Ex Scotland manager McColl dies, aged 81

FORMER Scotland manager and Rangers legend Ian McColl died yesterday, aged 81. His death was announced by the Ibrox club, for which he played 526 times between 1945 and 1960.

Rangers chief executive Martin Bain led the tributes to McColl, who captained Rangers before going on to manage Scotland and Sunderland in the 1960s. In all he won six league titles, five Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups with Rangers.

"We are saddened to learn of Ian's passing," said Bain. "He was a magnificent player for Rangers and, of course, a key member of the famous Iron Curtain defence in the post-war era. The club sends its condolences to Ian's family."

McColl was known to have been battling illness for some time. He is survived by his wife Jessie, son Ian and daughter Aileen. Details of his funeral have yet to be announced.

Elected to the Rangers Hall of Fame some years ago, McColl signed for the club from Queen's Park after finishing his studies at Glasgow University, qualifying as an engineer during the Second World War.

His close contemporary, the former Hibs and Aberdeen manager Eddie Turnbull, paid a warm tribute to his old friend last night.

"I am very sad to hear this news," said Turnbull, who along with Lawrie Reilly is a surviving member of the Hibs' Famous Five forward line of the 1950s. "I knew he had been ill for more than a year, but it is still upsetting to hear.

"Ian was a lovely, genuine, modest guy and a fine player. We had many great battles as he was the right half in the Iron Curtain defence while I played inside left for Hibs.

"He was a great competitor – on the field we were enemies, but off the field we were good friends. We always used to say that if Scotland had picked the Iron Curtain and the Famous Five, we would have been the most formidable side ever. He also did a great job in managing Scotland, and was nobody's fool."

Born in Alexandria in the Vale of Leven, McColl played for Vale of Leven Juniors while still a schoolboy at Vale of Leven Academy.

He followed in his grandfather William's footsteps by playing for Scotland, gaining 14 caps between 1950 and 1958.

McColl's time in the Iron Curtain defence – goalkeeper Bobby Brown, George Young and Jock Shaw at full back and McColl, Willie Woodburn and Sammy Cox at half back – saw Rangers go 10 years conceding an average of less than a goal a game.

His last game for the club was the 1960 Scottish Cup final which saw Rangers beat Kilmarnock 2-0. "I finished on a high and it was the best way to go," McColl once recalled.

He was almost immediately appointed Scotland manager and was in charge of the national team when it won back-to-back Home International Championships in 1962 and 1963, the latter year featuring a 2-0 defeat of England at Wembley.

Jim Baxter starred in that match and the two renewed their acquaintance when McColl became manager of Sunderland in 1965 and signed Baxter from Rangers.

McColl was in charge of Scotland for 27 games of which 16 were victories – a winning ratio second only to Alex McLeish.