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Daily Record
Sport
Gavin Berry

6 of Andy Goram's biggest moments as Rangers legend became a Tommy Burns meme and shock transfer emerged

He is regarded as one of Rangers and Scotland’s greatest ever goalkeepers.

But now Andy Goram has revealed he’s facing up to the biggest battle of his life after opening up on his battle with cancer.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Record , the 58-year-old told how he has been given just six months to live – news that has shocked the football world.

Former club Rangers revealed last month he was undergoing treatment and now Goram has told of the the heartbreaking diagnosis.

Goram had a colourful career after first joining Hibs in Scotland from Oldham before moving to Ibrox where he was part of Walter Smith’s legendary nine-in-a-row side.

Here, Record Sport looks back on some of his most notable moments in a career spanning more than 20 years.

(Allsport)

Point blank Pierre stop

It’s difficult to pick out one save given he made so many but the stop to deny Pierre van Hooijdonk from point-blank range in a 3-3 thriller at Ibrox is arguably his best.

With he game on a knife-edge at 2-2 at that stage, the Dutchman looked certain to score but Goram somehow kept out his shot.

It’s a save that is still lauded but Hooijdonk later said: “No disrespect to Andy, but I blame myself more for not scoring than I give him credit for the save.

“Rangers fans do the opposite, but I should have done better than hitting it straight in the middle of the goal.”

Transfer listed at Rangers

Goram was never far from controversy during his career but pushed things too far which saw him feel the full wrath of Walter Smith.

The keeper missed the 1994 Scottish Cup Final defeat to Dundee United and was told by Smith to go on a family holiday to soak up some sun and prepare for the following campaign.

However, a quiet break in Tenerife turned into an extended boys holiday after he bumped into ex-Oldham Athletic team-mates who were drowning their sorrows after relegation.

(SNS Group 0141 221 3602)

"I ended up in a rammy with a Dundee United fan in Veronicas trying to be a smart one,” he later explained. “He tried to throw a hook at me and I end up knocking him out.

“I came back and the gaffer put me on the transfer list. Which is rightly so. I was in tears and I'll never forget it.”

But that was enough to shock him into action and after improving his fitness Smith took him off the list and the rest is history.

Tommy Burns quote

Former Celtic manager Tommy Burns assembled a free-flowing Hoops side that came so close to winning the title.

Goram illustrated the fine margin between success and failure with some outstanding saves in Old Firm derby clashes.

And it was after one match in particular when Burns showed his neat sense of humour to sum up his feelings towards Goram.

The Rangers keeper pulled off a stunning save to touch a Phil O’Donnell shot onto the post in a goalless Ne’erday clash at Parkhead.

Afterwards Burns said: "When I pass away you can put it on my tombstone `Goram broke my heart’.”

Quiz question leaves some stumped

Who has represented Scotland at two different sports? It’s a bit of trivia to which Goram is the answer after he played for his country at both cricket and football.

Goram was a keen cricketer and played four times for Scotland before focusing on his more lucrative football career.

But he remains the only person to have played in a first-class cricket match and a full international football match for Scotland.

World Cup walkout

Andy Goram was part of the Scotland squad for both the 1986 and 1990 World Cups and would have gone to France 98 before he controversially quit ahead of the tournament.

Andy Goram at Euro (PA Archive/Press Association Images)

He hit the headlines for an alleged an affair with a Celtic employee.

The pressure of the situation became too much and he quit Craig Brown’s squad just two weeks before Scotland’s opener against Brazil in Paris.

Signing for Manchester United

Talk about a bolt from the blue. Goram was at Motherwell when he answered Sir Alex Ferguson’s SOS call.

Manchester United were without a goalkeeper as Mark Bosnich had departed Old Trafford a couple of hours earlier and Fabien Barthez and Raimond van der Gouw were both injured

The idea came from United boss Ferguson’s brother Martin who was his scout and a £100,000 loan move was agreed.

Smith had told Goram to keep his phone on but the keeper still thought it was ex-team-mate Ally McCoist at the wind-up.

But it was deadly serious and he made his debut against Coventry City and he didn’t look too clever with John Hartson scoring twice for the visitors at Old Trafford.

United still won 4-2 with Goram substituted in what was a pre-planned move so Van der Gouw qualified for a Premier League winners’ medal.

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