Andy Goram, who has died of cancer aged just 58, is arguably Scotland’s greatest-ever goalkeeper. In an age of sterile professionalism, he also stands out as one of the last truly colourful characters of the game.
Andy was born with a footballing genius and tormented opposition strikers and fans for decades. Even the late Celtic manager Tommy Burns knew it when he quipped his tombstone should read: “Andy Goram Broke My Heart.”
But the tales of the Rangers and Scotland great’s off-field antics are almost as legendary. When Sir Alex Ferguson called to sign him for Manchester United, Andy told him to “f**k off,” thinking it was a prank call from his former Rangers pal Ally McCoist.
And after Ibrox teammate Paul Gascoigne scored his Euro 96 wonder goal against Scotland at Wembley, a fuming Goram had to be held off him during a changing-room bust-up back in Glasgow. There are also too many stories to recount of his quiet generosity towards friends and fans.
After a charity match for a local team at the height of his fame, Andy was once spotted defending penalties from delighted kids long after teammates had showered and headed home.
Goram was capped 43 times by his country and was one of only two players in history to also represent Scotland at cricket. He won five top flight titles with Rangers, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups.
If he failed to win the love of Celtic fans, he earned their grudging respect during the Ibrox side’s dominant nine-in-a-row era.
After realising he was indeed talking to Ferguson in a phone call, he signed for Manchester United on loan and helped them win the Premier League title in 2000-01.
In April Andy revealed he had been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and had been given six months to live. It is an incredibly aggressive condition but he refused to wallow in self-pity.
Hospital visitors were told, “No tears,” before Andy cracked jokes and reminisced about the old days as if nothing had changed.
As a result of a series of candid interviews in our sister paper the Daily Record, Andy raised awareness of his condition and prompted hundreds of others to visit their doctor for a check-up.
In doing so, he will have doubtlessly added many lives to the long list of his heroic saves. Keepers will come and go but there is only one man who will always be known as The Goalie.
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