I'm blue for you

[ian1964 10,707]

MARK WALTERS rejected a plea from Sir David Murray to snub Liverpool and stay at Rangers.

 

Now he looks back and confesses he may have been WRONG to turn his back on Ibrox.

 

Walters was a right-wing revelation for the Gers, scoring an impressive 51 goals in 143 games, including an extra-time winner in an Old Firm Cup Final.

 

But the skilful wideboy followed Graeme Souness to Anfield in 1991, despite a last-ditch offer from Gers chairman Murray to spearhead the Rangers attack under new boss Walter Smith. Walters said: ââ?¬Å?It was very hard for me to leave. I was happy and we had won three titles in a row.

 

ââ?¬Å?But when Liverpool came in it was different.

 

ââ?¬Å?It wasnââ?¬â?¢t just any old club, it was Englandââ?¬â?¢s most successful club and I felt it was too good a chance to miss.

 

ââ?¬Å?Sir David Murray tried to convince me to stay and warned me Iââ?¬â?¢d regret moving, and maybe I do, but I felt I had to accept a new challenge.ââ?¬Â

 

Walters arrived at Ibrox on New Year�s Eve 1987. His early games were blighted by sickening racist chants and abuse, but he brushed them off and won the crowd over with the magic in his boots.

 

He had burst onto the English scene with Aston Villa, but as the Midlands club struggled the winger�s career stalled. Until Gers boss Souness swooped.

 

In just over three years in Govan, Walters won three league titles and two Skol Cups, but alongside the glorious highs there were rare disappointments.

 

He admitted: ââ?¬Å?Villa were a sleeping giant and my career wasnââ?¬â?¢t really going anywhere. I needed a change and was delighted when Rangers came in.

 

ââ?¬Å?They were a huge club playing regularly in Europe, so for me it was a dream switch.

 

ââ?¬Å?There was a bit of racism from a minority in my first few games, but Iââ?¬â?¢d encountered a little of it in England so I wasnââ?¬â?¢t too affected by that.

 

ââ?¬Å?Winning the league and scoring in cup finals were memories Iââ?¬â?¢ll never forget, while Iââ?¬â?¢ll also never forget my first Gers goal, which was against Raith Rovers.

 

ââ?¬Å?My biggest disappointment was losing the 1989 Scottish Cup Final.

 

ââ?¬Å?We were after a treble, but we lost it at the final hurdle to Celtic, which made it doubly difficult.

 

ââ?¬Å?But in the main all my memories of Ibrox are happy ones.ââ?¬Â

 

Walters played alongside some of football�s top stars in his time with Rangers, Liverpool and Villa.

 

But just who would he select for his dream XI? SunSport took him down memory lane to find out.

 

Chris Woods: Great all-round keeper, as brilliant at dominating his box and claiming crosses as he was shot-stopping. My Rangers team-mate would have had more caps had he not been Peter Shilton�s understudy.

 

Steve Nicol: Great engine and comfortable, and good enough, to play anywhere across the Liverpool back four or the midfield.

 

Richard Gough: Another Ibrox team-mate and another very comfortable on the ball. He scored a lot of goals as well and he was so fit.

 

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Terry Butcher: Richard�s centre-half partner and another brilliant player. He had a fantastic range of passing and a never-say-die attitude. Great leader in the dressing room.

 

Tony Dorigo: Great athlete who got up and down the park all day. We played together at Villa and, like the others in my dream team defence, Tony was capable of scoring goals.

 

Mark Walters: I gave a decent run of goals for my position but I also made a few and liked to try and entertain the fans.

 

Gordon Cowans: Deceptively strong for a small guy and never shirked a tackle. Technically very good and ran all day.

 

Ian Durrant: Would have been among the best in the world had he not had that injury. I considered him world-class in his early 20s. He�d have been the Scottish version of someone like Gazza for his ability on the ball.

 

John Barnes: Born entertainer but very disciplined defensively. He scored a lot of goals and it was a pleasure to play alongside him at Liverpool.

 

Ian Rush: Many headlines for his goals but there was so much more to his game. He helped start so many attacks for Liverpool by winning the ball off the opposition defenders.

 

Peter Withe: Scored Villa winner in the European Cup Final. Great foil for Rush, holding the ball up as the target man.

 

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/article2378914.ece

[CammyF 7,742]

I read this on another forum this morning and was concerned with this part of the 'interview' ;

 

Walters arrived at Ibrox on New Year�s Eve 1987. His early games were blighted by sickening racist chants and abuse, but he brushed them off and won the crowd over with the magic in his boots.

 

It once again implies that Mark Walters was racially abused by Rangers fans. This myth has been allowed to spread since those shocking, horrible and vile scenes at Parkhead and Tynecastle. History has now been altered and instead of Celtc and Hearts fans (and a Hamilton player) being blamed for the worst outpouring of racial hatred in Scotland, it has landed on our doorstep.

 

Nevermind, I'm sure our highly paid PR Firm are currently in contact with The Sun to put them right on this issue.

 

Cammy F