RANGERS have been blessed with many magnificent standard-setting captains over their illustrious 150-year history and Lee Wallace can count himself as one of those.

The 35-year-old called time on his career on Sunday having been without a club since departing QPR in the summer.

He would feature 256 times for Rangers across all four divisions as he played a significant role in restoring Rangers back to the summit of Scottish football.

The announcement of his retirement has been met with countless messages of gratitude from the Rangers fanbase thanking him for his eight years of service at Ibrox which tells you just how highly thought of he was and ultimately what makes his exit from the club all the more disappointing.

He was Ally McCoist’s second signing back in July 2011 as the Light Blues managed to prize him away from Hearts for £1.5 million. It would prove to be an absolute bargain as Wallace embarked on the rollercoaster ride also known as ‘The Journey’.

He was one of Scotland’s best young talents when Rangers were demoted to the bottom tier and while others departed for the sake of their own careers, Wallace decided to stay, forsaking potential progression, increased financial reward and international recognition to help lead the club back to where they belong.

There were bids made from down south as Rangers battled their way through the lower leagues but Wallace’s commitment to the club was never in doubt.

With Lee McCulloch departing in the summer of 2015, Wallace was made captain by incoming manager Mark Warburton and it would be a responsibility he would relish. He would, arguably, enjoy his greatest ever season in a Rangers jersey as the Light Blues would clinch the Championship title playing an exciting and refreshing brand of football. There was the famous Scottish Cup semi-final win over Celtic that would, unfortunately, be tempered by a poor showing in the showpiece against Hibernian.

When Wallace penned a contract extension in June 2016 he stated his desire to finish his career at Ibrox but a fairytale ending would not be forthcoming.

At the time, he told the Rangers website: “There was absolutely never a doubt over what I want to do for the rest of my career.

“It was in the club’s hands and my hands last season to make sure I did what I could to remain a part of the club I love.”

Football can be a cruel game at times and Wallace’s departure from Ibrox was saddening. An argument with interim boss Graeme Murty in the dressing room at Hampden following a crushing 4-0 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic in April 2018 virtually ended his playing days at Rangers.

He and Kenny Miller were suspended with Wallace fined four weeks' wages for his part in the fracas. Both were later cleared following an SPFL tribunal.

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The appointment of Steven Gerrard heralded a new era for the club that would culminate in the first league title in a decade but Wallace’s sole season under the Scouser was bizarre, to say the least, due to the dispute between the club and the former skipper.

He would play just 53 minutes in Gerrard’s first season as Rangers boss before exiting the club to rejoin former gaffer Warburton at QPR.

At the time of his departure, Wallace remained as professional as ever when quizzed on the off-field issues and his thoughts on leaving. He said: “No one from the top of the club spoke to me when I left. I’m not too disappointed in that because it was kind of expected.

“It gives me satisfaction myself and Kenny cleared our names because we smashed the appeal.

“It was a simple procedure because all we had to do was tell the truth.

“There will be a point and time I get to speak to certain people at the club.

“But we had a fantastic journey with Rangers. We had a lot of ups and downs but the fact I stayed, there was never a moment of regret about that.

“My only regret is not being able to lift major silverware with the club. That would have been a proud moment.”

He may not have lifted major silverware but he was the epitome of what a Rangers captain should be showing dignity and leadership through good times and bad. Simply put, without his contribution, there likely would never have been a 55.

His place in Rangers folklore is etched until the end of time and one can only hope he gets a chance to visit Ibrox once again for the send-off that he so richly deserves. 

This piece is an extract from today’s Rangers Insider newsletter, which is emailed out at 5pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Rangers Review team.

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