Andy Goram ’s ex-wife Miriam Wylie has revealed how the pair became best friends after their divorce – and that she helped him through his final days.
Miriam held the former Rangers goalkeeper’s hand and tearfully declared how much he meant to her as he battled cancer. She said: “Our marriage may not have lasted but our love always did and I will miss him.”
Goram lost his fight with oesophageal cancer last Saturday, just 10 weeks after being given a shock diagnosis. He died, aged 58, on what would have been the couple’s 21st wedding anniversary.
They tied the knot at Brig o’ Doon House Hotel, near Ayr, on July 2, 2001, after dating for several years. Miriam was at Goram’s bedside when he passed away at St Andrew’s Hospice, having kept a constant vigil with his son Danny and ex Rangers team-mates Ally McCoist and John Brown.
The pub landlady, who has two daughters, said: “Me and Andy had a lot of ups and downs over the years but we were best friends.
“I was sitting with him at the hospice and said ‘You know, I’m really proud of us.’ He asked what I meant and I told him that for two people to have come through all our difficulties and remain so close was something special.
“We loved each other but we just couldn’t be in a romantic relationship. We got on a lot better as good friends.”
She added: “I can’t believe Andy died on what would have been our wedding anniversary.
“It was a great day – despite how things worked out for us. But the date will be remembered for something else now. I will miss him and so will my girls. We were still a family.”
Miriam, 53, split with Goram in 2004 and the couple later divorced after failing to reconcile their differences.
She told how her ex-husband’s first love was Rangers and their fans and said the bond contributed to some of the problems in their marriage.
Miriam said: “Andy loved being ‘Andy Goram, Rangers legend’.
“He thrived in the spotlight, which is one of the reasons he was such a good goalkeeper. He loved Rangers and loved being around the supporters. But at times I really hated Rangers because of it.
“We’d go on holiday and Andy would always say, ‘We’ll have a quiet time together, just us.’ We’d find a place where no one knew him but after a few days I’m sure he went looking for someone to recognise him.
“Once word got out that Andy Goram was around, the quiet holiday was ruined. We’d get about three days of peace and quiet before he spent time surrounded with punters.
“He was such a big personality. He loved being loved.”
Goram – nicknamed The Goalie – spent almost four weeks being treated at St Andrew’s Hospice in Airdrie after his condition deteriorated quicker than doctors predicted.
He had initially been given six months to live before the prognosis was shortened to around six weeks. Miriam revealed Goram had drawn up a bucket list of things to do before he died – but was robbed of the chance to tick them off.
He wanted to visit his favourite restaurants and go on short trips with his close mates. However, his health worsened so quickly he had to abandon his plans.
She added: “It was a very basic list. He didn’t want to do anything fancy.
“Andy just wanted to spend more time with his loved ones and visit places that were special to him one last time. It’s awful he never got the chance to do it because the cancer spread so fast.”
Miriam revealed that although Goram’s diagnosis was terminal, his death still came as a massive shock.
She told of the surreal moment she watched tributes to the Ibrox star on Sky Sports hours after he passed away.
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Miriam said: “A few of us had been living in a bubble at St Andrew’s. It was like the outside world didn’t exist for almost a month.
“I went home after Andy died and turned on Sky to see the tributes to him. It was like finding out for the first time he was gone, it was so
upsetting.”
Miriam said Goram remained so stoic in the face of his cancer diagnosis he planned his own funeral, which will take place on Monday, July 18 at Glasgow’s Wellington Church.
He was talked out of choosing a royal blue coffin when flicking through a catalogue amid fears it would be considered “tacky”.
Goram – who spent seven trophy-laden years at Ibrox –even joked he was sorry he was going to miss his send-off.
She added: “Andy wanted to talk about his funeral and see the
selection of coffins. I initially didn’t want to show him but he said,
‘I want to see what I’m going in.’
“He wanted royal blue to match a Rangers strip but I told him, ‘No way’. He eventually picked dark wood with a pale blue, silk lining.
“Andy also asked people to speak at his service and they agreed. He very much planned it.
“He even said to his pal Stan Gordon, ‘This sounds like the kind of funeral I’d like to go to. I’m gutted I’m going to miss it, Stan. Can you record it and bring it up with you?’ He tried his best to stay in good humour.”
Miriam, her partner Dale Kirkham and Stan visited a shrine Rangers fans created outside Ibrox and read tributes.
She said: “The supporters kept Andy going. He clearly meant a lot to them.”
