Hall of Fame: Willie Waddell

Craigie

Well-Known Member
WILLIE WADDELL (1938-1955)

Born: 7 March 1921, Forth, Lanarkshire
Appearances: 301
Goals: 58
Honours Won With Rangers
League Titles (4) – 1938/39, 1946/47, 1948/49, 1952/53
Scottish Cups (2) – 1948/49, 1952/53
Caps: 18 (Scotland)


 
In my opinion, the greatest ever Ranger. Made his debut at 15, part of a legendary team. Won all the major honours with us, including International caps. Was the manager who guided the club through its darkest days in 1971. Manager when we won our first European trophy. Our first ever general manager and eventually a director of the club. Played a big part in the redevelopment of the stadium.
 
Waddell certainly has a claim to be The Greatest Ever Ranger.
A great playing career, managing us to European glory and basically leading the club through our darkest days in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Then, of course, he was the man driving the redevelopment of the stadium into what it became.

However, there was a darker side to the man too.
His bullying of employees like Club Secretary Frank King, his distasteful treatment of Davie White when he was manager, but mostly his role in Jock Wallace quitting as manager in 1978.

Almost, but not quite, the greatest for me.
 
I watch BBC Alba last night about the "the Famous Five"it was interesting but the commentator tried to make out Hibs had a great team and won the League on three occasions 1948, 1950 & 1951, the only team to win the League twice in a row apart from Rangers and the Bheggers

But they never won the prized Scottish Cup

There was hardly any mention of Rangers who had a great defence called the "Iron Curtain" and certainly won more honours at that time than any other team.
 
I watch BBC Alba last night about the "the Famous Five"it was interesting but the commentator tried to make out Hibs had a great team and won the League on three occasions 1948, 1950 & 1951, the only team to win the League twice in a row apart from Rangers and the Bheggers

But they never won the prized Scottish Cup

Speaking of the 'Famous Five'. My granda said I'd never see as majestic and elegant player as Gordon Smith of that fame.

But, he said he never quite produced the goods when in a Scotland jersey. But Waddell always did.

I've seen the headlines because my granda used to keep papers after certain games.

In 1950, Scotland beat Northern Ireland 8-2 at Windsor Park and the next day the headline read;

'Irish eyes are crying. Waddell punched em.'
 
I watch BBC Alba last night about the "the Famous Five"it was interesting but the commentator tried to make out Hibs had a great team and won the League on three occasions 1948, 1950 & 1951, the only team to win the League twice in a row apart from Rangers and the Bheggers

But they never won the prized Scottish Cup

There was hardly any mention of Rangers who had a great defence called the "Iron Curtain" and certainly won more honours at that time than any other team.

I remember my father telling me that loads of people wanted the Scotland team to be the Iron Curtain and the famous five but the selectors wouldn't do it because fans of other teams wouldn't be happy.
 
I remember my father telling me that loads of people wanted the Scotland team to be the Iron Curtain and the famous five but the selectors wouldn't do it because fans of other teams wouldn't be happy.

Lawrie Reilly of the Hibs 'famous five' stated it.

'Pick the Iron Curtain defence and our forward line for Scotland, and we'll beat the world.'

The thing is, Scotland had actually qualified for the 1950 World Cup finals, but the fannies running the game wouldn't go to those finals in Brazil because they were second in the Home Championships. Fannies then, corrupt scum now.

Willie Bauld, of Hearts apparently hitting the underside of the bar in that game. A goal that would have put Scotland top of that particular group.
 
It would need to be 3/5 of the Famous Five.
Waddell on the right and Thornton at centre get dropped for nobody :))

Absolutely my thinking on the matter, squire.

I can only see room for possibly 1 of the 5.

Billy Steel (Derby County), and Billy Liddell (Liverpool) were shoe ins for the the Inside/Outside Left positions.

Maybe shoehorn Lawrie Reilly in at Inside Right,
or go with Willie Bauld (Hearts), to keep a Five man forward line of Williams ;)
 
Mr Waddell is somebody I've been aware of since I first was introduced to Rangers, roughly 60 years ago aged 2, due to a tenuous family connection:
My late Granny (My Kilmarnock Nana) flitted to England well before us. She went to Coventry, then Bedworth. Her best pal was near neighbour Jean Waddell, wife of Willie's brother Hugh. They were pals right up to their deaths. Because of this, Willie Waddell became even more of a hero to me. Mrs Waddell was a lovely old girl as well.
Years later, I was on a training course in Atherstone (2015ish), the trainer introduced himself as Chris Waddell, with a definite Bedworth accent. I asked him if his granny was Jean Waddell, he confirmed that, and I said she was my Granny's best pal. He asked who my Granny was, and when told, he said "My Auntie Bella!"
Small world syndrome, I'd never met him before. He knew his great uncle Willie had played for Rangers, but knew nothing of the huge part he had played in Rangers history. I was happy to educate him.
 
John Greig a legend, it’s Willie Waddell that should have the statue at the front of the Stadium. He was also a legend as a player, however after bringing us through turbulent times, it is full Credit to him that we have modern day Ibrox Stadium!
 
Waddell certainly has a claim to be The Greatest Ever Ranger.
A great playing career, managing us to European glory and basically leading the club through our darkest days in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Then, of course, he was the man driving the redevelopment of the stadium into what it became.

However, there was a darker side to the man too.
His bullying of employees like Club Secretary Frank King, his distasteful treatment of Davie White when he was manager, but mostly his role in Jock Wallace quitting as manager in 1978.

Almost, but not quite, the greatest for me.
He won this club's only European trophy, and he was mainly responsible for the stadium; that makes him the best ever. Mr Struth gave the club the vision, but Waddell articulated that vision to a tee in testing times; which was an amazing feat. Very hard to pick who is the greatest, in a solitary sense, but no one left a mark more than Waddell.
 
new both Willie and Big Jock personally sadly attended both funerals. Waddell would have never allowed us to be bullied off the pitch and journalists were scared of him. No doubt he was responsible for big Jock leaving buy even after his death never fully went into what the issue was but both loved the Rangers .
 
Gordon Smith, the owner of a record which will surely never be beaten. League winner with 3 clubs none of them the big 2. Hibs, Hearts, and Dundee. My old man used to say Laudrup reminded him of Smith. He must have been some player in that case.
 
Gordon Smith, the owner of a record which will surely never be beaten. League winner with 3 clubs none of them the big 2. Hibs, Hearts, and Dundee. My old man used to say Laudrup reminded him of Smith. He must have been some player in that case.

There were 4 Scottish players from before my time that my old dad raved about and said he wished had played for Rangers.
Billy Steele, Gordon Smith, John White and Dave McKay.
 
His contribution to Rangers is unmatched. The greatest ever Ranger by a margin. Should at a minimum have a stand named after him, if not the stadium. It was his vision and tireless hard work that gave us the best stadium in Britain at the time, which has stood the test of time to this day. That is on top of his magnificent playing career and managing us to our greatest European triumph.
 
One of our greatest ever players, managed us to our only European trophy, had the foresight to appoint Jock Wallace, carried the club through the Ibrox disaster, prime mover for complete rebuild of Ibrox into one of the best stadiums in Britain. Willie Waddell is most definitely the best ever Ranger
 
Waddell certainly has a claim to be The Greatest Ever Ranger.
A great playing career, managing us to European glory and basically leading the club through our darkest days in the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Then, of course, he was the man driving the redevelopment of the stadium into what it became.

However, there was a darker side to the man too.
His bullying of employees like Club Secretary Frank King, his distasteful treatment of Davie White when he was manager, but mostly his role in Jock Wallace quitting as manager in 1978.

Almost, but not quite, the greatest for me.
Daft thing to say considering he managed the team to a European trophy but the 71/72 season domestically was terrible looking at the results.i think he was more suited to the general manager role.he only won one domestic trophy and his record against Celtic was abysmal.a rangers legend without doubt
 
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