TRIBUTES TO FORMER RANGERS LEGEND
RANGERS legends have paid their respects for Rangers great Eric Caldow who has died at the age of 84.
The former full-back made 407 appearances for the Ibrox club over 13 years, winning five league championships, two Scottish Cups and three League cups.
Born in Cumnock, he also captained the club in the 1961 European Cup Winners’ Cup final, which Rangers lost to Fiorentina.
Caldow won 40 caps for his country but broke his leg at 1963 in a 2-1 win for Scotland against England, in what proved to be his final international outing.
The ‘son of Ayrshire’ was inducted into the Scottish football Hall of Fame in 2007.
Fellow Ibrox legends have told of their sadness at the news, with John Greig describing him as an “absolute gentleman”.
Caldow was the Rangers and Scotland captain when Greig broke into the very successful Gers side of the early 1960s.
He said: “Eric was a great player and captain for the club, but above all else he was an absolute gentleman.
“You can’t play over 400 times for Rangers and not be something special, and he definitely helped me a lot when I was a young boy.
“He was a class act and the biggest compliment you can give Eric is that a lot of people outside the club when they saw him would say, ‘That’s Eric Caldow of Rangers’.”
Others at the club have shared their sadness.
Club chairman Dave King said: “Eric truly was a player who could easily be described as heroic and came to epitomise the standards, characteristics and values associated with this club.
“This is a sad day for the club and the country.” Managing director Stewart Robertson added: “Eric will be forever remembered as one of the greats, not just for Rangers but also for Scotland.
“We will never forget Eric Caldow.”