Souness knocked out Durrant day before a game at training.

I'll take the hit so they don't get the hits:

Ally McCoist has lifted the lid on Rangers' ferocious training-ground battles during the Graeme Souness era - and revealed how the former player-boss "knocked out" Ian Durrant in one X-rated incident just a day before a match.

The hard-as-nails boss was renowned for his no-nonsense approach to training after he swept into the hotseat in the late 1980s. Souness famously brought top talent from south of the border to Ibrox with Terry Butcher, Chris Woods, Gary Stevens and Trevor Steven among a raft of English internationals signed to help drive the journey to 9 in a row.

McCoist told the Alan Brazil Show on talkSPORT how sessions back then would often feature small games where the squad would separate into England vs Scotland. And even on a Friday - just 24 hours before matchday - things would often turn brutal.

McCoist said: "Souness would often play in the English team with Butcher, Woods and the rest and we'd have guys like myself and Durranty. "We were beating them about 3-0 and were giving it all 'ole, ole' and flicking it through their legs. I'm watching Souness and I can see him getting angrier, and angrier and angrier. "I don't need to tell you, the ball comes to Durranty and Graeme comes in and absolutely smashes him in a tackle. "Wee Durranty, to be fair before his injury was like a weeble that doesn't fall down, and jumps back up, put his foot on the ball and looked at Souness and said 'is that your best?'

"Graeme just looked at him and said 'no as a matter of fact this is Ian' and BANG smashed him. Knocked him out. It's mayhem. Big Butch has got me in a headlock, I'm trying to get a punch at Souness and Walter Smith is running about whith a whistle going 'beep, beep, beep'. Brilliant days. And that was the Friday before a game!"
 
Ally was talking about this on talk sport this morning.

It’s Brazil’s 60th tomorrow and a gang of them are on the lash, the stories, jokes and Brazil’s gaffs since he’s been with TS was a great laugh to be honest.

They even had the Bob Monkhouse clip and loads of other good stuff.
 
Incidentally I’m reading Kevin Keegan’s book and he says when he first joined Newcastle as manager, a few weeks into the job he dropped a 19 year old from the match day squad (can’t mind his name). A couple of days later in training, said 19 year old clattered into Keegan from the back during a game, with Pavel Srnicek rushing in and putting the player on the deck for doing that to the manager.

Keegan brushed it off and brought the 19 year old back into the squad immediately.

Different management styles there! Keegan was in his first managerial role and had had his authority undermined in week 5 by a 19 year old who went physical. Can’t imagine Souness would have stood for that.
 
I love every player and person mentioned in that story , but I’m afraid I don’t believe it happened . I don’t doubt a version of it happened but Ally likes a bit of hyperbole :D

Durrant told the same story on his DVD but there was no mention of Ian being punched.

I'm calling shite on this one.
 
Durrant told the same story on his DVD but there was no mention of Ian being punched.

I'm calling shite on this one.

Stories been told throughout the years by various people, including McCoist.

First time I've saw him claim Souness knocked Durrant out. Previously it was Souness went for him, caught him with a glancing punch and had to be held back as he went for a second.

The idea McCoist would've gotten away with trying to punch Souness is utterly ludicrous :))
 
That's probably all true although I think Ally maybe made the bit about Butcher having to hold him back from punching the magnificent bastard. :))
 
There was one Sir Walter talked about where Durrant would turn off the lights in the physio room I think it was and start ‘playfully’ attacking whoever was in there. The gaffer was giving a tour one day to uefa representatives and he said they were in the physio room as part of the tour when the lights suddenly went out. God knows how that unfolded!
 
A good story big Broony tells is when he played for Dundee at Ibrox. Souness punched him so hard in the kidneys he couldnae breath for about 5 minutes. Souness signed him a few weeks later. Imagine that nowadays!
 
Incidentally I’m reading Kevin Keegan’s book and he says when he first joined Newcastle as manager, a few weeks into the job he dropped a 19 year old from the match day squad (can’t mind his name). A couple of days later in training, said 19 year old clattered into Keegan from the back during a game, with Pavel Srnicek rushing in and putting the player on the deck for doing that to the manager.

Keegan brushed it off and brought the 19 year old back into the squad immediately.

Different management styles there! Keegan was in his first managerial role and had had his authority undermined in week 5 by a 19 year old who went physical. Can’t imagine Souness would have stood for that.

Maybe the lad got dropped for not being aggressive enough?
 
Full contact training is not unusual. Think the idea is practice matches don't prepare you for the real thing if there's no contact. I remember Ricksen and McCann having a square go because of a sore tackle. McKinley burst Larsonns nose. It's normal.
 
I love every player and person mentioned in that story , but I’m afraid I don’t believe it happened . I don’t doubt a version of it happened but Ally likes a bit of hyperbole :D
100% true - Fergie has told this story a few times recently as well

I think the jist of it ended up that Souness was actually proud that his team backed each other up and were up for a fight.
 
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What made it worse is when Super Cooper would commentate whilst ripping the pish.

Never went down well with Souness and Co , Davy ridiculing them as he passed by with consulate ease.
 
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