Former Rangers manager Mark Warburton has paid tribute to former player Lee Wallace after his retirement from the game aged 35.

The pair know each other well having worked together both at the Ibrox club and QPR, forming a bond that would see Wallace take the move to London following the expiry of his contract.

Wallace is a hero in Govan for refusing to leave for the sake of his career despite the club's 2012 financial collapse sending Rangers to the bottom tier of the Scottish game.

And he played the best football of his career in the Championship-winning side moulded by Warburton.

Looking back to his 2015 arrival to the club, the now 60-year-old West Ham coach recalls forming an instant connection with the left back that lead to a no-brainer decision on the captaincy.

He said: "Lee and Kenny Miller were the two senior players that were there at the time when I arrived. They both came to speak to David Weir the following morning and Lee was excellent from day one, they both were. He was outstanding the way he applied himself, the recognition of what needed to be done, his understanding of the club, his appreciation of the size of Rangers and its demands. In every aspect, he was first class. It was obvious to make him captain, so obvious that he'd lead the dressing room with Kenny, who was also outstanding. 

"Lee liked the freedom of the formation and the work we did. Him and Kenny would be up there in the canteen after training moving salt and pepper pots around and discussing tactics. He is passionate and he will be an outstanding coach who will go on to manage I'm sure. He's a student of the game. When we had team talks and analysis, Lee would contribute. It was hugely beneficial and Lee was outstanding right the way through. 

"In terms of leadership, he's not a shouter and a bawler. If Lee raised his voice the boys would know something is wrong. He leads by example - the best leaders often do.

"When he later came to QPR he had immediate respect for his CV and the level he played at. It speaks for itself that he was at Rangers in better times and played in the big Old Firm games. All the players were aware of that but again, in London he led by example, training well and diligently every day. He prepared well for games and played to a high level in each and every fixture. The boys thrived off the standards he set so it was fantastic to have him in the dressing room."

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Wallace departed Ibrox with major question marks hanging over his fitness after barely playing in Steven Gerrard's first season at the club but he put that to bed emphatically, managing 63 games over three seasons in the English second tier.

And while Warburton insists Wallace showed his class in the Championship, he is also in no doubt his former charge could have been spending the Journey years in the biggest and best league of them all.

He said: "When he came to QPR he was getting older and I often spoke to people down here about Lee, saying we couldn't have afforded to get him if we went back five or six years because he was so good. He would have been the best left-sided defender in the Championship, without a doubt. He'd have gone to the Premier League."

It didn't work out that way of course, but Wallace still had a major impact on the London club.

"He was excellent. When we were flying, Lee was a major part of that. If you speak to the QPR players from that time, they will tell you about his knowledge and passion for the game. The way he spoke to the young players was important. When I look back, we were so much better with Lee in the team. He had a calf injury and was out for ten weeks but when he came back it was such a huge addition. Of course, at his age he's a heavy-set athlete and to get him up to speed and rhythm of playing games was important, but when Lee was fit and doing his stuff he was outstanding for us. I was delighted the QPR fans got to see how good a player he was."