Alan Hutton paid tribute to “father figure” Walter Smith as he announced his retirement from football at the age of 35.
The former Rangers and Scotland defender admitted he was sad to call time on the career which saw him win an SPL title, English League Cup and 50 Scotland caps.
But he says it’s time to hang up the boots and concentrate on family life nine months after leaving his last club Aston Villa.
Hutton, who played for Smith at Ibrox and for the national team, said: “It’s been a really difficult decision but I’ve thought about it a lot.
“I could have played on, I had opportunities but nothing that really worked out for me and the family.
“It’s a sad moment but I think it’s the right one.
“It’s been such a big part of my life, when I was six, seven I still remember my mum and dad giving up a lot of their time to take me to training at Rangers three, four times a week.
“It’s been a long journey. It’s given me everything I’ve got and I’m really thankful for that.
“What a guy (Walter Smith), absolute legend of a man.
“He is a like a father-figure type.
‘In meetings he would walk in and have this aura about him, everybody would sit down, be quiet and sit up straight.
“ Alex McLeish gave me my debut at Rangers, my debut for Scotland, he bought me for Villa - there is a great connection there as well.
“We had our ups and downs but I think that’s because we were so close.”
Hutton’s career spanned 15 years across seven clubs and, after making his debut for Rangers in 2002, he picked up a Scottish top-flight winner’s medal in 2005.
Hutton then clinched a £9 million move to Tottenham in January 2008 and won the League Cup a month later.
The full-back admits he could have returned to Ibrox when he was at Villa.
He added: “A few seasons ago there was a little bit of talk of it but it didn’t quite work. There are a few ex-players back at Rangers and I think if you take too many it doesn’t really look like you’re looking to the future.
“I understand where they are. It was a boyhood dreaming playing with them and I had some amazing moments with them. Would it have been good going back? I’m not so sure, maybe.”
