We partied for Celtic clash – Ally
BY MARK McDOUGALL ALLY McCOIST has admitted Rangers players prepared for a huge game against Celtic with a night out on the tiles in 1990s.
The current Ibrox side might be unable to lay a glove on their old rivals but it was a different situation back then as they painted the town blue after one famous victory.
McCoist and his teammates were competing with European football’s biggest and best at the time as well as swatting the Hoops aside en route to winning nine in a row.
And one particular tale following the famous Champions League win at Leeds shows how confident Walter Smith’s men were.
It was just a matter of days before a game against Celtic, which Rangers won 1-0, but McCoist revealed preparations weren’t the most professional.
Speaking to Si Ferry on Open Goal he said: “Leeds were a proper team, English champions. The first person in the dressing room after the game celebrating was Sir Alex Ferguson.
“I think he was happy for two reasons. As Manchester United manager I don’t think he was too unhappy seeing Leeds lose. And I think he had a lot of pride for seeing a Scottish team do well.
“I remember Walter saying after the game – we were staying in Manchester – and he says, ‘I don’t care where you’re going or what you’re doing, just remember that the bus leaves at 9.30 tomorrow morning’.
“A minute after 9.30am Stuart McCall gets on the bus looking like someone who’s enjoyed his victory.
“Walter said, ‘You, up the back of the bus, there’s a game on at the weekend’ and Stuart says, ‘Aye, but gaffer, it’s only Celtic’.”