McCoist gets one over mentor Smith as he nets charity hat-trick
IT was the managerial matchup between the master and the apprentice — and it was Ally McCoist who emerged the victor over old boss Walter Smith.
The Ibrox legend was in irrepressible form — as he grabbed a hat-trick for his Rangers legends team in an 8-3 win over a side of a similar stature in a charity game — at the ground where he carved out his goalscoring reputation.
Among those taking part were Lorenzo Amoruso, Jorg Albertz, Barry Ferguson, Andy Goram, Peter Lovenkrands and Pedro Mendes, along with a sprinkling of showbusiness personalities.
But it was McCoist, coming out for the second half after spurring on his side from the dug-out for the first 45 minutes, who turned back time with a typically headline-grabbing performance.
Speaking to RangersTV, he said: ‘The biggest thrill for me was beating Walter, as there was a lot of pre-match talk about teams and formations.
‘I said to the boys that I would be very surprised if he went with more than half a one up front and I was proved right.
‘But it was great. Actually the craic in the dugout for the first 45 minutes I’ve got to say was priceless, absolutely priceless.’
Former Ibrox boss Smith admitted he would have been sacked if one of his team’s had conceded eight goals.
But he added: ‘There was a terrific turnout and the boys enjoyed rolling back the years.’
Before kick-off there was an emotional moment as former skipper Fernando Ricksen, who is suffering from motor neurone disease, was introduced to the fans.
The match raised thousands of pounds for the Rangers Charity Foundation and the Rangers Youth Development Company.