Cup shoot-out hero from glory night in Florence

night and big achievement that I have more fond memories of it than the Final itself in Manchester.

“I haven’t contacted Nacho yet as he’ll be bombarded but I’ll be in touch when he gets out of hospital and hopefully get to see him.

“He always looked after himself. He was a fit guy but he’s been out of the game a while so I don’t know how his fitness and health was.

“I’m actually a year older than Nacho which is why it came as such a shock. It’s worrying and shows you don’t know what’s round the corner. You don’t know if it’s maybe hereditary. When your body stops getting used to that daily fitness regime after you stop playing things can catch up with you.

“I saw the news on social media and it was a shock. I’m just glad he seems to be on the mend because it could have been a lot worse.

“I would imagine it will have given him a massive fright and he’ll have to look after himself and watch what he’s doing.

“You always think of family at times like this and his son Javier. I hope he fully recovers and is back playing in these Rangers legends games again because that’s what he is – a Rangers legend.

‘The fans love him and he’s a great character.”

Novo became a cult hero at Rangers after moving to Ibrox from Dundee and as well as his heroics in Florence he also scored the winner against Hibs on Helicopter Sunday as Alex McLeish’s team snatched the title on a dramatic final day in 2005.

Former Scotland keeper Alexander joined him at the Light Blues three years later from Ipswich as a key member of Walter Smith’s squad. He and his wife Joanne became close friends with the striker and his partner at the time, Donna, who told of Novo’s frantic call to son Javier as he was rushed to hospital.

Alexander added: “I spent a lot of time with Nacho away from football. There was a group of us – myself, Kyle Lafferty, Steven Davis, Allan McGregor and Nacho – who were all quite close and socialised together.

“I used to go to Nacho’s house a lot and he would come to mine so it goes without saying that I was shocked when I heard the news of his heart attack.

“He was such a nice guy who is very easy to get on with. We played a lot of golf together and sometimes went go-karting.

“He’s very friendly and makes you feel welcome.

“His partner Donna came to our games and that’s where my wife got to know her well.”