Walter Smith

Dundee United

Smith was one of three Ashfield players signed by Dundee United manager Jerry Kerr in 1966, joining the club in November shortly after teammates Jim Cameron and Gerry Hernon. A versatile player, Smith appeared for the reserve team in a number of positions, initially as a right-half. He made his first team debut in a Scottish Football League match against Kilmarnock on 20 March 1967. He continued to play regularly for the reserves, but made only a handful of first-team appearances for Dundee United over the next four years until establishing himself in the latter part of the 1970–71 season. He also played for the Dallas Tornado in the United Soccer Association in 1967, when their roster was supplemented with Dundee United players. Smith remained a regular first-team player for United until 1974, often in central defence. His future coaching mentor Jim McLean became manager in December 1971, and the following month his future managerial assistant Archie Knox became a teammate. In September 1973, Smith scored the only goal of the game as United defeated Dundee in the Dundee derby; he celebrated by kissing his boot, a gesture which he was later embarrassed by. He played in the 1974 Scottish Cup Final against Celtic, Dundee United's first appearance in a major final, but finished with a runners-up medal following a 3–0 defeat. Smith played less regularly the following season, and in September 1975 was sold to Dumbarton. He had played in 108 league games,…

Coaching Dundee United and Scotland

He developed his coaching skills as assistant manager to Jim McLean, at a time when Dundee United were Scottish champions and European Cup semi-finalists. 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 1980s, Smith could become ferociously angry and was known to deal out punches to enforce discipline. He joined Dundee United's board of directors in 1986. In 1978, he was appointed coach of the Scotland Under-18 team, and helped them 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. Ferguson commented on Smith by saying: "There are few people in the game with his experience, knowledge and technical ability."

Rangers

In late February 1986, Smith attended a meeting the Gleneagles Hotel at which he was informed that Graeme Souness was to be appointed player-manager of Rangers, and the latter wanted Smith as his assistant. Smith accepted the offer and within a few weeks Rangers made an official approach to Dundee United, who demanded £50,000 in compensation. The then Rangers chief executive David Holmes duly paid that amount, and Smith was allowed to join Rangers on 16 April. Smith was initially placed in temporary charge of the first team whilst…

Smith was born in Lanark, but grew up in the Carmyle district in the East End of Glasgow, and was a boyhood fan of Rangers. He was employed by the South of Scotland Electricity Board, and played youth football for Drumchapel Amateurs, before launching his football career in the 1960s with Junior League team Ashfield.

Smith was married to Ethel, with whom he had two sons. Smith was a close friend of former Celtic player and manager Tommy Burns. He was a pallbearer at Burns's funeral in 2008. Politically, Smith described himself as a socialist and said he was brought up with "socialist principles". During the 2014 Scottish independence referendum Smith was a supporter of the Better Together campaign against Scottish independence. He underwent an unspecified medical operation in March 2021 that required him to stay in hospital.