Davie Wilson

David Wilson (10 January 1937 – 13 June 2022) was a Scottish international footballer who played as an outside left. He was perhaps best known for his decade at Rangers in which he played an important role in the club's success of the early 1960s; he also made over 100 appearances for Dundee United.

Wilson was also selected 22 times for the Scotland national team, and was later a manager, primarily at Dumbarton where he had ended his playing career.

Club career 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. 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

1961–62 ended with Scottish Cup and League Cup victories, Four days later on 21 March he scored a hat-trick for the Scottish League in a 4–3 victory against the English League at Villa Park. Around that time he declined an approach from Everton for what would have been a British record transfer fee. The next year brought a League and Cup double and Wilson hit over 30 goals, including four in one match against Partick and one in the replayed cup final against Celtic.

In 1963–64, Wilson missed a large part of the winter through injury – a broken ankle However, in 1965 they only finished in fifth place after Baxter broke a leg, although he played his part in the run including the winning goal in the semi-final, away to Slavia Sofia.

Wilson departed from Ibrox aged 30, having scored a total of 159 goals in 382 matches in all competitions. He was naturally right-footed, and became adept at dribbling with either foot, crossing from the byline on the left, and cutting inside to shoot powerfully with his stronger foot or connect with through balls – tactics which brought an impressive goal tally particularly for a player who was not a dedicated striker (he is ranked seventh of all post-WWII scorers for Rangers). He has since been inducted to the Rangers Hall of Fame. His time with the club coincided with that of future Rangers boss Walter Smith, whose father had worked with Wilson whilst he was apprenticed to a local steelworks in the village of Westburn, and who would later be signed by Wilson's backroom team in his time as an assistant manager. In 2017 Wilson became a member of United's Hall of Fame.

Dumbarton Wilson moved to Dumbarton in January 1972, helped the club win promotion at the end of that season. He retired as a player at the end of the following campaign in 1973, aged 36, after helping Dumbarton maintain their status in the top division; he thereafter became a coach at the club.

International career 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);

In 2014, Wilson was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame, which he described as his "greatest honour". – 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.

Personal life In retirement Wilson remained an enthusiastic supporter of Rangers, attending many matches and functions and commenting on the club's struggles. In his spare time he kept racing pigeons, and was a lifelong teetotaler and non-smoker.

He died on 13 June 2022, aged 85, released to press on 14 June.

Career statistics Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Wilson goal.

Honours

As player Rangers Scottish League Championship: 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64 Scottish Cup: 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66 Scottish League Cup: 1960–61, 1961–62 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: runner-up 1960–61

Scotland British Home Championship: 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64 (shared)

As manager Dumbarton Scottish First Division promotion: 1983–84 Stirlingshire Cup: 1985–86