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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Inside 'emotional' Rangers Europa League nights as teary McCoist 'put host through wringer'

Inside 'emotional' Rangers Europa League nights as teary McCoist 'put host through wringer'

RANGERS' journey to the Europa League final last season is well chronicled.

Victories over Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Braga brought serious praise for the Ibrox coaching and playing staff - and elation to fans in the stands.

The tragic loss of both Walter Smith and Jimmy Bell during the season only added to the outpouring of emotion in the run-up to the final in Seville.

And for BT Sport host Darrell Currie it's the emotional moments that have stuck with him over anything else in the European journey.

The host was there for all the Europa League matches to the eventual penalty shoot-out loss in the final and revealed the experience brought some of the toughest and best moments in his broadcasting career.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Currie explained: “The European nights are my favourite nights in broadcasting, without doubt.

“I’ve been lucky enough to do some great Celtic games in the Champions League down the years and the Europa League Final – just getting to present that, and be part of it with BT – was great.

"We got a lot of positive feedback over sticking to the Scottish team all the way through."

For Currie the most impactful moments during the experience came from seeing a teary Ally McCoist during the incredible Euro run.

The BT Sport host admitted McCoist "put us through the wringer" as he was overcome with emotion at points - particularly following a touching tribute to Bell and Smith.

Currie continued: “They were amazing games to be involved in and seeing the emotion of guys like Ally crying his eyes out put us through the wringer a little bit. The whole journey that people talk about with Rangers, he was in on it right from the beginning.

“It really hit him that night and even in Seville, one of the abiding memories is the emotion that came with Ally that season, with losing his best mate Walter Smith in particular.

"I remember in the build-up to the final that it was absolutely right that we had to do something about Jimmy Bell and Walter.

“That’s three or four of the hardest minutes I’ve ever had on TV because of watching Ally seeing the video that we’d put together.

"Talking to him and then talking to him about it afterwards, I told him that he’d often said he thinks about Walter every day and he told me he goes to phone him every morning in the car, because that’s what he always did.

“He still does it...he goes to phone him. Owen Hargreaves and Kenny Miller were standing next to him that night and we were all touched by it.

“The emotions of some of those guys during that run was really amazing to see. I love those games and can’t wait for them to be back."

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