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

Souness hails 'class act' Rangers as retro kit evokes Ibrox memories including huge £30k upgrade

Souness hails 'class act' Rangers as retro kit evokes Ibrox memories including huge £30k upgrade

GRAEME SOUNESS insisted Rangers have always been a class act as he discussed his Ibrox memories at the launch of the retro home kit for the upcoming season.

Ibrox chiefs unveiled a retro-inspired design for the new home kit with Castore designing a checkerboard print on the front of the jersey.

The shirt pays homage to Ibrox stars of the late 80s with the design taking inspiration from the kit worn by Souness and his Rangers team-mates.

For Souness, the kit is synonymous with two key victories over Celtic and Dynamo Kiev as major memories brought to the fore by the kit.

He told Rangers TV: “It brought memories back. I think it’s quite unique, the squares on it. Some fabulous players wore that shirt and I hope we can repeat that success because they were special times for me and for this football club.

“I remember we beat Celtic well here 5-1. The crowd were a wee bit upset with us because they felt we went into relaxed mode after we scored the fifth and they wanted more but they'd take five every time they play that game, I'm sure.

“I also think of the Kiev game. I have to say in all the big stadiums I’ve played in and the wonderful night of European at Liverpool - and there was a lot of them - the atmosphere against Dynamo Kiev that night was the greatest atmosphere I’ve ever played in.

“We managed to win 2-0 that night and go through having lost 1-0 in the first leg. That was the greatest football atmosphere I had ever played in."

Just being back inside the Ibrox dressing room was also a special moment for Souness who insisted he could sit for hours reminiscing over his time at Rangers.

And he recalled his first major backing from the club during his time as player/manager came in the form of a dressing-room upgrade rather than a new signing.

He explained discussions with David Holmes over a major shower overhaul with £30k required to improve the standard of facilities in the changing room.

For Souness, the memory and further upgraded facilities over the year only add to the "class act" reputation of the Ibrox club.

He said: “It evokes great memories being in here. I can remember David Holmes falling off his seat when I told him what I wanted to do in here in terms of increase the power on the showers, change the shower heads. The quote was £30k which was a fortune 40 years ago but David eventually relented and gave the players what I wanted really.

“It was about upping the game at a special football club and we should have had the best of everything - great memories. I could sit here on my own for hours and just enjoy the moment.

"Rangers have always done things to a certain standard. When I was there the club was kicking on with the corporate hospitality - we did it better than anyone else in those days.

“Rangers have standards that very few people manage to match and that’s what so unique about this football club. We’ve had our difficulties but the standards have been maintained and that’s what makes us a class act.”

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