TOMMY McLEAN was striving to achieve one of Rangers’ most impressive European successes in Porto – as the board were trying to make his brother Jim the new Ibrox manager.
The remarkable scenario unfolded in the tumultuous autumn of 1983 following the resignation of John Greig.
The directors had already tried and failed to lure Govan’s finest Alex Ferguson, who played at Ibrox in the 1960s, after his extraordinary achievements with Aberdeen who had famously just won the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Aberdeen quickly rewarded Fergie with a lucrative, new five-year contract and the Ibrox board turned to Dundee United miracle worker Jim McLean, who had just delivered the Premier Division title.
Former Ibrox defender Craig Paterson said: “It was an incredible time at the club because of the turmoil after John Greig’s departure and it was tough for Tommy, who had been John’s assistant, as he tried to keep us going on the park.
“We all knew that the club had tried to get Fergie, which was completely understandable because of what he had done at Pittodrie.
“The other obvious candidate was Jim McLean for the same reasons – the incredible job he’d done at Tannadice.
“However, as we were trying to complete what would have been a fantastic European victory against Porto, we had no idea that the board was now actively trying to convince Jim to take the job.
“The interesting question is, would Jim have made Tommy his assistant if he had taken it?
“We knew they were close, but I’m not sure we’ll ever know now.”
Rangers had been leading 2-1 from the first leg at Ibrox which was a success in contrast to their miserable league form that had them sixth in the table.
Paterson recalled: “We were leading 2-0 at Ibrox, but I have to say there was a stage in the game where we just couldn’t get the ball. Their late goal was costly.
“They were a top-class side and their main man was Fernando Gomes – what a striker he was. He had won the Golden Boot the season before and won it again.
“It was torrential rain in Portugal but there were 60,000 at the game so the atmosphere was volatile.
“Tommy had set us up well and the game plan was working but Gomes produced a bit of magic in the second half and that put us out.
“Porto went on to beat Aberdeen home and away in the semi-finals and were narrowly beaten by a brilliant Juventus side in the final.”
In the end Jim McLean turned Rangers down and Jock Wallace came back for a second spell.
Paterson added: “Tommy went on to become one of Motherwell’s greatest managers with the 1991 Cup win being the crowning glory.”
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