Parlane reckons Patterson is ready for his own big break
Rangers legend recalls Bayern trial by fire and ponders youngster’s future at Ibrox
DEREK PARLANE proved the famous adage that if you are good enough then you are old enough. Five decades on, Nathan Patterson is aiming to follow in his footsteps.
Parlane was a fledgling talent at Ibrox when he scored in the famous victory over Bayern Munich that took Rangers one step closer to what would become their finest hour in Barcelona. A man-marking job on Franz Roth was just as important as Rangers overcame the German giants on a night that will forever be remembered as Sandy Jardine also scored to set up a meeting with Dynamo Moscow.
The class of today can only dream of such exploits and Patterson’s career has yet to hit those same heights. His predicament is familiar to Parlane, though.
Patterson has proven that he has the talent to be a regular for club and country but the 20-year-old has had to be patient at Ibrox and his route to the top – currently blocked by James Tavernier – could have a detour if he feels he is not in the right place at the right time.
“If you’re good enough you’re old enough, absolutely,” Parlane said. “And I think Nathan’s good enough.
“There’s a concern amongst the supporters that in some way we’re going to lose out because if he doesn’t play then potentially he could get sold.
“It’s a genuine concern because I think the guy has got great potential. He’s strong, he takes people on, he’s a good defender, he’s a good attacker, he gets good balls into the box.
“For a full-back to run at people and take them on, it’s unique. I think he’s got a great future ahead at Ibrox.
“You want to play. When I knew I was playing I didn’t have a chance to be nervous because it was an hour-and-ahalf before the game. I am more nervous now talking about it!
“When you walk out there, you just play. I knew what I had to do. I had to get close the big German so-and-so and kick him! I had to not let him get a sniff but that night my world changed. It sounds dramatic but it really did. My world changed completely.
“I often think about what would have happened if I hadn’t scored [against Bayern], then I might not have been here today. It was a slidingdoors moment.”
Parlane was back at Ibrox last week to help launch a new book written by Tom Miller that charts Rangers’ remarkable run to Barcelona as the Bears earned their place in the history books.
The 68-year-old can remember those heady days fondly. They are times and moments that Parlane has forever cherished.
“My first involvement in the Cup-Winners’ Cup run in ’72 was travelling to Bayern Munich in the semi-final,” Parlane recalled. “I was part of the squad, I didn’t play, I sat and watched in the stand.
“But it was a great learning experience for me. We got hammered that night and coming away with a draw was a great result.
“We brought them back and we knew John Greig was injured. I automatically thought someone like Alfie Conn, who was more experienced than me, would come in and wear the No.4 shirt.
“So when the manager called us in an hour-and-a-half before the game and he read out ‘McCloy, Jardine, Mathieson, Parlane ...’ I genuinely never heard the rest of the team. I looked around the dressing room and I thought he’d made a mistake by naming me.”
As it transpired, the call to pick Parlane was a stroke of genius. That was the night that the King of Ibrox Park was born.
The illustrious names of Bayern would add to their glittering CVs two years later as West Germany were crowned world champions. At Ibrox, they were no match for Rangers.
Parlane said: “Jock Wallace looked up and said ‘Come into the boot room, I want a word with you,’ I felt like saying, ‘I want a word with you as well!’
“He said to me, ‘We just want you to do a marking job on this guy Franz Roth’. His nickname was ‘The Bull’.
“I was 5’11”, 11st wet through. This guy was 6’2”. I walked out to the tunnel and I saw Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Paul Breitner.
“I had posters on these guys on my bedroom wall. If I’d had an autograph book I’d have asked them for an autograph. And all I had to do was mark him.
“Jock said to me, ‘If you get half a chance just kick the big German so-and-so’. So to score the second goal after 21 minutes, I’ll never forget the noise when it went in.”
The memories of those glorious times can provide context to the problems Steven Gerrard faces as he seeks to progress Patterson as a player whilst delivering silverware success at Ibrox.
Parlane knows the situation well. An understanding of the circumstances does not make a solution easier to find, however.
“It is a hard one for Steven because he could potentially lose him because of it,” Parlane said. “I don’t know what the answer is. He could maybe slot him into midfield. I wasn’t a centre-forward until after Colin Stein had gone to Coventry.
“The manager brought me in, and I always remember it, he was sitting with the blue shirt across his knee. He threw it across the table and said, ‘look at the number’.
“It was No.9 and he told me to go out and make the jersey my own. I scored 27 goals and had never played centreforward in my life before.
“The thing is that Steven has options now which he didn’t have before. He has midfield options and options for striker.
“They haven’t got it right yet this season and it has been a difficult season compared to last season but I think maybe he has to slot Nathan in a bit. England had the same thing with Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.”
For a full-back to run at people and take them on, it’s unique. I think he’s got a great future