Walter Smith
Encyclopedia
Walter Smith, OBE
(born 24 February 1948) is a Scottish
football manager
. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League
club Rangers
.
Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United
which was split by a short time at Dumbarton
.
A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at Dundee United
under Jim McLean
and he also took charge of Scotland's under-18 and under-21 teams. Smith was also assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
in Mexico after it had been announced that he would be moving to Rangers
as assistant to Graeme Souness
.
In 1991 Smith became the manager of Rangers, he won 21 major honours in two spells at the club, including ten league titles, and guiding the team to the UEFA Cup
final in 2008. Smith is the second most successful manager in the history of Rangers
behind Bill Struth
. In 1998 he left Rangers
and managed Premier League club Everton
for four seasons, but was sacked in 2002. Smith was later appointed Scotland
manager in 2004 after a brief stint as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He presided over a revival in the national team's fortunes, taking Scotland seventy places up the FIFA World Rankings
, before returning to Rangers
in 2007. He won eight of his trophies with the club during this time, before leaving in 2011.
and grew up in the East End of Glasgow
, and was a boyhood fan of Rangers. He was employed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board before launching his football career in the 1960s with Junior League
team Ashfield
.
in 1966 and played in 108 league games scoring 2 goals between 1966 and 1975. He also featured in the Scottish Cup 1973–74 final against Celtic, playing alongside future assistant Archie Knox
.
as a player and coach. His first team appearances were limited thereafter, but he remained a signed player and his final club match was in September 1980.
In his second spell he appeared in 26 league matches. In total, he made 178 senior appearances for Dundee United
, scoring three goals.
as assistant manager to Jim McLean, at a time when Dundee United were Scottish champions and European Cup semi-finalists, but also with the SFA
.
While working with McLean, a notoriously hard-bitten manager, Smith developed a reputation for being a strict disciplinarian. According to Kevin Gallacher
, who was an apprentice of the club at the time in the early eighties, Smith could become ferociously angry and was known to deal out punches to enforce discipline.
In 1978 he was appointed coach of the Scotland Under 18 team, and helped Scotland to win the European Youth Championship in 1982. He became coach of the Under 21 team, and was Alex Ferguson
's assistant manager during the 1986 Mexico World Cup
. Latterly Ferguson commented on Smith by saying: "There are few people in the game with his experience, knowledge and technical ability."
had invited him to become assistant manager at Rangers. When Souness left for Liverpool
in April 1991 Smith was appointed interim manager, which was made permanent in May 1991.
Seven successive league titles followed under Smith's tenure, including a domestic treble in 1992–93.
He also won both the Scottish Cup
and the League Cup
three times each.
This was achieved at a cost, as Smith spent over £50m on transfer fees in his six years in charge – more than any other club in Scotland
or England
over the same period.
It was announced in October 1997 that Smith was to retire after a period of domination of Scottish league football.
Smith took Rangers to the brink of the Champions League final in season 1992/93, going ten games without defeat in that campaign.
Rangers equalled Celtic
's record of nine successive championships in 1997 but were denied a record-breaking tenth success in 1998 as Rangers lost the title to Celtic and then lost the Scottish Cup final to Hearts
. In Europe Rangers were beaten 4–2 by Strasbourg in the first round of the UEFA Cup
, after being beaten 4–1 by IFK Gothenburg in the UEFA Champions League
preliminary round. Smith had spent £13m on eight new players that season alone.
in June 1998. Smith replaced Howard Kendall
after his third spell as Everton manager, having only avoided relegation in 1998 due to their superior goal difference
over Bolton Wanderers
.
Initially Smith was linked with the managers job at Sheffield Wednesday, but false promises made to him by the Everton chairman of massive transfer funds and unlimited ambition lured Smith to Goodison Park. Smith spent money on players only to discover that it was money the club did not have. When Duncan Ferguson
was sold behind Smith’s back he was tempted to quit. The remainder of his time at Everton revolved around selling the club's top players to balance the books.
Under Smith, Everton finished in the bottom half of the table for three consecutive seasons. The Everton board finally ran out of patience with Smith and he was sacked in March 2002 after an "abject" 3–0 FA Cup Sixth Round defeat to Middlesbrough
, with Everton in real danger of relegation from the Premier League.
He was replaced by David Moyes
, who delivered Everton to a safe finish in fifteenth place.
at Manchester United
at the end of the 2003–04 season.
During this time Manchester United
won the FA Cup
in 2004, beating Millwall
in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium
.
on 2 December 2004, succeeding Berti Vogts
. Despite a revival of fortunes under Smith, hopes of reaching the 2006 World Cup
were dashed after a defeat against Belarus
.
Scotland's world ranking improved by seventy places by the end of Smith's tenure at Hampden
. Smith recorded his most famous result as national team manager when Scotland recorded a historic victory over World Cup runners up France
on 7 October 2006 when they won their Euro 2008 qualifying match 1–0 at Hampden Park and temporarily led their group by three points.
A 2–0 defeat against Ukraine
on 11 October 2006 was Smith's team's first of the campaign.
had spoken to Smith with a view to hiring him to manage Rangers again, with Ally McCoist
as assistant manager.
On 8 January, the SFA rebuffed Rangers' approach for Smith by refusing to release him from his SFA contract, or to accept his resignation, citing his contractual obligation to the national team until late 2008, during a critical period for the team. Smith's return as Rangers manager was announced on 10 January 2007.
He took over from previous manager Paul Le Guen
who left the club by mutual consent after Rangers had been knocked out of the Scottish League Cup
by Scottish Division One side St. Johnstone and fell 17 points behind league leaders Celtic
in the Scottish Premier League
.
Smith's first match in his second spell at Ibrox
was a 5–0 win against Dundee United
on 13 January, with two goals from Kris Boyd
and one each from Barry Ferguson
, Chris Burke
and Charlie Adam. Smith's first final since his return was secured with a 2–0 win over Hearts
in the 2007–08 Scottish League Cup
. Rangers played Dundee United
in the final; the game was drawn 1–1 after normal time, and 2–2 after extra time. The winners were decided by penalty kicks. Rangers won 3–2, with Kris Boyd
scoring the winning penalty (as well as the goals for Rangers
in normal time and extra time).
In the UEFA Cup
, Walter Smith booked Rangers' first European final for 36 years, after an exit in the UEFA Champions League
group stage on the final day after good results against VFB Stuttgart
, Olympique Lyonnais
and FC Barcelona
. In the quarter-final, after a 0–0 home draw with Sporting, Rangers went on to win the away leg 2–0. In the semi-final they drew 0–0 in both legs against Fiorentina
and after extra time, they won 4–2 on penalties, taking Rangers to the UEFA Cup Final
in Manchester, which they lost 0–2 to Zenit St. Petersburg.
In the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, Rangers drew 0–0 with Lithuanian side FBK Kaunas
at Ibrox on 30 July 2008 and lost the return leg 2–1. The loss against Kaunas meant Rangers made an early exit from European competition. Rangers went on to claim the SPL
title — Rangers' 52nd Championship — on 24 May 2009. Smith followed this up with the Scottish Cup
a week later to end the season with a League and Cup double.
In December 2009, it was revealed that Smith was to continue as Rangers manager without a contract when it expired the following month. In March 2010, he guided Rangers to win the League Cup
after they had been reduced to nine men in the final.
On 25 April 2010, Smith led Rangers to their 53rd title and their second in a row after a 1–0 win away to Hibernian
. On 25 May 2010, Smith signed a new one-year deal to continue as Rangers manager throughout the 2010–11 campaign
, stating that it will be his last as Rangers manager.
In this final season as manager, Smith led Rangers to a back-to-back domestic double, winning the League Cup as well as their 54th league championship, a world record, which was secured on the final day of the season, when Rangers overcame Kilmarnock
at Rugby Park
5–1.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 24 February 1948) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
.
Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
which was split by a short time at Dumbarton
Dumbarton F.C.
Dumbarton Football Club is Scotland's 4th oldest football club – founded in 1872, just after Queen's Park , Kilmarnock and Stranraer...
.
A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
under Jim McLean
Jim McLean
James Yuill McLean is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best known for his 22-year spell as manager of Dundee United; the longest-serving and most successful manager in the club's history, he led them to three major honours and established them as a force in European competitions...
and he also took charge of Scotland's under-18 and under-21 teams. Smith was also assistant to Sir Alex Ferguson at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
in Mexico after it had been announced that he would be moving to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
as assistant to Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
.
In 1991 Smith became the manager of Rangers, he won 21 major honours in two spells at the club, including ten league titles, and guiding the team to the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
final in 2008. Smith is the second most successful manager in the history of Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
behind Bill Struth
Bill Struth
Bill Struth was the second manager of Rangers Football Club, leading the Club for 34 years between 1920 and 1954, as well as the holder of a number of other positions, including director...
. In 1998 he left Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and managed Premier League club Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
for four seasons, but was sacked in 2002. Smith was later appointed Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
manager in 2004 after a brief stint as assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He presided over a revival in the national team's fortunes, taking Scotland seventy places up the FIFA World Rankings
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
, before returning to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in 2007. He won eight of his trophies with the club during this time, before leaving in 2011.
Early life
Smith was born in LanarkLanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
and grew up in the East End of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, and was a boyhood fan of Rangers. He was employed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board before launching his football career in the 1960s with Junior League
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
team Ashfield
Ashfield F.C.
Ashfield Football Club are a Scottish football club from Possilpark in the North of Glasgow. Formed in 1886, they are based at Saracen Park, which they share with the Glasgow Tigers speedway team...
.
Dundee United
Smith signed as a defender with Dundee UnitedDundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in 1966 and played in 108 league games scoring 2 goals between 1966 and 1975. He also featured in the Scottish Cup 1973–74 final against Celtic, playing alongside future assistant Archie Knox
Archie Knox
Archibald "Archie" Knox is a Scottish football manager and former player, and is currently the assistant manager of Aberdeen....
.
Dumbarton
In 1975 Smith was sold to Dumbarton for a fee of seven thousand pounds. He played in 44 league game for Dumbarton between 1975 and 1977.Return to Dundee United
At the age of 29, a pelvic injury threatened his career and he was invited to join the Dundee United coaching staff by Jim McLeanJim McLean
James Yuill McLean is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best known for his 22-year spell as manager of Dundee United; the longest-serving and most successful manager in the club's history, he led them to three major honours and established them as a force in European competitions...
as a player and coach. His first team appearances were limited thereafter, but he remained a signed player and his final club match was in September 1980.
In his second spell he appeared in 26 league matches. In total, he made 178 senior appearances for Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
, scoring three goals.
Early coaching career
He developed his coaching skills, not only at Tannadice ParkTannadice Park
Tannadice Park, usually referred to as Tannadice, is a football stadium located on Tannadice Street in the Scottish city of Dundee. The stadium is home of Dundee United F.C. and has a capacity of 14,209.-Early days :...
as assistant manager to Jim McLean, at a time when Dundee United were Scottish champions and European Cup semi-finalists, but also with the SFA
Scottish Football Association
The Scottish Football Association is the governing body of football in Scotland and has the ultimate responsibility for the control and development of football in Scotland. Members of the SFA include clubs in Scotland, affiliated national associations as well as local associations...
.
While working with McLean, a notoriously hard-bitten manager, Smith developed a reputation for being a strict disciplinarian. According to Kevin Gallacher
Kevin Gallacher
Kevin William Gallacher is a Scottish former professional footballer and now a sports pundit.He is the grandson of the late Celtic forward Patsy Gallacher, who died before he was born.-Career:...
, who was an apprentice of the club at the time in the early eighties, Smith could become ferociously angry and was known to deal out punches to enforce discipline.
In 1978 he was appointed coach of the Scotland Under 18 team, and helped Scotland to win the European Youth Championship in 1982. He became coach of the Under 21 team, and was Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
's assistant manager during the 1986 Mexico World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
. Latterly Ferguson commented on Smith by saying: "There are few people in the game with his experience, knowledge and technical ability."
Rangers
By 1986, Graeme SounessGraeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
had invited him to become assistant manager at Rangers. When Souness left for Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in April 1991 Smith was appointed interim manager, which was made permanent in May 1991.
Seven successive league titles followed under Smith's tenure, including a domestic treble in 1992–93.
He also won both the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
and the League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
three times each.
This was achieved at a cost, as Smith spent over £50m on transfer fees in his six years in charge – more than any other club in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
or England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
over the same period.
It was announced in October 1997 that Smith was to retire after a period of domination of Scottish league football.
Smith took Rangers to the brink of the Champions League final in season 1992/93, going ten games without defeat in that campaign.
Rangers equalled Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
's record of nine successive championships in 1997 but were denied a record-breaking tenth success in 1998 as Rangers lost the title to Celtic and then lost the Scottish Cup final to Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
. In Europe Rangers were beaten 4–2 by Strasbourg in the first round of the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, after being beaten 4–1 by IFK Gothenburg in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
preliminary round. Smith had spent £13m on eight new players that season alone.
Everton
After qualified success in his native Scotland, Smith's retirement lasted a month as he took the manager's job at Premier League club EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in June 1998. Smith replaced Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
after his third spell as Everton manager, having only avoided relegation in 1998 due to their superior goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
over Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
.
Initially Smith was linked with the managers job at Sheffield Wednesday, but false promises made to him by the Everton chairman of massive transfer funds and unlimited ambition lured Smith to Goodison Park. Smith spent money on players only to discover that it was money the club did not have. When Duncan Ferguson
Duncan Ferguson
Duncan Cowan Ferguson is a Scottish former footballer. He was notorious for his "hardman" image and nicknamed "Big Dunc" and "Duncan Disorderly"....
was sold behind Smith’s back he was tempted to quit. The remainder of his time at Everton revolved around selling the club's top players to balance the books.
Under Smith, Everton finished in the bottom half of the table for three consecutive seasons. The Everton board finally ran out of patience with Smith and he was sacked in March 2002 after an "abject" 3–0 FA Cup Sixth Round defeat to Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, with Everton in real danger of relegation from the Premier League.
He was replaced by David Moyes
David Moyes
David William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
, who delivered Everton to a safe finish in fifteenth place.
Manchester United
In March 2004, Smith returned to football when he had a short spell as assistant manager to Alex FergusonAlex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
at Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at the end of the 2003–04 season.
During this time Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 2004, beating Millwall
Millwall
Millwall is an area in London, on the western side of the Isle of Dogs, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It lies to the south of the developments at West India Docks, including Canary Wharf.-History:...
in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
.
Scotland national team
Smith was appointed manager of the Scottish national teamScotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 2 December 2004, succeeding Berti Vogts
Berti Vogts
Hans-Hubert "Berti" Vogts is a German former footballer. He played for Borussia Mönchengladbach and won the World Cup with West Germany in 1974. He later managed Germany , Scotland and Nigeria...
. Despite a revival of fortunes under Smith, hopes of reaching the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
were dashed after a defeat against Belarus
Belarus national football team
The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk...
.
Scotland's world ranking improved by seventy places by the end of Smith's tenure at Hampden
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. Smith recorded his most famous result as national team manager when Scotland recorded a historic victory over World Cup runners up France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
on 7 October 2006 when they won their Euro 2008 qualifying match 1–0 at Hampden Park and temporarily led their group by three points.
A 2–0 defeat against Ukraine
Ukraine national football team
The Ukraine national football team is the national football team of Ukraine and is controlled by the Football Federation of Ukraine. After Ukrainian Independence and breakaway from the Soviet Union, they played their first match against Hungary on 29 April 1992...
on 11 October 2006 was Smith's team's first of the campaign.
Return to Rangers
On 5 January 2007, press outlets reported that RangersRangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
had spoken to Smith with a view to hiring him to manage Rangers again, with Ally McCoist
Ally McCoist
Alistair Murdoch "Ally" McCoist, MBE ; 24 September 1962) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Rangers in Scotland....
as assistant manager.
On 8 January, the SFA rebuffed Rangers' approach for Smith by refusing to release him from his SFA contract, or to accept his resignation, citing his contractual obligation to the national team until late 2008, during a critical period for the team. Smith's return as Rangers manager was announced on 10 January 2007.
He took over from previous manager Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
who left the club by mutual consent after Rangers had been knocked out of the Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
by Scottish Division One side St. Johnstone and fell 17 points behind league leaders Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
.
Smith's first match in his second spell at Ibrox
Ibrox Stadium
Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium located on the south side of the River Clyde, on Edmiston Drive in the Ibrox district of Glasgow. It is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Rangers and has an all-seated capacity of 51,082...
was a 5–0 win against Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
on 13 January, with two goals from Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Turkish side Eskişehirspor.Boyd grew up in the Ayrshire village of Tarbolton and started his senior career with Kilmarnock. He transferred to Rangers in January 2006, and was Rangers' top goalscorer in each of his...
and one each from Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson
Barry Ferguson MBE is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.Ferguson has made 82 appearances in European competitions, all for Rangers, which makes him the record European appearance holder at the club. He was also inducted into the Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame...
, Chris Burke
Chris Burke (footballer)
Christopher Robert "Chris" Burke is a Scottish footballer who plays for Birmingham City.Burke began his career with Scottish Premier League club Rangers, playing in almost 100 league games, but without establishing himself as a regular first team player. He then played more than 100 matches over...
and Charlie Adam. Smith's first final since his return was secured with a 2–0 win over Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in the 2007–08 Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup 2007-08
The 2007–08 Scottish League Cup was the 62nd staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition, also known for sponsorship reasons as the CIS Insurance Cup....
. Rangers played Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
in the final; the game was drawn 1–1 after normal time, and 2–2 after extra time. The winners were decided by penalty kicks. Rangers won 3–2, with Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Turkish side Eskişehirspor.Boyd grew up in the Ayrshire village of Tarbolton and started his senior career with Kilmarnock. He transferred to Rangers in January 2006, and was Rangers' top goalscorer in each of his...
scoring the winning penalty (as well as the goals for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in normal time and extra time).
In the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
, Walter Smith booked Rangers' first European final for 36 years, after an exit in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
group stage on the final day after good results against VFB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
, Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais is a French association football club based in Lyon. They play in France's highest football division, Ligue 1. The club was formed as Lyon Olympique Universitaire in 1899, according to many supporters and sport historians, but was nationally established as a club in 1950. The...
and FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. In the quarter-final, after a 0–0 home draw with Sporting, Rangers went on to win the away leg 2–0. In the semi-final they drew 0–0 in both legs against Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
and after extra time, they won 4–2 on penalties, taking Rangers to the UEFA Cup Final
2008 UEFA Cup Final
The 2008 UEFA Cup Final was the 37th final of the UEFA Cup, UEFA's second tier club football tournament. The match was played at the City of Manchester Stadium, home ground of Manchester City F.C., in Manchester, England, at 20:45 CEST on 14 May 2008.The match was contested by Zenit St. Petersburg...
in Manchester, which they lost 0–2 to Zenit St. Petersburg.
In the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round, Rangers drew 0–0 with Lithuanian side FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
at Ibrox on 30 July 2008 and lost the return leg 2–1. The loss against Kaunas meant Rangers made an early exit from European competition. Rangers went on to claim the SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
title — Rangers' 52nd Championship — on 24 May 2009. Smith followed this up with the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
a week later to end the season with a League and Cup double.
In December 2009, it was revealed that Smith was to continue as Rangers manager without a contract when it expired the following month. In March 2010, he guided Rangers to win the League Cup
2010 Scottish League Cup Final
The 2010 Scottish League Cup Final was the final match of the 2009–10 Scottish League Cup, the 63rd season of the Scottish League Cup.-St. Mirren:...
after they had been reduced to nine men in the final.
On 25 April 2010, Smith led Rangers to their 53rd title and their second in a row after a 1–0 win away to Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. On 25 May 2010, Smith signed a new one-year deal to continue as Rangers manager throughout the 2010–11 campaign
2010–11 Scottish Premier League
The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011...
, stating that it will be his last as Rangers manager.
In this final season as manager, Smith led Rangers to a back-to-back domestic double, winning the League Cup as well as their 54th league championship, a world record, which was secured on the final day of the season, when Rangers overcame Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
at Rugby Park
Rugby Park
Rugby Park is a football stadium situated in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock. It was first used in 1899 and is the home of Kilmarnock F.C..It underwent a major redevelopment in 1994–95, becoming an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 18,128...
5–1.
Managerial statistics
| eam | at | rom | o | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... |
 |
16 April 1991 | 31 May 1998 |
|||||
| Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
 |
1 July 1998 | 13 March 2002 |
|||||
| Scotland Scotland national football team The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872... |
|
2 December 2004 | 10 January 2007 |
|||||
| Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses... |
|
10 January 2007 | 15 May 2011 |
|||||
| Total |
||||||||
Club
Rangers- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
(10): 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94Scottish Premier Division 1993–94The 1993–1994 Scottish Premier Division season began on 7 August 1993 and was the last season of the twelve-team league, with three teams relegated to make way for the ten-team league the following season.-Overview:...
, 1994–95Scottish Premier Division 1994–95The 1994–95 Scottish Premier Division season began on 13 August 1994 and was the first season of the new-look ten team league.-Overview:...
, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2008–09, 2009–102009–10 Scottish Premier LeagueThe 2009–10 Scottish Premier League season was the twelfth season of the Scottish Premier League. Rangers were the defending champions and they retained the championship with three games to spare by winning 1–0 against Hibernian at Easter Road on 25 April...
, 2010–112010–11 Scottish Premier LeagueThe 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011... - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
(5): 1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96, 2007–08, 2008–09 - Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
(6): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1996–97, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11
Manager of the month awards
- Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Manager of the Month (6): August 2007, January 2008, March 2008, April 2009, December 2009, August 2010
Manager of the year awards
- SPL Manager of the YearScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
(2): 2007–08, 2009–10 - SFWA Manager of the YearSFWA Manager of the YearThe Scottish Football Writers' Association Manager of the Year award is given to the football manager in the top-flight of Scottish football, the Scottish Premier League, whom is seen to have been the best manager of the previous season.The award was first given in 1987, and was won by...
(7): 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2007–08, 2009–102009–10 in Scottish footballThe 2009–10 season was the 113th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* St. Johnstone are competing in the Scottish Premier League for the fifth time, their last season in the top-flight since the 2001–02 season, after being promoted as First Division champions last... - PFA Scotland Manager of the YearPFA Scotland Manager of the YearThe PFA Scotland Manager of the Year is awarded by the Professional Footballers’ Association Scotland to the football manager in Scottish football who is seen to have been the best manager over the previous season...
(1): 2009–102009–10 in Scottish footballThe 2009–10 season was the 113th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* St. Johnstone are competing in the Scottish Premier League for the fifth time, their last season in the top-flight since the 2001–02 season, after being promoted as First Division champions last...