Walter Smith has died on Sunday, aged 73. The former Rangers, Everton and Scotland manager had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease since 2014.
Walter Smith, the former Rangers, Everton and Scotland manager has died at age 73. He had been suffering from an illness for a few months.
Walter Smith, the former manager of Rangers, Everton, and Scotland, has died at the age of 73.
Smith became a legend at Ibrox, winning 21 trophies in two periods, making him the Rangers’ second most successful manager after Bill Struth.
Rangers won the last seven championships of their nine-year winning streak in the 1990s, and he returned to Ibrox in 2007.
Between those two spells, he spent four years with Everton and two with Scotland before returning to Glasgow.
In 2008, his second term in command brought three additional trophies and a trip to the Uefa Cup final.
Rangers won their first top-flight championship since Smith’s last season in command in 2011 in the same year he died.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard said on Instagram beside a photo of himself and Smith: “Thank you for all of your knowledge, encouragement, and friendship. To everyone at Rangers, you meant the world.”
“It is nearly hard to express what Walter meant to every one of us at Rangers,” chairman Douglas Park said in a statement announcing the news.
“He was the epitome of what a Ranger should be.” His integrity and leadership were unsurpassed, and everyone he worked with throughout his two tenure as first team manager will remember him fondly.
“I just chatted with Walter over the weekend. He was able to provide guidance and assistance even though he was suffering sickness. That is something for which I am thankful. He continued to communicate with top members of staff, including our manager, Steven Gerrard, as far as I know.
“All of us at Rangers will miss Walter terribly. He was much more than a football manager to Rangers fans. Walter was many people’s friend, a leader, an ambassador, and, above all, a legend.”
“He was my boss, my coach, my second father, and then turned into one of my greatest friends,” Ally McCoist, who played in Smith’s Ibrox club in the 1990s and subsequently became his assistant manager with Scotland and Rangers, told Talksport.
“The magnitude of the loss is mind-boggling. He was the perfect husband, parent, and friend—everything a guy should be. I can’t express how heartbroken I am.”
“Walter gave me the chance to fulfill my goal of signing for Everton and becoming captain,” former Everton defender Alan Stubbs said on Radio 5 live.
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Smith played more than 200 games as a defender with Dundee United, where he started his coaching career under Jim McLean when he was 29 years old and had to retire due to a pelvic injury.
Smith also played for Dumbarton and served as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant in the 1986 World Cup, but it was as a manager that he made his impact.
After joining Rangers as Graeme Souness’ number two in 1986, he became the club’s sole manager in 1991, embarking on a near-decade of dominance that included the domestic treble in 1993 and equaling Celtic’s record of nine consecutive championships in 1997. In the same year, he received an OBE for services to football.
In 2004, Smith returned to Ferguson’s side, this time as a member of Manchester United’s coaching staff.
Following the conclusion of his second time as Rangers manager, Smith served as chairman of Ibrox for three months in 2013, but left following a period of harsh infighting within the boardroom.
Smith was recuperating in hospital after a surgery, the Rangers revealed in March.
And his death comes only ten months after McLean, with whom he worked for a long time at Dundee United, died at the age of 83.
“Walter is survived by his wife, children, and grandkids, all of whom are in our thoughts and prayers at this terrible time,” Park said.
Rangers have requested that the Smith family’s privacy be respected ahead of their game against Aberdeen on Wednesday.
“Everton Football Club is profoundly sorry to hear of the loss of the club’s former manager, Walter Smith OBE,” Everton stated in a statement.
“At Everton, Smith was a very popular character, with players and staff alike gravitating to his amiable and empathic demeanor.”
Walter Smith, a former Rangers, Everton and Scotland manager died at age 73. He is remembered as one of the most successful managers in football history. Reference: walter smith man utd.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Sir Walter Smith passed away?
A: Yes, Sir Walter Smith passed away on 10/6/2018.
Did Walter Smith manage Everton?
When did Walter Smith leave Rangers?
A: Walter Smith left Rangers in October 2003 after serving as the clubs manager for five years.
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