Take a Butcher’s at Ramsay’s new pal
Ibrox hero reveals how posh lunch turned into Old Firm victory party
IT tells its own story about the progress at Rangers that a random encounter between Terry Butcher and Gordon Ramsay didn’t include The F Word.
The former Rangers skipper met up with celebrity chef and one-time Ibrox hopeful Ramsay two weeks ago and there was no cause to turn the air blue.
There was no Kitchen Nightmare as the two tucked into lunch at the same restaurant in Cornwall just days after Rangers finally broke their Old Firm curse with Ryan Jack’s goal sealing a 1-0 win at Ibrox on December 29.
The two kindred spirits celebrated a result Butcher believes was long overdue and a watershed moment.
He said: “The progress Steven Gerrard’s made in a very short space of time is quite remarkable and to beat Celtic was just incredible.
“I’m not name dropping but on January 2 I was in a restaurant in Weybridge in Cornwall having my usual bucket of beer when who walked in but Gordon Ramsay and his wife who went to sit down in the far corner.
“It had just been revealed she was pregnant so I thought I’d send across a drink with the message, ‘From one Rangers
legend to another’.
“I wouldn’t normally say that but I thought I’d better go big!
“Then he came over and it was great because the people I was with were going, ‘Wow! This is unbelievable’. “The first thing he wanted to talk about was Rangers’ victory over Celtic four days earlier. He was ecstatic about that and so was I. “But that summed up how much progress has been made on and off the pitch. “To have Gordon talking about it I’d imagine Steven would be pleased about that. He owes me a drink now. “It was 13 games without beating them but it felt like 13 years.” Butcher’s muchdecorated four-year spell as part of a Light Blues revolution under Graeme Souness earned him legend status at the club. But the former stopper, now 60, is adamant expectation levels
It had just been revealed his wife was pregnant so I thought I’d send across a drink with the message, ‘From one Rangers legend to another’ TERRY BUTCHER
over the Gerrard era must be constrained.
The former England captain cushioned the notion a corner has been turned by insisting proof will only come once they get their hands on a trophy.
He said: “I have a lot of Scottish friends down there, Rangers fans, and they are delirious. They’re saying, ‘We’re going to win the league!’ I say, ‘Woah, hold on a minute, let’s not get too carried away’.”
“Celtic have great experience of going through the whole season and ending up with the title. Beating Celtic was a big achievement for Rangers fans all over the world, especially given the manner of the win.
“Winning a trophy would give them lots of confidence but I must temper this by saying they may have poked the bear.
“Celtic will have woken up after that defeat thinking, ‘Let’s get our act together’, which they can do quite well.
“You can easily get carried away. When I played for Rangers a generation ago we’d beat Celtic then lose the next game no matter the opposition because we’d be cocky and over-confident.
“You’d think you could just turn up because we’d won against our main rivals. That’s why I believe the winter break could work in Rangers’ favour.
“Gerrard’s players would have been dying to play again after that win but a few of them were running on empty by that stage and the rest will do them good.”
The January arrivals of Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis had Butcher taking a trip down memory lane to his time at the club that coincided with the signing of a host of big names from south of the border.
Both players may be included against Cowdenbeath in Friday’s Scottish Cup clash in Fife and the one-time Ipswich defender believes the duo will prove a tonic both on and off the park.
He said: “It takes me back to 1986 and 1987 when Souness was bringing in big players from England – international players.
“That gives everyone at the club a huge lift. I don’t know how much Rangers are paying towards their wages – not 100 per cent– but it’s great.
“This can work really well for Rangers and both players and the fans will love having them there. They’re top-class players. I was at the end of my career when I came up – I didn’t know it at the time but Mr Souness made sure of that. They can offer so much and not just on the field. Midfield players can go to Davis and ask him this and that about how they can improve and Alfredo Morelos must be thinking, as well competition, here’s someone I can learn from.”
Meanwhile, Butcher reckons Celtic haven’t had a decent centre-half since Virgil van Dijk left for Southampton.
The Dutchman left two-and-a half years ago for £13million – before joining Liverpool for £75m – and left a void which hasn’t been filled at the back.
He said: “Celtic haven’t really had a strong centre-half who is fierce, competitive and leads the back four since van Dijk left.
“They have to sort that out but how long have we been talking about Celtic’s centre-halves?
“Their own mistakes led to Rangers’ domination more than anything. It’s something Brendan will want to get a grip of.”