ITWOULDBE TAKINGMICKY
Nissy still gutted over Sparta OG as he urges current Gers heroes to take out Slavia and charge into last 8
MICKY MELLON insists he won’t make any pre-contract moves while his current Dundee United stars are being asked to take wage cuts.
The Tannadice boss feels it would be morally wrong to line up future signings while the existing squad are making sacrifices to help out the club.
But that hasn’t stopped him looking.
Mellon said: “It would be difficult for us to look at pre-contracts morally.
“I don’t know if we had the ability to do it because I never asked. I just don’t think it would have been right!
“I couldn’t have looked my players in the eyes if they were making sacrifices and I was signing possible replacements.”
Mellon admits that won’t stop him trying to improve his squad in the summer.
He added: “We will look at what areas we need to improve in and who we want to target.
“We need to keep it going and keep it vibrant. We are always trying to improve.
“We have a good recruitment set-up, which covers pretty much everywhere – some of the stats we have for players across the world is incredible.
“There are players I am aware of. I’ve watched them and other people have watched them so if some of these players were to become available then we would be ready to move on them when the time is right.
“The players know they need to keep getting better or they will be improved upon.”
IT was 28 years ago today Scott Nisbet scored the goal every Rangers fan remembers him for – his winner against Club Brugge in the Champions League.
And that helped the Light Blues stopper make up for the nightmare of a goal he has tried to forget which knocked Gers out in the European Cup first round the previous season.
If Nisbet’s memorable strike against the Belgians in 1993 had a huge slice of good fortune then he probably deserved it after his rotten luck against Sparta Prague at Ibrox.
Trailing 1-0 to a Jiri Nemec goal in the Czech capital in the first leg, Stuart McCall levelled the tie in the return to take it into extra time.
Rangers were heading through when McCall scored his second of the night before Nisbet’s attempt to cut out a cross saw him put the ball through Andy Goram’s despairing hands.
It was a bizarre and heartbreaking way to exit the competition as Sparta Prague progressed on away goals, with Gers having fallen at the second hurdle of Europe’s premier competition the previous season when they lost to eventual champions Red Star Belgrade.
A team from Prague now return to Govan for the first time since that 1991 defeat but this time it’s Slavia with the second leg of the Europa League last-16 clash finely balanced after a 1-1 draw.
Gers have lost to Czech opponents in three competitive meetings – Dukla Prague in the 1981 UEFA Cup, Sparta 10 years later and Viktoria Zizkov in 2002 – but Nisbet hopes they can put that poor record behind them on Thursday.
And the 53-year-old told Record Sport: “Everyone talks to me about the Club Brugge goal but the Sparta Prague one from a season earlier is one I’ve tried to wipe from my memory!
“It was a bad game for us, especially as we got ourselves into a position where we were going to go through in the tie and then to lose a goal in that manner was heartbreaking for everyone.
“I was absolutely gutted but thankfully there were more high points to follow in Europe, particularly the following season with that Champions League run when we were so close to reaching the final.”
Slavia Prague reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League two years ago, losing 5-3 on aggregate to Chelsea, and they defeated Leicester
City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium to set up the Gers showdown.
Steven Gerrard’s men were forced to recover from conceding to Nicolae Stanciu’s early stunner in the first leg with defender Filip Helander netting a vital away goal from close range.
Gers were slow to start but had clinched a historic league title just a few days earlier and Nisbet said: “I just hope it’s not a similar story against this Prague side as it was against Sparta in 1991.
“But I must say the boys played really well in the first leg last Thursday night. It took them about 20 minutes to settle down after losing an early goal but got themselves back into the tie and have a great chance of going through to the quarter-finals.
“I was impressed by Slavia. They’re not a bad side and they beat Leicester City away from home so it will be a really tough game at Ibrox.
“You can see the spirit in the team. It’s a bit like we had back in Walter Smith’s days. The young boy Nathan Patterson has come in and done a terrific job.
“Steven Gerrard has built a great squad. That was the case under Walter in my day – any player who came in really stood their ground.”
Nisbet, who now lives in Lanzarote, spoke in the summer of his battle with cancer and admitted watching the celebrations after his old club’s historic league win helped lift him.
He said: “We’re in lockdown over here in Lanzarote but I’ve been watching all the games and it’s keeping my spirits up.
“I’m due to go back into hospital next month to see the specialist and I’ll find out where I am with the cancer but fingers crossed everything is okay.
“It certainly felt good watching Rangers winning the league last week.
“I never moved from the couch and watched the full St Mirren game on Rangers TV and all the scenes outside Ibrox and George Square.
“There’s quite a few Rangers boys over here as well so it was good getting together and having a beer with the boys and watching the game.”
Nisbet – who spent almost two decades at Ibrox – told how the Rangers family threw their arms around him after
Everyone me about talks to Brugge the tried goal Club to but I’ve Sparta forget the Prague SCOTT NISBET one HEARTBREAK HIS ON WITH OWN-GOAL IN 1991 GERS
the shock news of his cancer battle emerged.
And he admitted everyone will be united in support of his legendary former boss Smith after the club confirmed at the weekend the 73-year-old is recovering from an operation.
Smith won 21 major honours during 11 years at the Light Blues helm over two spells in charge of his boyhood heroes.
And Nisbet said: “I saw the Rangers club statement that Walter had an operation on Monday and that he’s on the road to recovery. I want to take the opportunity to wish my gaffer – THE gaffer – a speedy recovery.
“Everyone is fully behind him. He’s a legend for what he did not only for Rangers but also Scottish football. It’s just the stature of the man, he helped everyone.
“Walter is an absolute gentleman, a diamond. It didn’t matter who you were - he had time for everyone.
“But he’s a fighter and we’re all behind the gaffer and his family at this time.
“Walter has a strong character and has always kept himself fit which can help at times like this. The thoughts and prayers of us all are with him and his family.
“When I was diagnosed with cancer in the summer all the boys phoned me. Ally McCoist, Richard Gough, Andy Goram. We’re just one big family. The Rangers family.
“There was a Rangers convention in Lanzarote scheduled for last summer and I was looking forward to seeing Goughie and Archie Knox but it was cancelled.
“Hopefully it can take place next year when things are back to normal and we can all meet up. Maybe even Walter can make an appearance himself.”
IT was billed as the Game of the Century but for Celtic it turned out to be the end of the world.
It’s 24 years ago this week since Walter Smith’s depleted Rangers side escaped Parkhead with the ugliest of 1-0 wins in a match marred by red cards and a furious ruck between Paolo Di Canio and Ian Ferguson.
Billy Stark was assistant to Hoops boss Tommy Burns in what was to be the final few weeks of their reign and recalls a miserable Glasgow afternoon, played out in torrential rain, as “apocalyptic”.
That victory, sealed when Brian Laudrup bundled the ball home on the line after Ian Durrant’s lob over Stewart Kerr, as good as wrapped-up nine-in-a-row.
It also secured a clean sweep of league victories over Celtic that season – something Gers have never repeated since.
They could now though with
Steven Gerrard’s side one win away from four derby victories in a row and two away from a seasonal ‘green sweep’.
And it’s that painful prospect which Stark insists must fire Celtic up to ensure there’s no repeat of 1997 with those memories still clear in his mind.
A chaotic 90 minutes saw Malky Mackay and Mark Hateley sent off then Di Canio and Ferguson hauled into referee Hugh Dallas’ room after the pair traded insults in full view of the live TV cameras at full-time.
Speaking to
Record Sport,
Stark said: “I remember that game clear as day unfortunately.
“It was built up as Game of the Century – but it was the worst possible day.
“In terms of weather and conditions it had an apocalyptic feel to it, to be honest.
“The game and the winning goal were every bit as ugly with Laudrup bundling it in from close range.
“We knew we had to win the game to get ourselves back in contention for the league. It was being hyped beyond belief.
“I remember Tommy saying after a pre-match interview on radio, ‘This is the only country where a manager has to calm the interviewer down!’
“Old Firm games always spark that kind of excitement and this Sunday will be no different. As it turned out on that occasion it certainly wasn’t the Game of the Century – it was rotten!
“Mark Hateley and Malky Mackay got sent off and Di Canio got himself embroiled with Ferguson at the end.
“I have no idea what was said but Paolo was frustrated and tired, he’d hit the bar and had emotionally put everything into the game as he always did.
“When that happens then
something can tip you over the edge quite easily.
“Paolo always played on the edge. If one of his team mates didn’t pass to him it was enough to set him off.
“A bit like Alfredo Morelos now, he was a volatile character. A genius but volatile.
“Ferguson was no doubt on the wind-up during the game and with the way it turned out then it just all boiled over.
“There were phone calls between Ian and Tommy in the weeks afterwards, I think it was Ian trying to build bridges which Tommy would always be keen to do anyway.
“Back in the dressing room it was crushing disappointment. Tommy had calmed Paolo down by that time, he had a great way of doing that.
“But we knew what was riding on the match and so did Rangers. It was just a bitterly disappointing day.”
With that in mind Stark can’t understand why anyone would brand this Sunday’s derby a dead rubber.
The former Parkhead midfielder insists there’s no such thing in Old Firm parlance and has backed John Kennedy’s men to pull off a victory where pride more than points matter.
He said: “I have never experienced anyone involved in an Old Firm derby looking at it as a dead rubber.
“If you lose an Old Firm game then you have to retreat into your bunker for a week!
“I’m glad social media wasn’t about when I played. That means there will be no hiding place for players even if there’s no fans in the stadium.
“There’s plenty of motivation for Celtic – taking away Rangers unbeaten record, winning on their own turf, stopping Rangers’ chances of a clean sweep over them.
“So the pressure this weekend is more on Celtic. Supporters will expect them to win the game.
“No matter the state of play both sets of fans expect it but Celtic’s will be determined to see their side stop Rangers’ unbeaten run.
“We managed in season 1995-96 to go through the campaign losing just once. Brendan Rodgers went the full way with his Invincibles team. Now Steven Gerrard could repeat that. It’s an incredible feat because so many things through a campaign can go against you.
“That’s all part of being a Championshipwinning team. Celtic must find a way of overcoming that on Sunday.”