Description

Walter Smith signed Rangers Football Club shirt 92-94 away

Authentic Walter Smith signed Rangers Football Club shirt 92-94 away. Signed in black marker obtained at private signing.

Walter Ferguson Smith OBE (born 24 February 1948) is a Scottish former football player, manager and director. Mainly associated with his two spells as manager of Scottish club Rangers.

A defender, Smith’s playing career consisted of two spells with Dundee United, split by a short time at Dumbarton. A pelvic injury meant he moved into coaching at Dundee United, working for manager Jim McLean; while he also took charge of the Scotland under-18 and under-21 teams. Smith, assistant to Scotland manager Alex Ferguson at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico; after it had been announced that he would be moving to Rangers as assistant to Graeme Souness.

Smith became the manager of Rangers in 1991, succeeding Souness. He won 13 major trophies in seven years, including seven league titles in succession. After leaving Rangers at the end of the 1997–98 season; appointed manager of English Premier League club Everton. In charge at Goodison Park for four seasons before sacked in 2002.

Also, after a brief stint as assistant manager to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Smith appointed Scotland manager in December 2004. He presided over a revival in their fortunes, taking the national team 70 places up the FIFA World Rankings. After a good start to UEFA Euro 2008 qualification, he resigned as Scotland manager in January 2007 to return to Rangers. He won eight trophies during his second spell as Rangers manager; and guided the team to the 2008 UEFA Cup Final, before retiring from management in 2011. Smith is the second-most successful manager in the history of Rangers, behind Bill Struth.

After Rangers

Rangers entered administration in February 2012. An attempt to take the club out of administration by means of a creditors voluntary arrangement rejected by HM Revenue & Customs, the largest creditor, putting the club into liquidation in June 2012. The administrator, Duff & Phelps, sold the assets of Rangers to a consortium led by Charles Green. Smith said that he was leading a consortium offering a deal to buy the assets from Green, but this offer was withdrawn days later. Besides, On 11 November 2012, Smith returned to Ibrox taking on a role with the new Rangers company as a non-executive director. Smith was appointed non-executive chairman in May 2013, but he resigned from the board in August.

Additionally, Smith, linked with a return to management as Scotland manager in February 2018; but withdrew his name from consideration after discussions with the Scottish FA