THREE European cups, numerous titles both north and south of the border: Graeme Souness did pretty much everything there is to do in a remarkable football career as first player then manager.
And he was no stranger to a bit of aggro too, as Hibs star George McCluskey could attest after he was the victim of a horror tackle which saw him sent off on his debut.
Graeme Souness in action for Rangers vs Spurs[/caption]
Graeme Souness attends a recent clash between Rangers and Motherwell[/caption]
And one of the most famous days in his illustrious career came against Rangers’ Europa League rivals Fenerbahce.
This was the 1996 Turkish Cup final, when a Dean Saunders goal deep in extra time at the home of their greatest rivals on the cup in the second leg.
He promptly marched out to plant a Galatasaray flag in the centre circle.
But it turns out that is only part of the story – because it has emerged that Souness then came to blows with an enraged Fenerbahce fan, who got more than he bargained for when he came on to confront the former Rangers, Liverpool and Scotland star.
Dean Saunders – a man signed no fewer than FIVE times by Souness, and speaking on the latest edition of the Let’s Be Frank podcast with Frank McAvennie – picks up the narrative.
He said: “They’re very proud people in Turkey and Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, you go over the bridge and you are in Asia. Fenerbahce is in Asia, Galatasaray are in Europe – kind of.
“It’s up there as one of the most famous games EVER in Turkey – when Graeme put the flag into the centre circle.
“That was the cup final – Graeme put the flag in the ground because when he got the job at Galatasaray one of the directors at Fenerbahce said ‘why are you giving the job to a cripple?;
“Because Graeme had had a heart bypass operation.
“He remembered that – and then we beat them in the seocnd leg of the cup final with 60,000 there. I scored in the 118th minute or something like that.
“So they’re obviously gutted – but just to add a bit of spice to it, Graeme has then run into the centre circle with the biggest flag ever and stuck it in.
“This is like Rangers-Celtic.
“He ran off and as he ran off I said ‘all the best!’
“As he was going to the dressing room this fan jumped over the fence and Graeme chinned him. Bang. Knocked him out, he was unconscious before he was on the floor.
“You know the riot police with the shields, they were all booting him on the floor. They were all Galatasaray fans, the police that were there.
“You know when you’ve won a final and everyone is opening bottles of champagne, everyone is jumping and singing.
“I looked to my left and Graeme Souness has got his hand in an ice bucket. He knows he’s broken his hand.
“Then the strangest ever thing, I look to the right and my mum and dad are sitting in the dressing room!
Dean Saunders during his time managing Crawley Town[/caption]
“My dad can get in anywhere, but this is another level. I think ‘how have you got in here’.
“You know when you go over to him and give them a hug, I said ‘how have you got in here?’
“They went, what happened outside, because the whole stadium turned on us, in the directors box they saw Galatasaray people in the directors box and the only safe place in the stadium was our dressing room.
“So they brought a few people, some of the parents, into the dressing room, to keep them safe.
Galatasaray’s Dean Saunders celebrates a goal against Sparta Prague.[/caption]
“At least my mum and dad got to see it all! And we’re supposed to go back this month for an anniversary of the game.
“Graeme Souness, if he had played for either team, he is like an out and out winner. That’s the best way to describe it. Nothing matters apart from three points. I’ve been with him a long time.”
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