Davie Wilson

Wilson, a native of the mining village of Newton just outside Glasgow, was a Rangers supporter in childhood. On a visit to Ibrox Stadium he received advice from former star Alan Morton who played left wing, the position in which Wilson became established. As a teenager he was rejected by local Junior club Cambuslang Rangers for being too small, and instead began his career at Baillieston. He soon came to the attention of Rangers who signed him in 1956.

Rangers

Wilson made his first-team debut on 2 January 1957 just prior to his 20th birthday, was selected for European matches against AS Saint-Étienne and AC Milan and played sufficient games for a League winner's medal in 1959, but it was not until the 1959–60 season that he became a regular in the side. He also began to score frequently, with 22 goals from 50 appearances in all competitions having only scored 8 in 51 in his first three seasons combined. Rangers reached the semi-finals of the European Cup and won the Scottish Cup. The following season was even more successful, as Rangers won the Scottish Football League and the Scottish League Cup. Wilson played every minute of the campaign's 56 matches and scored over 20 goals, forming part of what would become known as one of the greatest Rangers forward lines, along with Ralph Brand, Jimmy Millar and Willie Henderson, supported by Jim Baxter. However, there was disappointment in the European Cup Winners' Cup as Fiorentina overcame Rangers in the final. 1961–62…

Having appeared for the Under-23 side, Wilson made 22 full appearances for Scotland between 1960 and 1965, scoring ten goals; he was in the squad which won the 1961–62 and 1962–63 editions of the British Home Championship with perfect records. He enjoyed three wins over rivals England, including scoring in 1962 at Hampden, and playing most of the 1963 fixture at Wembley at left back after his Rangers mate Eric Caldow had his leg broken (before the days of substitutions); he had also featured and scored in Scotland's embarrassing 9–3 defeat in 1961. Wilson also represented the Scottish League XI seven times, scoring three goals. In 2014, Wilson was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame, which he described as his "greatest honour".

Having served as assistant manager to Alex Wright at Dumbarton – during which time the Sons reached the semi-final stage of the 1975–76 Scottish Cup – Wilson had two spells as manager of the Boghead Park club (1976–1978 and 1984–1986), developing players such as Murdo MacLeod, Graeme Sharp and Graeme Sinclair in his first stint and taking the side into the Premier Division in his second, widely regarded as a commendable achievement for a part-time club. After a short period as assistant to John Lambie at Hamilton Academical, during which they knocked Rangers out of the 1986–87 Scottish Cup, Wilson also had a spell as manager of Dumfries club Queen of the South, taking over after the surprise resignation of promotion winning Nobby Clark.

In retirement Wilson remained an enthusiastic supporter of Rangers, attending many matches and functions and commenting on the club's struggles. He was also an after-dinner speaker. In his spare time he kept racing pigeons, and was a lifelong teetotaler and non-smoker. Davie was a family man who loved his family dearly; his wife Avril, daughter Sheena, son David and his beloved grandchildren Carly, Harry, Anna, David and latterly Billy. An authorised biography, Wilson on the Wing, was published in 2020. He died on 13 June 2022, aged 85, released to press on 14 June.