that Harry Davis and Jim Baxter weren't in love with one another. There were several ructions between some during our 9 in a row era. Who cares. In the grand scheme of things all that matters is what they did when they pulled that Rangers jersey on.
 
I wish I had never started this thread now. Not after it contains posts calling John Greig a vile, ignorant, impolite, thick, odious money grabber.

John Greig. The greatest on field leader of my lifetime. The man who carried us through glory and tragedy. The man who even other club legends call The Legend.

I can't believe any other fan forum would do that to the man widely regarded as the greatest to wear the shirt (which is the one thing I would find debatable).

I get maybe a bit oversensitive when it comes to my heroes.
 
dh1963 said:
I wish I had never started this thread now. Not after it contains posts calling John Greig a vile, ignorant, impolite, thick, odious money grabber.

John Greig. The greatest on field leader of my lifetime. The man who carried us through glory and tragedy. The man who even other club legends call The Legend.

I can't believe any other fan forum would do that to the man widely regarded as the greatest to wear the shirt (which is the one thing I would find debatable).

I get maybe a bit oversensitive when it comes to my heroes.
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Saddening indeed :oops::(
 
westl65 said:
Seriously, Ally couldn't win the petrofac cup

I would add David Cooper to that list never reached the heights of 77-78 until Souness arrived and was magnificent in 86-87
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Apart from the replay of 81. He just wanted to show JG he was wrong to leave him out. I watched Còop in every home game he played and that was his finest hour.
 
John Greig is a legend as a player but terrible manager.Although our cup winners cup captain ,he was also captain throughout the scums 9 in a row .
To be honest I don't think anyone would be particularly pleased at Grieg's comments . They were unnecessary and arrogant.
 
He seems to be coming out with some bizarre stuff lately.

Saying Whyte was surprised that Rangers went into administration. It was Whyte that put us into administration.

Saying that Rangers might refuse to play games at Rugby Park.

And now this stuff.
 
dh1963 said:
I wish I had never started this thread now. Not after it contains posts calling John Greig a vile, ignorant, impolite, thick, odious money grabber.

John Greig. The greatest on field leader of my lifetime. The man who carried us through glory and tragedy. The man who even other club legends call The Legend.

I can't believe any other fan forum would do that to the man widely regarded as the greatest to wear the shirt (which is the one thing I would find debatable).

I get maybe a bit oversensitive when it comes to my heroes.
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We're not mentally challengeds. We all know that Greig had flaws and we're not afraid to say it.

This is not disrespecting the bloke. On the field? Absolutely the best in 50 years of going to Ibrox.
 
John Greig was my hero as a boy, and deserves his Greatest Ever Ranger title.
As a Manager it was apparent that he was not cut out for the job, as he was one of our poorest in that department.
If you’ve been asked a question by whoever, and you give an honest answer , then that is fine, as it’s his ( Gordon Smith’s )prerogative.
I think, sometimes it’s best to leave what has happened, or said in the distant past.
 
Taki said:
I read Alex MacDonald a few years ago saying we won in Eindhoven after the players just disregarded everything Greig said.

Greig had an inferiority complex with Jock Wallace and tried to break up the Treble team rather than build on it. Selling Smith and trying to sell Cooper whilst filling the team with shit just sums him up as manager. I think he’s very lucky to be as highly thought of as he is by many.
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That inferior complex with big jock Wallace got even worse when jock came up the road to manage Motherwell and his first game was v us at fir park.john Greig was hardly noticed as bears have jock Wallace a rousing reception.when things weren’t going well the chant “one jock Wallace” would start.
 
Jobra said:
John Greig was my hero as a boy, and deserves his Greatest Ever Ranger title.
As a Manager it was apparent that he was not cut out for the job, as he was one of our poorest in that department.
If you’ve been asked a question by whoever, and you give an honest answer , then that is fine, as it’s his ( Gordon Smith’s )prerogative.
I think, sometimes it’s best to leave what has happened, or said in the distant past.
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Agreed! And on that note I'm out.
 
Here’s the personal experience of a wee govan boy of big Ham n Egg. Me and some mates were hanging outside Ibrox in the 60’s. Fkin freezing. Ice on the pavement. We see the big man and Sandy turning from getting off the subway, start running and I go head over arse on the ice, cracked my skull a good yin. Big JG comes running over, picks me up, makes sure I’m okay, then signs autographs. Wee Wullie Henderson on the other hand wouldn’t give you the time of day. Different personalities. I’ve always thought the big man to be great with the fans. Smith is maybe a sensitive chap. A nothing story in my opinion.
 
the bridge said:
What does £100k divided by 17 equal? As for the autographs, most end up on eBay. Many older sports stars wont do autographs outwith charity stuff.
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I was around when JG was put as all time Ranger, I knew NOTHING about any vote? For what Willie Waddell done for this Club it should have been him! JG and his family have been well taken care of by our Club. I have a photo back in the Sixties with him at a Supporters Dance with my Cousin and even then it seemed like a chore for him.
 
JamesyMRR said:
Bit odd to even remember those comments 40 years later. Pretty innocuous stuff.
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Finally found the balls to speak out about it after all those years although not directly to John Greig. Still a bit scared of him maybe ? I’ve sat down with John Greig in his office and as nice and entertaining a man as he is, he also has a don’t mess with me aura about him. He’s still my hero forever though. It’s apt that the forum Smith spoke on was called ‘Open Goal’ given the “and Smith must score” quote and I have to say if it was our captain in that position it’d have been “and Greig scores” because he’s always had the balls.
 
Eckhailitchenko said:
Finally found the balls to speak out about it after all those years although not directly to John Greig. Still a bit scared of him maybe ? I’ve sat down with John Greig in his office and as nice and entertaining a man as he is, he also has a don’t mess with me aura about him. He’s still my hero forever though. It’s apt that the forum Smith spoke on was called ‘Open Goal’ given the “and Smith must score” quote and I have to say if it was our captain in that position it’d have been “and Greig scores” because he’s always had the balls.
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He’s done an interview and spoken of what it was like playing under Grieg, what’s the issue?

You’re talking about balls, but you’ve got to realise it was an interview and he’s a 64 year old man, not a 12 year old in the playground. I’m sure he can speak about it without having to march up in front of Grieg (now 76) to asset his masculinity.

Did Smith do something really wrong that I missed?
 
There was a newspaper article when we signed Gordon Smith and how we now had five wingers at the club.

There was McLean and Cooper obviously, Billy McKay and I can't remember the other one. And GS made it the five.
 
wee bud's pit boots said:
There was a newspaper article when we signed Gordon Smith and how we now had five wingers at the club.

There was McLean and Cooper obviously, Billy McKay and I can't remember the other one. And GS made it the five.
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Bobby McKean probably.
 
John Dalrymple said:
This is old news many of our younger generation wont know that JG CLASHED WITH MANY RANGERS PLAYERS .. DAVIE COOPER BEING ONE... are we really going to dig up a old story after nearly 40 yrs
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JG has a deal in place that DC was going to Hibs and Ralph Callaghan was coming to us, it fell through because Eddie Turnbull changed his mind even though RC had traveled through for a medical.
 
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