Graeme Souness has revealed that his Rangers side's success in the 1980s was largely due to 'luck' stemming from the European ban on English clubs, a financial advantage he says current manager Derek McInnes cannot replicate.
Speaking on the talkSPORT Breakfast Show, Souness was asked by Tony Cascarino why the era of dominance at Ibrox – where he won four titles as both player and manager – cannot be recreated by the club's current decision-makers.
Post-Heysel windfall
Following the Heysel stadium tragedy in 1985, the FA banned English clubs from competing in Europe. This opened the door for a host of talent to move north of the border from the English top flight.
Souness said: "It's quite simple - we got lucky. I got lucky, and the club got lucky. If you remember at that time it was post-Heysel, and English clubs were banned from Europe. It's hard to believe now but we could match Man United, Tottenham, anyone."
England captain Terry Butcher led the exodus as he left Ipswich Town for Rangers in 1986, while a host of England caps including Ray Wilkins and Mark Hateley would follow over the years under Souness.
Butcher's impact
Souness credits Butcher as a foundational transfer for the era. After being handed the armband, he would lead the club to three titles and two League Cups before returning south to join Coventry City.
Souness added: "Anything we achieved at Rangers was in large part due to him [Butcher]. What a statement a Scottish club are making by signing the current England captain. This is really important to me, because this is my experience of football clubs, you need good senior pros."
He continued: "Apart from the quality he gave me on the pitch, what he did in the dressing room was immense. Really, when you get players like that, Richard Gough, Mark Hateley, Ray Wilkins - there is not a lot for a manager to do. You come down from the director's box at half-time, and they are putting it right before I open my mouth. I had real men in that dressing room."
