IN Barcelona, in 1972, Colin Stein scored one and Willie Johnston two. The Bears were born, legends were made and five decades on their achievement still stands as the greatest in Rangers' history.

The journey from Disaster to triumph has been charted by author Tom Miller as the champions prepare to celebrate their 150th anniversary and fifty years since that famous win over Dynamo Moscow.

In an exclusive serialisation, Herald and Times Sport recalls reign of Willie Waddell and why Ibrox is the ultimate legacy to one of Rangers' most significant figures.

PROBABLY the most lasting legacy from the days of Willie Waddell being manager of Rangers Football Club is not just that European success, but every time someone comes into the magnificent facility that is Ibrox Park, they should take a minute to reflect and look at the surroundings and remember that this modern state-of-the-art football stadium was the vision of Willie Waddell.

Sure, over the years, the structure has been extended, the hospitality suites have been upgraded, in fact every facet of the building and playing surface, including facilities for the players, medical staff, security and media, have been improved, even after a number of years of neglect when dilapidation was allowed to creep in.

But those days are in the past and it was Willie Waddell who created the template for a modern best-in-class Ibrox, and left for his successors his vision, his passion and an incredible legacy.

 

The club have a Waddell Suite that pays homage to the man himself and charts his career at Rangers from joining as a player at just fifteen years of age, through to his time as a director of the club. On match days, the Waddell Suite is a vibrant and exclusive lounge to talk about the game

before kick-off, through half time and to enjoy a post-match refreshment and then dissect the ninety minutes just past in convivial company.

The walls are adorned with terrific memorabilia and photo¬graphs of a bygone era. The Waddell Suite is also a hugely popular stop-off point on stadium tours, when one of the fantastic club history guides bring the scenes on the walls to life with enormous passion and expertise on their subject.

Willie Waddell laid solid foundations to take the club forward and even when he passed on team responsibilities to Jock Wallace, it was a decision that put the club first and his personal position second.

To reaffirm just how good a decision it was to give Wallace the manager’s job, the league title was wrestled back from Celtic in 1975, and just two years later, Wallace’s side swept all before them to deliver a domestic treble. Both Willie Waddell and Jock Wallace should forever be revered as true Rangers giants.

*'Barcelona: The greatest day in the history of Rangers FC' is written by Tom Miller and published by Black and White Publishing.

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