Cancer-hit Rangers hero Scott Nisbet has revealed how he struggled to cope watching other Ibrox icons succumbing to the illness.
The 54-year-old was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer two years ago after thinking he had damaged his back lounging at his Lanzarote home during Covid-19 lockdown. Since then, he has mourned the deaths of his former manager Walter Smith, ex-teammate Andy Goram as well as fellow Rangers Ally Dawson and Tom Forsyth.
Dawson mentored Nisbet when he was an apprentice in the 80s and he also forged a friendship with Forsyth during his 11-year spell at the club. The former defender admitted he has found it hard to remain positive about his struggle with cancer after people he cares about lost their own battles.
He said: “I’ve been given a miracle. That’s what it feels like.
“But it’s been really hard seeing guys that I care about dying from the same illness I have. It has really affected me.
“Walter was my gaffer and a big part of my life, and Andy offered me support when he found out I was ill.
“Then there’s Ally and big Tam. They’re all gone.
“I’ve been diagnosed with Stage Four cancer, it doesn’t get much worse than that.
“So I can’t help wondering why I am still here and they’re not. I wonder when it’s going to be my turn.
“I think most people would feel that way.”
Legendary Rangers manager Smith passed away from cancer last October while Goram died within weeks of being diagnosed in July.
Gers Hall of Fame inductee Dawson lost his battle with the illness in July 2021 while ex centre-half Forsyth died in August 2020.
Nisbet said: “The gaffer was an inspirational figure to everyone who played for him. I cried when he died.
“I also cried when I found out Andy had cancer. I couldn’t believe it was happening to him, too.
“I knew what was in store for him. I knew the struggle he would have and how hard it was going to be.
“There was one message he sent that hammered home how sick he was.
“He texted to say the doctors had just advised him to get his family to the hospital. I knew then how serious it was.”
He added: “Ally looked after me when I was a kid. He was one of the senior pros when I was an apprentice and he made sure I was doing the right things.
“Big Tam was an absolute gentleman. I got to know him when he worked in the hospitality suites at Ibrox. To lose all of them to cancer in a short space of time was very upsetting.
“I love a laugh and a joke. and I’ve always taken life in my stride. But cancer has left me terrified at times.”
The dad-of-three added: “It has given my body a real kicking and I’ve got the scars to prove it.
“But it has been mentally hard going, too. I’ve been really low in moments but I’ve managed to bounce back because I need to keep going.
“I’ll keep setting targets and when I hit them, I’ll give myself new ones.”
Nisbet, who runs his own football academy in Lanzarote, had a kidney removed during a series of operations on top of 15 gruelling radiotherapy sessions on the Canary Islands.
He underwent emergency surgery after cancer specialists located four tumours in July 2020.
However, he was recently told by his oncologist that he was fit enough to travel for the first time since being diagnosed.
He was also told he won’t need a check-up for six months – his longest break since being told he had cancer.
Now, Nisbet has managed to fly out to Sydney for son TJ’s 30th birthday celebrations with his daughter Indya and other son Chad.
The emotional reunion was the first time he has seen TJ in four years.
In his darkest hours, Nisbet admits he feared he would never see his eldest boy in the flesh again.
He said: “I thought I would only ever see him on FaceTime and have to say goodbye over a computer screen.
“The idea of that happening was torture.
“If he’d left Australia during the lockdown restrictions, there was a huge risk he wasn’t going to get back in.
“TJ has built a life for himself there and I told him he needed to stay put. When the doctors gave me the all-clear to travel, booking flights to Sydney was the first thing I did.
“I can’t tell you how much this means to all of my family – this trip is a massive achievement for me, a major goal reached.”
Nisbet joined Rangers when he was 12 and made his first-team debut aged 18 as a striker before being converted to a defender.
He won three championship medals with Rangers – in 1990, 1991 and 1992 – during the nine-in-a-row era before injury cut short his top-flight career
Nisbet is probably best remembered for a crazy Champions League goal against Bruges at Ibrox in 1993. His strike ended up being the winner in a 2-1 victory.
He joked: “When I hit the ball, it was heading for Harthill. But it took a right turn and went in the back of the net.”
Three days later, he limped out of a game against Celtic due to a pelvic injury that eventually forced him to retire. It came just as he was establishing himself in the top team.
However, his career was over after just 90 games for the Light Blues.
Nisbet added: “Being told by the cancer specialist he doesn’t want to see me for six months was the best news I could get. That is the longest time between appointments since I was diagnosed with this horrible illness.
“When I go back, they’ll run all sorts of tests on me again to see where I am with it.
“For now, I’m going to live life as normal as possible.
“I want to do a bit of travelling, including getting back to Ibrox to watch Rangers.
“I’ve been able to focus on my football academy. I’ve been at my work there every day for the last few months.
“That’s been a big positive for me. I’ll focus on keeping fit, staying active and eating well. I’m doing all I can to stay healthy and give myself the best chance.”
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