Ally McCoist

Ally McCoist

McCoist in 1994
Personal information
Full name Alistair Murdoch McCoist
Date of birth (1962-09-24) 24 September 1962
Place of birth Bellshill, Scotland
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
Fir Park Boys Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1981 St Johnstone 57 (22)
1981–1983 Sunderland 56 (8)
1983–1998 Rangers 418 (251)
1998–2001 Kilmarnock 53 (9)
Total 584 (290)
National team
1980–1981 Scotland U19 10 (7)
1983 Scotland U21 1 (0)
1986–1998 Scotland 61 (19)
Teams managed
2011–2014 Rangers

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Alistair Murdoch "Ally" McCoist MBE, (/məˈkɔɪst/; 24 September 1962) is a Scottish football player, manager and pundit.

McCoist began his playing career with Scottish club St Johnstone before moving to English side Sunderland in 1981. He returned to Scotland two years later and signed with Rangers. McCoist had a highly successful spell with Rangers, becoming the club's record goalscorer and winning nine successive league championships between 1988–89 and 1996–97. He later played for Kilmarnock. McCoist was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. He is also a member of the Scotland Football Hall of Fame, having gained 61 international caps.

He is currently ranked as the fifth highest goalscorer in the top tier of the Scottish football league system all time, having netted 260 times for Rangers and Kilmarnock between 1983 and 2001. If goals from all divisions are included, he moves up one position to 4th. This is because 22 First Division (second tier) goals from his time with St Johnstone are included, taking his overall Scottish league total to 282. If looking at total goals scored for a Scottish league club, he moves up to 2nd place, with 396 goals from 712 games, behind only Jimmy McGrory, who has 485 goals from 478 games.

Towards the end of his playing career, McCoist started a media career. The most prominent example of this was his team captaincy in the BBC sports quiz A Question of Sport. McCoist reduced his media commitments in 2007, when he became an assistant manager to Walter Smith at Rangers. He succeeded Smith as Rangers manager in 2011, but the club then suffered from serious financial difficulties. Rangers suffered liquidation in 2012 and were then placed in the fourth tier of Scottish league football. McCoist helped them win successive promotions to the second tier, but after a poor start to the 2014–15 season McCoist handed in his 12-months’ notice period in December 2014 and was placed on gardening leave. In September 2015 McCoist and Rangers mutually agreed to terminate his contract.

Playing career

Club

St Johnstone

McCoist's first professional club was St Johnstone, having signed from Fir Park Boys Club in 1978. McCoist had trained with St Mirren as a 16-year-old but was rejected by manager Alex Ferguson for being "too small".[1] He made his debut for St Johnstone on 7 April 1979 in a 3–0 win over Raith Rovers.[2] McCoist didn't score his first goal for the club until netting the third against Dumbarton in a 3–0 win in August 1980.[2] He went on to score 23 goals in 43 appearances that season, including a consolation against Rangers in a 3–1 defeat in Scottish Cup replay.[3]

With several English clubs interested in his signature due to his prolific form with both St Johnstone and the Scotland under-18 side including Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Middlesbrough and Tottenham Hotspur, he started the 1981–82 season in terrific form netting four goals in five League Cup games including the opening goal in a 2–0 win over Celtic at Muirton Park[4] and the consolation in a 4–1 defeat in the corresponding fixture at Parkhead.[5]

Sunderland

Sunderland manager Alan Durban signed McCoist in 1981. The £400,000 transfer fee spent on McCoist made him Sunderland's most expensive ever signing.[6] His time at Sunderland was unsuccessful: McCoist scored only nine goals in 65 appearances for a side struggling at the foot of the English First Division. He only managed two goals during the 1981–82 season, his first coming against Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side and his second a spectacular curling effort from the edge of the box against Southampton.[6]

Three goals in three pre-season games against Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic and former team St Johnstone followed by a goal against European Champions Aston Villa on the opening day of the 1982–83 in a 3–1 win looked to point towards big things to come. He followed this up with a goal against Brighton & Hove Albion meaning he had matched his previous seasons tally midway through September.[6]

October 1982 proved to be the highlight of McCoist's spell with Sunderland as he scored five goals in as many games against Norwich City, Southampton, Manchester City, Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers. With seven goals scored by the end of October big things were expected but McCoist failed to score another goal in Sunderland shirt. Despite this he finished third top scorer for Sunderland in 1982–83, one goal behind Nick Pickering.[6]

Rangers

At the end of the 1982–83 season he returned to Scotland and joined Rangers for a fee of £185,000.[6][7][8] During his fifteen years with Rangers, McCoist achieved an array of honours, including ten league championship medals. This began with a title in the 1986–87 season and included the whole "Nine in a Row" period between 1989 and 1997. McCoist also won a Scottish Cup winners' medal and nine Scottish League Cup winners' medals. He was the first player to be Europe's top goalscorer twice in a row (in 1992 and 1993), as well as being named Scotland's "Player of the Year" in 1992. McCoist is Rangers' all-time leading goalscorer (with 251 league goals; 355 in all competitions).

McCoist made his competitive début for the Ibrox side on the opening day of the 1983–84 season against St Mirren and scored twenty goals that year. The highlight was a hat-trick in the 1983 Scottish League Cup Final victory over Celtic. With Rangers still a team very much in the doldrums, McCoist managed 18 goals the following season as he began to endear himself to the club's fans.

His chirpy nature made him difficult to dislike and he soon earned the nickname "Super Ally" with 24 goals in season 1985–86.[7] He made his international debut against the Netherlands in 1986, the same year Graeme Souness arrived at Rangers to begin the Ibrox revolution. McCoist was an ever-present in Rangers' title-winning side of 1987, scoring 33 goals along the way and another hat-trick in the Glasgow Cup final against Celtic brought further accolades his way.

His tally of 31 goals that season could not prevent Celtic regaining the league title and, although Rangers recaptured their crown in 1988–89, McCoist played only 19 games. That title win was the first of nine-in-a-row, but McCoist found himself in and out of the first team for the first three of those successes.

In September 1987 McCoist was convicted of assault and fined £150 at Hamilton Sheriff Court. This followed an attack on a 19-year-old outside an East Kilbride nightclub in the early hours of 5 December 1986. A verdict of not proven was returned against Ted McMinn and Iain Durrant in relation to the incident.[9][10][11] McCoist and Durrant were each fined £1500 by Rangers.[10]

When Walter Smith took over from Souness, McCoist returned to the fore and won both Players' Player of the Year and the Sportswriters' award after scoring 34 goals in season 1991–92 as Rangers completed a domestic double. Those goals won him the European Golden Boot – the first time a Scot had won the award – and he repeated that feat a year later. That despite breaking his leg against Portugal playing for Scotland in April and missing the last seven matches of the season.[12]

His appearances were limited over the following two seasons as a result of niggling injuries though, in typical fashion, he came off the bench to score an overhead kick to win the 1993 League Cup final against Hibernian.[7] He played more regularly in the 1995–96 season, scoring 16 goals before netting a spectacular long-range drive at UEFA Euro 1996 for Scotland against Switzerland. His last appearance in a Rangers jersey came in the 1998 Scottish Cup Final when he scored in a 2–1 defeat by Heart of Midlothian.[13]

At Rangers, McCoist became the club's record goalscorer, netting 355 goals. In addition to this, McCoist holds the Rangers records for number of league goals scored, number of Scottish League Cup goals scored and the most goals scored by a player in European competitions with 251, 54 and 21 respectively. McCoist is also third in the all-time appearance table for Rangers, having made 581 appearances for the club.

Kilmarnock

McCoist finished his career at Kilmarnock, where he spent three seasons after leaving Rangers in 1998. He retired from playing on 20 May 2001 at the age of 38, after playing 50 minutes of a league win at home to Celtic.[14]

International

McCoist appeared 10 times for the Scotland national under-18 football team. He made his debut in a European Under-18 Championship qualifier against Iceland netting the only goal of the game after 19 minutes. He followed this up by scoring in the return leg, a 3–1 victory which secured Scotland's qualification for the following summer's European Under-18 Championships.

He found the net again in his third appearance, a 3–1 victory over Northern Ireland. His next three appearances came in the prestigious Monaco Youth Tournament, a 1–0 defeat to West Germany, a 2–0 victory over Switzerland and a 1–1 draw with France taking his tally to five goals in six appearances.

McCoist was then selected for Scotland's semi-professional side for a four team tournament in the Netherlands however he failed to make an appearance.

At the European Under-18 Finals Scotland found themselves in a group with Austria, Spain and defending Under-18 Champions England. McCoist started all three games, as Scotland defeated both Austria and England 1–0 with McCoist netting the winner against the Auld Enemy meaning the final group game against the Spanish would decide the group. Again McCoist scored, a superb free-kick in a 1–1 draw. Unfortunately this result saw Scotland eliminated on goal difference.

McCoist made his Scotland debut on 29 April 1986, in a 0–0 friendly match against Netherlands.[15]

McCoist started just one game at the 1990 World Cup in Italy after being an integral part of the qualification bid.

He captained Scotland once, against Australia on 27 March 1996. McCoist went on to score the winner in a 1–0 win at Hampden Park after 55 minutes.[16] He is Scotland's fifth-highest scorer, with 19 goals.

Managerial career

McCoist celebrating with the SPL trophy in 2009

McCoist joined the Scotland coaching staff under his former manager at Rangers, Walter Smith in 2004. He turned down the managerial position at Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 2006 as he wanted a job nearer his Glasgow home.[17]

Rangers

Smith's assistant (2007–11)

McCoist returned to Rangers as an assistant manager to Walter Smith in January 2007.[18] After Rangers' victory over Queen of the South in the 2008 Scottish Cup Final, Smith revealed that McCoist had been in charge of the team for the entire cup campaign.[19] On 22 February 2011 he was announced as the new Rangers manager, with effect from June 2011.[20]

2011–12 season

McCoist's first competitive game in charge of Rangers came on 23 July 2011, a 1–1 draw at home to Hearts on the opening day of the 2011–12 SPL.[21] After the game McCoist complained to BBC Scotland about a report that he argued misrepresented his view on violence after Old Firm derbies and the cost of policing the matches.[22] The BBC stood by the report but upheld the complaint about the way the piece had been edited. On Tuesday 26 July 2011, the BBC issued an apology to McCoist and he, in turn, dropped his ban on speaking to them.[23] In April 2011, McCoist had called for Rangers supporters who sung offensive chants to be arrested.[24]

McCoist took charge of his first European game on 26 July 2011 at home to Swedish side Malmö FF in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League third round qualifier, losing 1–0 to suffer his first defeat as Rangers manager.[25] His first win came on 30 July, away to St Johnstone with a 2–0 scoreline, goals coming from Nikica Jelavić and Steven Naismith.[26] McCoist's first Champions League campaign ended at the first hurdle after drawing 1–1 away to Malmo in the Third qualifying round second leg, losing 2–1 on aggregate and having Madjid Bougherra and Steven Whittaker sent off.[27] Despite dropping into the Europa League, McCoist's first European campaign as Rangers manager ended early after another defeat over two legs in the play-off round by NK Maribor.[28]

McCoist made a promising start to his first SPL campaign as manager, with Rangers topping the SPL after the first five fixtures and conceding only one goal. His first Old Firm match as manager was a 4–2 win over Celtic at Ibrox,[29] but his side were shocked by First Division Falkirk in the League Cup with 3–2 loss a few days later.[30] McCoist suffered a fourth cup competition exit of the season on 5 February 2012, in a 2–0 defeat at home to Dundee Utd in the Scottish Cup fifth round.[31]

Despite being within four points of Celtic at the top of the table in February, having been fifteen points clear of their arch rivals at one stage,[32] Rangers' SPL title challenge was virtually ended after the club entered administration on 14 February 2012 and was docked ten points as a consequence.[33] McCoist was able to see out the season with Rangers finishing in second place despite the points deduction. His popularity increased with Rangers fans after passionately committing his future to the club in the middle of financial crisis.[34]

2012–13 season

Following the rejection of a company voluntary arrangement by HM Revenue & Customs, the business and assets of Rangers were sold to a consortium led by Charles Green. During this process there was heavy press speculation that McCoist would leave the club,[35] but he decided to stay after talks with Green.[36] McCoist then worked alongside Green as the club were placed in the Scottish Third Division.[37]

Rangers won the Third Division championship and promotion to the third tier.[38][39] Rangers exited the Scottish Challenge Cup by losing to Queen of the South in a penalty shootout.[40] They defeated Motherwell in the League Cup, but lost 3–0 to Inverness in the quarter final at Ibrox. Rangers also suffered a 3–0 defeat in the Scottish Cup, against Dundee United at Tannadice.

2013–14 season

Rangers won the Scottish League One championship and promotion to the second tier, as they became the first Rangers side in 115 years to go an entire league season unbeaten. They also progressed to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup, but lost 3–1 to Dundee United at Ibrox. Rangers reached the 2014 Scottish Challenge Cup Final, but lost 1–0 after extra time to Raith Rovers at Easter Road. They suffered a first round defeat in the Scottish League Cup at Forfar Athletic.

2014–15 season

Rangers fell behind Hearts in the 2014–15 Scottish Championship, as they lost 2–1 at home and 2–0 away to the Edinburgh club. Rangers progressed to the semi-finals of the 2014–15 Scottish League Cup, but suffered an embarrassing defeat in the 2014–15 Scottish Challenge Cup against Alloa Athletic. McCoist submitted formal notice of his intention to resign as manager in December 2014 and began serving a 12-month notice period.[41] Later in December, McCoist left his position with Rangers and was placed on gardening leave.[42] This continued until September 2015, when McCoist and Rangers agreed to terminate his contract.[43]

Career statistics

Playing

Club

[44][45][46][47]

Club performance League National Cup League Cup Europe Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
1978–79St JohnstoneFirst Division400000–40
1979–801501000–160
1980–8138223120–4323
1981–82000054–54
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
1981–82SunderlandFirst Division2823010–322
1982–832861041–337
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
1983–84RangersPremier Division30843109304720
1984–8525123065413818
1985–8633251141204027
1986–8744341052625638
1987–8840312156645342
1988–891998544203318
1989–9034142044–4018
1990–9126112143433618
1991–9238345441204939
1992–9334344558925249
1993–942176311–2811
1994–95910000–91
1995–9625162143603720
1996–9725103133663720
1997–981554434432616
1998–99KilmarnockPremier League2671021–298
1999–200091001220123
2000–011812022–223
Total Scotland 528282543074635621712396
England 5684051–659
Career total 584290583079645621777405

International goals

Scotland score listed first, score column indicates score after each McCoist goal.[48][49][50][51][52][53][54]

Managerial

As of 24 December 2014[55]
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Rangers Scotland 1 June 2011 21 December 2014 164 119 22 23 72.56

List of seasons

Champions Runners-up Third / SF Promoted Unfinished
Season Club Nat Domestic Continental Trophies
League Cup LC CC UCL UEL
2011–12 Rangers Scotland 2nd 5R 3R N/A 3QF P-OR 0
2012–13 Rangers Scotland 1st 5R QF QF N/A N/A 1
2013–14 Rangers Scotland 1st SF 1R RU N/A N/A 1
2014–15 Rangers Scotland 3rd 5R SF SF N/A N/A 0

Honours

Player

Rangers

Manager

Rangers

Individual

Career outside football

McCoist is also known for his television work. He was a team captain on the BBC's A Question of Sport from 1996 to 2007, making a record 363 appearances on the show.[57] He also co-presented a late night chat show McCoist and MacAulay for BBC Scotland from 1998 to 1999 alongside comedian Fred MacAulay. In 2000, McCoist also starred in the film A Shot at Glory alongside Robert Duvall, playing Jackie McQuillan, a fictional legendary ex-Celtic player.[7]

McCoist was also a regular pundit for ITV Sport's football coverage. McCoist, along with John Motson, are ex-commentators for the FIFA video games series by EA Sports. They were replaced by Clive Tyldesley and Andy Gray for FIFA 2006 but returned with Motson for FIFA Manager 08. In 2001, McCoist won Sports Presenter of the Year at the TRIC Awards.[58]

In May 2006, he was part of the historic first European Selection, led by Terry Venables, which saw its debut game in Eindhoven in the first EFPA match-up against a Dutch selection of all-time greats.

In 2010, he stood alongside English football commentator Martin Tyler as co-commentator for matches such as Germany vs Australia in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa for television cable sports network ESPN.[59]

Awards

On 10 June 1994, McCoist was awarded an MBE for services to football. He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and is also a member of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame. McCoist was inducted into the Scotland national football team roll of honour in March 1996, when he was awarded his 50th international cap.[60]

References

  1. ↑ "Sportsound". BBC Scotland. 5 October 2008.
  2. 1 2 "History - Significant Saints - Ally McCoist". St Johnstone FC Official Website. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  3. ↑ Turnbull, Simon (14 January 2007). "Stokes and the McCoist parallel". The Independent. London. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  4. ↑ Paul, Ian (13 August 1981). "McCoist puts Celtic on road to defeat". The Glasgow Herald. p. 20. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Paul, Ian (20 August 1981). "Celtic are simply leagues ahead". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Ally McCoist - Sunderland FC". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Ally McCoist & Rangers: A long association as player and manager". BBC. BBC Sport. 21 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Life and times of Ally McCoist". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 May 2001.
  9. ↑ Not even Tin Man could carry can for Souness after Accies earthquake Daily Mail, 24 October 2008
  10. 1 2 Souness broke off our big title party to fine me pounds 1500; SAYS IAN DURRANT Daily Record, 8 April 1998
  11. ↑ Footballer fined 150 pounds for assault, The Guardian, 25 September 1987
  12. ↑ Bob Ferrier, Robert McElroy (2005). Rangers: The Complete Record. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-481-7.
  13. ↑ Philip, Calum (17 May 1998). "Scottish Cup Final: Stage of dramatic Hearts". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "McCoist takes final bow". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 May 2001. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  15. ↑ "Netherlands 0–0 Scotland" Scottish FA
  16. ↑ "Scotland 1–0 Australia" Scottish FA
  17. ↑ "Ally McCoist Factfile" The Telegraph, 10 January 2007
  18. ↑ "Smith appointed boss of Rangers". BBC Sport. 10 January 2007.
  19. ↑ "Smith in McCoist revelation" Sky Sports, 25 May 2008
  20. ↑ "McCoist thrilled with future role as Rangers boss". BBC Sport. 26 May 2010.
  21. ↑ "Rangers 1–1 Hearts". BBC Sport. 23 July 2011.
  22. ↑ McCoist bans BBC after accusing them of twisting sectarianism programme Daily Mail, 26 July 2011
  23. ↑ "BBC Radio Scotland to cover Rangers v Malmo tie". BBC Sport. 26 July 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  24. ↑ Gers assistant Ally McCoist wants chant fans arrested BBC Sport, 19 April 2011
  25. ↑ "Rangers 0–1 Malmo" BBC Sport, 26 July 2011
  26. ↑ "St Johnstone 0–2 Rangers" BBC Sport, 30 July 2011
  27. ↑ "Malmo 1–1 Rangers (agg 2–1)" BBC Sport, 3 August 2011
  28. ↑ "Rangers 1–1 NK Maribor (agg 2–3)" BBC Sport, 25 August 2011
  29. ↑ "Rangers 4–2 Celtic" BBC Sport, 18 September 2011
  30. ↑ "Falkirk 3–2 Rangers" BBC Sport, 21 September 2011
  31. ↑ "Rangers 0–2 Dundee Utd" BBC Sport, 5 February 2012
  32. ↑ "Rangers 3–1 Dundee Utd" BBC Sport, 5 November 2011
  33. ↑ "Rangers' 10-point deduction confirmed by SPL" BBC Sport, 14 February 2012
  34. ↑ "McCoist rallying call! 'We don't do walking away' as Rangers crisis grows" Daily Mail, 17 February 2012
  35. ↑ "McCoist on the brink at Rangers as crisis club hurtle towards liquidation" Daily Mail, 14 June 2012
  36. ↑ "We want Ally to stay: McCoist has Ibrox future after talks with new chief Green" Daily Mail, 15 June 2012
  37. ↑ "Rangers: Charles Green accepts Division Three vote" BBC Sport, 13 July 2012
  38. ↑ "Rangers star Lee McCulloch hails third division win as his 'favourite' title". The Courier. Dundee. 1 April 2013.
  39. ↑ Yorke, Graeme (31 March 2013). "Rangers boss McCoist delighted to be crowned champions despite Montrose draw". Daily Mail.
  40. ↑ "Ramsdens Cup: Rangers 2–2 Queen of the South (3–4 pens)" BBC Sport, 18 September 2012
  41. ↑ "Rangers: Ally McCoist 'still committed' after handing in notice". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  42. ↑ McLaughlin, Chris (21 December 2014). "Ally McCoist: Rangers manager leaves club & on gardening leave". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  43. ↑ "Rangers & Ally McCoist reach contract termination agreement". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  44. ↑ "Ally McCoist". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  45. ↑ "Ally McCoist". National Football Teams. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  46. ↑ "Ally McCoist". The Stat Cat. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  47. ↑ "McCoist, Ally". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  48. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1987-88". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  49. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1988-89". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  50. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1989-90". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  51. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1990-91". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  52. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1991-92". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  53. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1992-93". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  54. ↑ "Scotland: McCoist, Ally 1995-96". FitbaStats. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  55. ↑ "Ally McCoist's managerial career". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  56. ↑ José Luis, Pierrend (26 March 2005). "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1987". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 October 2016.
  57. ↑ "Question of sport history". BBC. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
  58. ↑ 2001 TRIC Awards – Winners BBC. 13 March 2001. Retrieved 14 September 2013.
  59. ↑ "ESPN and ESPN Radio Commentator Assignments for 2010 FIFA World Cup" Live Soccer TV, 26 May 2010
  60. ↑ Brown, Alan; Tossani, Gabriele (14 April 2016). "Scotland - International Matches 1996-2001". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 June 2016.

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