Loyal72
Well-Known Member
Lennon said: “My thoughts are with Walter’s wife Ethel, his boys and the rest of the family.
“Walter was a great man, first and foremost. He was a class act with how he dealt with people and the respect he showed everyone.
“No one was ever in any doubt how big a Rangers man he was. What he did for the club, his incredible success, will rightly never be forgotten.
“But I always appreciated how well he spoke of Celtic too. He had nothing but respect for the club and its history.
“Of course the rivalry was always there, as it should be. But Walter always spoke well, carried himself brilliantly. He was very dignified.”
He added: “I learned a lot from Walter. I knew I was going up against a Rangers legend when I became Celtic manager.
“I relished the challenge but I was just starting out, while Walter had already done so much and earned the status as one of Scottish football’s best ever managers.
“I respected his longevity as a top boss, his success, and more than anything else, his mental strength.
“Walter was a really intelligent football guy. He was always immaculate in his appearance.
“We had seven derbies in that 2010-11 season. It was a titanic year and we got pipped at the post in the league and also lost to Rangers in the League Cup.
“It was still a great learning experience for me and I picked up a lot that season going up against Walter.
“There were also a few moments in the heat of battle when he’d glance across the technical area and give me one of his famous glares, as if to say, ‘Are you sure?’.
"After derbies we would briefly meet up with our backroom staff. But you hardly got time to really talk.
“But I’d study Walter and how he went about the job.
“The longer I was Celtic manager the more I understood how good he was under the intense scrutiny and pressure.
“It was only after he left Rangers that I’d meet him at functions and events and get to know him better.
“Just before the lockdown, I sat with him and Graeme Souness for a couple of hours at a charity dinner. I really enjoyed that.”
Lennon was aware of the seriousness of Smith’s illness and he said: “I tried to keep up to date with how Walter was doing.
"I knew he hadn’t been well for a period of time.
“He turned up at that golf event and it made everyone’s day, we all took a lift from seeing Walter.
“Just to see him out and walking about was great. I was delighted to see him, as always.
“I’d heard a few days ago that things weren’t great. But the news today has still come as a big shock.
“I’m upset because I respected Walter a lot.
“He was a massive figure in Scottish football. But people will also speak about him in just as great terms as a person, and rightly so.
“I’ll never forget how Walter helped me during some of my toughest times.”
“Walter was a great man, first and foremost. He was a class act with how he dealt with people and the respect he showed everyone.
“No one was ever in any doubt how big a Rangers man he was. What he did for the club, his incredible success, will rightly never be forgotten.
“But I always appreciated how well he spoke of Celtic too. He had nothing but respect for the club and its history.
“Of course the rivalry was always there, as it should be. But Walter always spoke well, carried himself brilliantly. He was very dignified.”
He added: “I learned a lot from Walter. I knew I was going up against a Rangers legend when I became Celtic manager.
“I relished the challenge but I was just starting out, while Walter had already done so much and earned the status as one of Scottish football’s best ever managers.
“I respected his longevity as a top boss, his success, and more than anything else, his mental strength.
“Walter was a really intelligent football guy. He was always immaculate in his appearance.
“We had seven derbies in that 2010-11 season. It was a titanic year and we got pipped at the post in the league and also lost to Rangers in the League Cup.
“It was still a great learning experience for me and I picked up a lot that season going up against Walter.
“There were also a few moments in the heat of battle when he’d glance across the technical area and give me one of his famous glares, as if to say, ‘Are you sure?’.
"After derbies we would briefly meet up with our backroom staff. But you hardly got time to really talk.
“But I’d study Walter and how he went about the job.
“The longer I was Celtic manager the more I understood how good he was under the intense scrutiny and pressure.
“It was only after he left Rangers that I’d meet him at functions and events and get to know him better.
“Just before the lockdown, I sat with him and Graeme Souness for a couple of hours at a charity dinner. I really enjoyed that.”
Lennon was aware of the seriousness of Smith’s illness and he said: “I tried to keep up to date with how Walter was doing.
"I knew he hadn’t been well for a period of time.
“He turned up at that golf event and it made everyone’s day, we all took a lift from seeing Walter.
“Just to see him out and walking about was great. I was delighted to see him, as always.
“I’d heard a few days ago that things weren’t great. But the news today has still come as a big shock.
“I’m upset because I respected Walter a lot.
“He was a massive figure in Scottish football. But people will also speak about him in just as great terms as a person, and rightly so.
“I’ll never forget how Walter helped me during some of my toughest times.”