FOES PURSUE A COMMON GOAL
Wallace wants to heal the hurt and help Ibrox men pick up a ‘proper piece of silverware’
IN May 2015, Lee Wallace was caught up in a Motherwell maelstrom as kicks and punches broke out between rival players after the Ibrox side’s play-off dream died at Fir Park.
One year later, he suffered an agonising 3-2 Scottish Cup final loss against Hibs, before the captain found himself in the middle as a full-time pitch invasion descended into a serious of battles between rival fans on the Hampden turf.
But, if the Ibrox skipper thought there was no room left on the lowlights reel of his career, he was very badly mistaken.
The 29-year-old believes nothing he has witnessed in football has felt worse than losing 5-1 to Celtic at Parkhead last month.
As Wallace takes his team back to Hampden to face Brendan Rodgers’ men again on Sunday, though, he hopes to harness that hurt and help use it to light Rangers’ path into the League Cup final.
‘It (losing 5-1) was definitely one of the worst experiences of my football life,’ he admitted. ‘It was a sore one to take and a real low. Everyone was hurting, whether they played in the match or were in the stand, or whether they were at home injured. All of our squad and our staff were really hurting after that game.
‘But a few days later we were using that pain and turning it into motivation.
‘I am the Rangers captain but I have always said that we have four or five other captains in the dressing room. They helped picked the players up and we kept the dressing room positive.
‘We are fortunate to have those types of characters in our dressing room.
‘But we have made a lot of progress in the past three or four weeks and we are definitely feeling a lot better about ourselves now. We go into this weekend’s game more excited and more positive.
‘The last time we went into the Old Firm game it was on the back of a disappointing draw at Kilmarnock.
‘This time we have four clean sheets in our last five games and we go into the match on the back of two wins.
‘So the momentum is there and it’s clear to see we are back on the right track. It’s going to be a really enjoyable fixture at the weekend.’
Despite spending five years as a Rangers player, Wallace has yet to win major silverware with the Glasgow giant. His first season at the club was the one that would end in administration, then liquidation, occurring at Ibrox.
Electing to remain with Rangers on their journey through the lower leagues, Wallace has picked up all three lower league winners’ medals as well as lifting a Petrofac Training Cup.
Now, as a thank-you to the club’s fans for sticking by the team, he has vowed to restock the Ibrox trophy cabinet with what he describes as ‘Rangers silverware’ — in the form of their first major honours since the League Cup win of 2011.
‘It’s important that we win “Rangers silverware”,’ he nodded. ‘The last time we came to Hampden (and lost the Scottish Cup final) it was disappointing. That was a chance to get that first piece of major silverware in a number of years.
‘Hibs fully deserved to win but we’ll be using that moment as motivation and we will be looking to get “Rangers silverware” in the cabinet.
‘That’s a big part of why I came to this football club but I have not managed to do it yet. It’s still a big ambition of mine and, if all goes to plan, we can get to a cup final if we win on Sunday.’
The last Old Firm game was the first time Rangers and Celtic had met in the league in four years.
Wallace admits being taken aback by the intensity of the build-up but believes Rangers are better placed to handle the occasion this weekend.
‘There was a real intensity to it the last time and that might just gather again as this week goes on,’ he said. ‘But we are aware of the rivalry. There is a real aggression, a real passion for this fixture. When your career is over you will be wishing you were part of these games. They’re a privilege to be a part of.
‘These games help your character grow. Whether you come out as a victor or on the receiving end of a defeat, you always grow as a person because there is a real intensity to the fixture and in the aftermath you feel that both physically and mentally. ‘If you come out a winner it’s an even better feeling. But whether our players are new to the fixture by being young, or are experienced and new to the fixture, I think we’ll be fine.’
We’re definitely feeling a lot better about ourselves