LEEDS I could’ve been playing for Gers as Souey tried to sign me – Dorigo
TONY DORIGO would have lined up for Rangers in their Battle of Britain showdown with Leeds United if Graeme Souness had got his wish.
The Ibrox boss had tried to sign the England full-back, who was then at Chelsea, in a swap deal for midfielder Derek Ferguson. The defender knew all about Rangers from his Italia 90 World Cup team-mates Chris Woods, Terry Butcher, Gary Stevens and Trevor Steven, who had all moved north of the border. Dorigo was keen on the move but the clubs couldn’t agree a deal and he moved to Elland Road instead in a £1.3million deal in 1991 and helped Leeds win England’s top flight in his first season. But in the following campaign he was on the losing side as Howard Wilkinson’s team lost on an unforgettable Champions League night at Ibrox. Dorigo, who eventually did link up with Souness at Torino, said: “I knew all about Rangers as I nearly signed for them in a swap deal with Derek Ferguson – but the valuations of the clubs never quite met. “I would have been open to the move as I was keen to join my England team-mates who had told me all about it. “I eventually left Stamford Bridge for Leeds after letting my contract run out but Rangers had tried to buy me before that. “They are a fantastic and huge club and it’s crazy how I ended up playing against them. “And while it didn’t work out for me on that night at Ibrox it really was a great occasion.” Leeds had initially been eliminated from the Champions League in the first round after going out on away goals to Stuttgart. But the Germans had broken UEFA’s then three-foreigner rule by fielding a fourth. A one-off game in the Nou Camp was set up for the right to play Rangers – with the Elland Road side winning that match 2-1. Dorigo recalled the incredible atmosphere at Ibrox when they met Rangers – momentarily silenced by Gary McAllister’s first-minute goal for Leeds. The 54-year-old said: “Away fans were banned but a handful of our guys might have managed to sneak in.
“However, the thing that got me was the noise as the game was about to kick off. Chris Fairclough was beside me and I was trying to shout to him but he couldn’t hear me.
“The Rangers fans started singing Follow, Follow and I started to join in! I was thinking, ‘Wow, this is incredible’ and I couldn’t concentrate on the game as I was listening to them.
“It was amazing, it really gets into you. People talk about intimidating atmospheres but I’d much rather play in a brilliant arena like that.
“It was superb but the weirdest thing was to go from that sound to the silence when Gary Mac scored that brilliant goal.
“We were favourites and felt confident but we knew all about the ScotlandEngland rivalry and knew that would spur Rangers on so it was up to us to match that. “Looking back at the game I don’t really remember it being hugely problematic. We got the goal and I thought we were doing OK. Then John Lukic punched one into our net and we didn’t handle that well. It’s as simple as that. It was downhill from there.
“Even after the 2-1 defeat we felt with the backing of the home fans that we could turn it round at Elland Road. But Mark Hateley scored a brilliant goal early on and we were up against it, eventually losing 2-1 after Ally McCoist made it 2-0 before Eric Cantona pulled one back.
“It was horrible to watch the rest of the Champions League that season as you can’t help think about what might have been but Rangers were so unlucky.”
Dorigo admits it’s sad to see the pain the clubs have suffered since as they both try to get back to the top. He said: “It’s crazy to think it’s 25 years since that game.
“I work with Mark Hateley a bit on TV and he isn’t slow to remind me of the game. I work for BT Sport but also beIN Sports out in the Middle East. Richard Keys and Andy Gray are involved and Andy is always quick to remind me of that Rangers win – I try to ignore him.
“It’s a pity to see what both clubs have gone through since then. Rangers are back to a point, although not where they would like to be, but Leeds have a long way to go.
“The support of both clubs is superb so hopefully they will both be back at the top before long.”
The Rangers fans started singing ‘Follow Follow’ and I joined in TONY DORIGO