Jimmy Nicholl: This was by best memory from previous Rangers spell
New Rangers assistant manager Jimmy Nicholl is no stranger to the Ibrox giants after two spells as a player in the 1980’s and the 61-year-old has revealed captaining the Gers in his final game in his first spell is his best Old Firm memory.
Nicholl rejoined the Gers on Thursday after almost 30 years away from Ibrox as Graeme Murty looks to add some experience to his backroom staff.
The Northern Irishman played for the Gers in 1983/84 before returning in 1986 and finally leaving in 1989.
Nicholl admitted that being handed the armband for an Old Firm clash filed him with “so much pride” after growing up a fan of the Gers.
“The League Cup final victory over Celtic is certainly one of my best Old Firm memories as is my final game from my first spell at the club,” Nicholl said, as quoted by the club’s official website.
“Celtic came over to Ibrox (on 21 April 1984) and we won 1-0 with Bobby Williamson getting the only goal with an overhead kick. Knowing it was my final game Jock Wallace handed me the captain’s armband on that occasion which filled me with so much pride.
“Unfortunately I was sent off in the 55th minute so I think he probably regretted doing that! After the game he came up to me and said, ‘Nicholl, you are going back to North America on Monday but if we hadn’t won that game you wouldn’t have needed a plane as I would have booted your backside so hard you would have landed in Toronto!’
“It was a great way to end my first stint at the club and when I got the opportunity to come back for a second time in 1986 the club was totally different.”
Nicholl has enjoyed a long career in coaching and was in charge of Raith Rovers when they famously beat Celtic at Ibrox in 1994 to lift the Scottish League Cup and then went on to lead Bayern Munich 1-0 at half-time in the UEFA Cup.
More recently, Nicholl was assistant manager to Falkirk boss Paul Hartley as well assisting Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill at the European Championship in 2016 and during the recently ended World Cup qualifying campaign.
Nicholl will join his new colleagues when they jet out to the United States tomorrow for a training camp and games against Brazilian sides Atletico Mineiro and Corinthians in the Florida Cup.
In other Rangers news, a defender has agreed terms for a temporary ibrox exit.
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