Ex Celtic star joins forces with Rangers hero as he hires 'first class' coach to become number two at new club
A former Rangers star is linking up with an ex Celtic man elsewhere in Glasgow.
There’s a Celtic and Rangers reunion elsewhere in Glasgow as a Scottish club announce their new assistant manager.
Former Parkhead defender Mark Wilson was recently named head coach of Championship side Partick Thistle, and has been hunting an assistant. Alex Rae has now been hired following a spell on the coaching staff of Philippe Clement at Rangers, a club where he became a hero as a player by helping win a Premiership and League Cup double in season 04/05. The pair will get to work as part of the club’s pre season planning ahead of their Premier Sports Cup group stage campaign in July and then a crack at the Championship.
A statement from the Jags reads: “Partick Thistle would like to welcome the vastly experienced Alex Rae to the club with the former Dundee and St Mirren manager taking on the position as Assistant Head Coach to Mark Wilson.
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“Alex played for Falkirk, Millwall, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Rangers before taking on a playing and management role at Dens Park in 2006. Rae’s next stop was Milton Keynes Dons where he had both on and off field roles alongside Paul Ince. Alex then worked with Ince at Notts County and Blackpool before teaming up with Alex McLeish at Belgian club KRC Genk ahead of his stint at Paisley that began in 2015. After working with Paul Ince again at Reading, Alex had an 18 month spell as a first team coach at Rangers that ended earlier this year.”
Alex said: “I am really pleased to have this position at Partick Thistle. I watched a few of the club’s games last season so I have a very good idea of what the team are capable of. I actually know my way around The Wyre Stadium at Firhill already as I trained here for a while back in 1996/ 97 when I was a Sunderland player. Murdo MacLeod was in charge at that time and my friend David Farrell, who played for Thistle back then, helped organise that”
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“I have known Mark a long time and I am excited to be working with him. He was always a good opponent to play against and knowledgeable about the game.”
Head coach Wilson added: “Alex is not only an experienced coach, but he is also a first-class coach that has worked in football for a long time. I have known him for years and he is someone that has learned at different styles of clubs and clubs with different cultures. It is good news for Partick Thistle that we have that experience and education in our coaching team.”