Walter Smith RIP
- Thread starter JamSam67
- Start date
Smelltheg-love
Well-known member
It’s fair to say that growing up during their effort at the ten, he wasn’t my favourite person. But there was no hate from me due to the manner he had. In those days I listened to the football the minute it came on until the end so I must have heard him interviews after hundreds of games. We were in a bad way and while everybody else in the media was gloating, never once did I hear him disrespect our club.
I respect him greatly for what he did for Tommy Burns as manager of the scotland team. He hired his old foe at a time when TB’s career was in the wane.
I was at a Celtic dinner years ago and he was at the top table and he spoke quite humorously and emotionally about TB.
He got a standing ovation from every Celtic fan in the room which is no mean feat considering who we was and the success he had at our expense.
He was the only Rangers man at that I know of who openly discussed their deep rooted issues. I think he called out the ‘undercurrent’ in the stands at ibrox and stated the ‘air of superiority surrounding the club was so strong you could almost feel it’
I take my hat off to the man for calling out his own when it would have been easier to ignore.
The epitome of what a football man or fan should be. Passionate about your club but a decent human being whether you win lose or draw.
Its been great to read through this thread and the positive comments and only cements what I’ve always thought about this site and our people. It’s much more than a game for us all but there is a time and place where the line is drawn and we can put football aside.
Well done bhoy and ghirls
I respect him greatly for what he did for Tommy Burns as manager of the scotland team. He hired his old foe at a time when TB’s career was in the wane.
I was at a Celtic dinner years ago and he was at the top table and he spoke quite humorously and emotionally about TB.
He got a standing ovation from every Celtic fan in the room which is no mean feat considering who we was and the success he had at our expense.
He was the only Rangers man at that I know of who openly discussed their deep rooted issues. I think he called out the ‘undercurrent’ in the stands at ibrox and stated the ‘air of superiority surrounding the club was so strong you could almost feel it’
I take my hat off to the man for calling out his own when it would have been easier to ignore.
The epitome of what a football man or fan should be. Passionate about your club but a decent human being whether you win lose or draw.
Its been great to read through this thread and the positive comments and only cements what I’ve always thought about this site and our people. It’s much more than a game for us all but there is a time and place where the line is drawn and we can put football aside.
Well done bhoy and ghirls
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Thats coz Gerrard s a complete bell end....the pricks prick...R.I.P walter
T
Tony
Guest
Find your post a bit distasteful to be honest.Dont think the thread was made for you to throw mud at a guy whos just passed.Im sure you've said plenty of things in your younger day you now regret or were you too "great" for that.
Brimcbhoy
Well-known member
I'm sure we've all done and said things we now regret when we were younger. I do, was one of mine.
the great jc
Well-known member
Thats much appreciated Jam, and am much stronger now as a person and mind.We all have things in our past JC not everyone has a clean life and was pure
But look how you turned out that’s a credit to you.
From what you have said you were treated appallingly.
But you also showed true Class by keeping your counsel
That’s the mark of a Gent The Great JC
HH
He was much younger and far louder and cockier then....completely unlike the guy we knew at Rangers and Scotland.
I did like the rapport he had with Tommy Burns and moreso at his death, but just like the guys I worked with he didn't endear himself with us back then and absolutely everybody hated him, even the United and Dundee fans.
It was like he felt he always had to try to be the man all the time, and came across a a horrible bully.
What did it for me was during a gym session playing header tennis and our team of four won the tournament, it was just days before Christmas 1976...and in front of 40 odd girls and 70 ish guys....all of us walking back to our classes he said loud and clear "Anybody know what's worse than a Irish Fenian"....nobody said anything and we all kept walking .....so.... Smithy said and while quietly pointing a rolled up magazine in his hand back and forth in my direction ...."No?"
"Well, its a Italian Fenian bastard"
No-one laughed or made any sign of acknowledgement, but I said "its not pronounced 'a' Italian Fenian bastard, Its pronounced 'an' Italian or 'an' Irish Fenian bastard".....Then almost out of embarrassment he quickly said towards me "shut it clever cunt" but I'd guessed he was going to say something back so we both ended speaking at the same time and he flung his magazine in my direction ...missed me so I stood on it and went upstairs back to my classes taking the longer route.
That was one of a few times I was singled out by him and still not nineteen years old.
On a funnier note.. and 20 odd years later but once again in 1998 and a week before Christmas I was traipsing around Arnotts store in Dundee with my missus.
While we walked around we went towards an Elizabeth Arden wooden Island with lots of crap or going cheap perfumes and things they didn't sell much off....my missus and a woman were negotiating leaning over and picking things up.. sort off getting in each others road when they both apologised and went around one other to get to a perfume bottle or lipstick when we all looked up at one another ...and there was Wattie.....who was as bored as I was and HE was with the woman.....we both smiled and he said quite loudly in front of a few other stunned shoppers "I remember you y' bastard" in a very Glasgowy twang......I turned to his wife and said "is this the after- thought Christmas presents Wattie has asked you to help him buy the first team"
"surely things aren't that bad down Watties way is it?
She laughed and looking at him, and by now knowing that we must know one another and politely said" I like to go looking at the bargains near to the big day, you never know what you might find"
I said "I prefer the car boot sales I've more use for them" then we went on our way, when a few seconds and 30 yards later we both turned to look back each other...... neither of us smiling.
By that time I was several inches taller than him, far broader and heavier and un fussed by the guy that ..well I remember so well 20 odd years earlier.
T
Tony
Guest
Plenty of horrible stuff came out my gub at games over the years but you get older and wiser... I take the wee fella now so need to act more responsibleI'm sure we've all done and said things we now regret when we were younger. I do, was one of mine.
the great jc
Well-known member
I get that Tony and don't mean to be distasteful at all, I even appreciate how he and Tommy Burns became good friends. It mellowed things at that time.
Its the other things that hurt me that's difficult to forget, ...but everyone tries to show off from time to time and I'm sure he did that and that's what it was.
I was brought up respecting those who pass on to a higher judgment and as my father did before me, stop and doff his cap to passing funerals and hearses.....and I carry the same mantra as him....
I hope Wattie is at one with his maker now, and wish him Rest In Peace....
bhoy4life
Well-known member
Agree Tony, we’ve all had experiences in life that can test the resolve of us all, a best mate of mine basically robbed me of 400k, like JC, that has left a mark on me, and if I saw a thread like this showing him respect, I would have difficulty accepting it, so I just wouldn’t comment at all, that’s often the best route if you’ve nothing good to say.
Glasbhoy81
Well-known member
It's sad news for his family and friends. I however am neither. Its doing my nut in having to listen on sky sports, the news etc about how successful he was as a manager.
Most of his titles should have been stripped as he and his club were cheating bastards
Most of his titles should have been stripped as he and his club were cheating bastards
Brimcbhoy
Well-known member
I think that was on Murray not Walter Smith.
Exactly mate...the cheatin comes Fae board level..as much as Gerrard s a tit...it's the men above who are doin the cheatin
bhoy4life
Well-known member
If you know about it, should you condone it? If yes, doesn’t that make you part of it?
Lubos left peg
Well-known member
Can see this thread going to crap. Which is a shame as it will give lurkers the "old firm fans are all the same as each other" ammo that they love....probably best to leave the thread alone now. The people who have wanted to, have paid their respect. Last thing we need, after the scum fans tear up glasgow, after Smiths funeral is the media and scum fans re-posting shitty comments made by Celtic fans to excuse their way of mourning/celebrating/basically being a scumbag.
boab1916
Well-known member
"Around 2007-8 under Walter Smith and with David Murray’s largesse, Rangers Football Club was buying big and financing massive players’ wage bill through the EBT schemes. Thanks to BBC Panorama we now know players like Mendez and Davis were being paid in this way."
Walter Smith – questions for the Rangers’ legend
"So today, I shall be asking some questions of the latest legend/saviour/hero/Christ/delete as applicable. A man called Walter Smith who, they tell me is a legend. When legends wander in and out of Ibrox everyone should be asking questions."
www.channel4.com
boab1916
Well-known member
The truth still remains the truth regardless of the situation, the tag of mastermind and tactician has a hollow ring to it when you look under the rock and how the success was won.
