With a note expressing "deep sadness" the
Glasgow Rangers announced the passing, at the age of 73, of their former manager Walter Smith
. Arriving at the helm of the Glasgow team in 1991, Smith had won seven championships in eight years, and subsequently coached Everton and served as assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before becoming Scotland manager in 2004.
And still speaking of Scotland and Ferguson, he had been his assistant in the national team at the 1986 World Cup. In 2007 he returned to Rangers with whom he had won three other championships and reached the final of the Uefa Cup in 2008, lost 2-0 against Zenit St. Petersburg.
In all, Smith had won 21 trophies with Rangers: 10 championships, 5 Scottish Cups and 6 League Cups.
As a footballer he had been a Dundee United defender.
"For the Rangers fans - it is written in the club note - he was and will always be much more than a manager. For many he was a friend, an ambassador of the club, but above all a legend of ours".