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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Carla Jenkins

Walter Smith documentary celebrating Rangers legend's career to air this Christmas

A documentary charting the achievements of Walter Smith will hit screens later this month.

The Rangers legend passed away in October at the age of 73 after an illness and thousands of fans paid tribute to him across the country.

The BBC documentary will take an in-depth look at Smith’s 45-year long career, which saw him turn out for Dundee United and Dumbarton before moving into coaching, Football Scotland reports.

Smith started his career under legendary Jim McLean at Tannadice before joining Rangers as Graeme Souness’ number two.

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He landed the top job after Souness left for Liverpool in 1991, and continued the success in Govan, leading Rangers to a ninth Scottish Premiership title in a row.

He returned to Rangers in 2007 and claimed another three league titles before returning in 2011.

Some of the biggest names that worked with an under Smith are set to appear in the programme.

Souness, Sir David Murray and Alex Ferguson, who Smith assisted with Scotland during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, then against at Old Trafford in 2004, will all share their memories of the man.

Brian Laudrup, who Smith signed for Rangers, will also take part.

Souness says in the trailer: "If you meet a few people like that in your life, you're blessed."

Laudrup lauds him as "the best manager I ever had" while Ferguson hails him as “special.”

The broadcaster describes the programme as: "A winner as manager for Rangers and Scotland, Walter Smith was a man whose character won respect across the hard tribal lines of our national game.

"Featuring rare archive, and told with interview contributions from the people who knew him best and who worked with him throughout his long and varied career, the programme explores the numerous successes at Rangers, his experiences as a manager when he headed south to Everton in the English Premiership, his leadership of the Scotland national men’s team and his sensational return to Rangers in 2007.

"Walter: A Life in Football follows the highs and lows of Smith’s career, exploring the characteristics that made players, fellow managers and supporters venerate him. He was genuinely loved and revered by many, including titans of the game such as Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson."

The show will air on Thursday 30 December at 9.30pm on BBC Scotland.

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