Allan McGregor has revealed he went to visit Andy Goram in hospital and paid an emotional tribute to ‘The Goalie’.
The legendary Rangers goalkeeper sadly passed away from esophageal cancer last Saturday. His funeral will take place on Monday, July 18 in Glasgow’s Wellington Church and fans will be able to pay their respects ahead of Saturday's pre-season friendly against Sunderland with a minute’s silence.
McGregor was kid gloves trying to make his way through the Ibrox ranks when Goram was first choice at the club, watching him closely as he learned his craft between the sticks. The pair got to know each other better after McGregor progressed to the first team.
Former captain Richard Gough told Record Sport how Goram asked him not to visit in the final weeks of his life, preferring former teammates and friends to remember him how he was in his prime. But McGregor went in to see Goram a bit earlier as the pair swapped goalkeeping stories from their careers in Royal Blue.
“He’s someone I looked up to when I was younger,” said McGregor. “During the school holidays, I used to go in and train with the first team and he was there. He was a great character, an unbelievable goalie and a great guy. I was fortunate enough to go up and see him a couple of months ago in the hospital and he was still his usual bubbly self. He’ll be sorely missed by everybody.”
McGregor rates Goram as one of the best Scotland has ever produced. At just 5’ 9", Goram was never the tallest, but the current Rangers number one insists that doesn’t matter when you were as good. “He's got to be up there,” he told Sky Sports. “He’s one of the best, if not the best.[Height] shouldn’t bother anybody; you're either good or you’re not. It doesn’t matter how tall you are. He was unbelievable for the club, great with Scotland and just as a guy. When I went up he was telling loads of stories and is just a character that will be sorely missed.
“I spoke to him relatively regularly, whether that was at a game or when I was younger coming through. He was just a great guy.”
As for which of Goram’s saves stood out, McGregor is no different to the majority in his choice. A stunning point blank save from Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdink in November 1995 is the pick of Goram’s highlight reel. But McGregor also acknowledged a vital late penalty save from the same player late in a crunch Parkhead clash a year later.
He added: “The ones from van Hooijdonk, obviously. Not the penalty, but the other one. That stands out in everybody’s mind. You look at that and go: ‘Wow, how did that not go in?’ That’s what he did lots and lots of times”
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