What age was Walter Smith? Who did he manage? How many titles did he win at Rangers?

Legendary Scottish football manager Walter Smith has died at the age of 73.

Former Rangers manager Walter Smith passed away at the age of 73. Picture: SNS

His passing was announced by former club Rangers, who Smith became synonymous with after leading them in two highly successful stints as manager, as well as time spent as a coach and director.

Playing career

Smith made his name at Dundee United, breaking through in the 1960s and largely playing for the Tannadice club, between a stint at Dumbarton, until he was forced to retire from a pelvic injury and join Jim McLean’s coaching staff.

Managerial career

Aside from coaching the Scotland under-18s and under-21s, and being on the national team staff underneath Sir Alex Ferguson at the 1986 World Cup, Smith’s first spell in management came over 10 years after his playing days were over. He was hired, firstly on an interim basis, to replace Graeme Souness at Rangers after Smith’s former boss decided to take over the reins at Liverpool. The old No.2 would remain as the top dog at Ibrox until agreeing to step away at the conclusion of the 1997/98 season as the club fell short in their ten-in-a-row bid.

Thereafter came a frustrating four-year spell with Everton where he couldn’t improve the club’s standing as perennial strugglers in the English Premiership. After two-and-a-half years out of the limelight, other than a short spell as assistant boss at Manchester United, he became Scotland manager in December 2004, helping to rejuvenate the national team before returning to Rangers in January 2007. There he would remain before retiring from coaching in 2011.

Honours won

Including the conclusion of the 1990/91 season, Smith won ten titles with Rangers; seven in his first spell, three in his second. He also won five Scottish Cups, six League Cups and was the beaten manager in the 2008 Uefa Cup final. He was awarded SFWA Manager of the Year on seven separate occasions.

Legacy

Tributes poured out from all corners of football across the UK to a titan of the sport. These included former clubs like Manchester United and Everton, but also from the likes of Celtic and Liverpool, those who would’ve described the man as a rival during his managerial days.

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