'She had an incredible influence on me, and it’s like anything else in life: sometimes, sadly, you really don’t appreciate it until it’s gone' Ally McCoist tells FourFourTwo the four people he admires most

Beloved striker-turned-pundit Ally McCoist has told FourFourTwo the heroes that he's had in his life over the years.

Winner of 61 Scotland caps and scorer of over 350 goals for Rangers, McCoist, started his career in 1978 and enjoyed spells at St Johnstone and Sunderland – while his career post-retirement has seen him as a team captain on the BBC’s A Question of Sport, providing commentary for the popular FIFA video games series and as a regular football pundit for broadcasters such as ITV, TNT and Amazon Prime.

He’s widely respected and admired in football, both as a player and as a pundit, but in his own words, who are the people that he looks up to the most?

1. Ally McCoist on… his parents

Reflecting on the impact his parents had on him, McCoist said, “My mother and father came from working-class environments, and we were a working-class family. My father constantly worked night shifts, and at weekends he took the team I played for.

“My mother was always around, and also worked two or three jobs just to look after my sister and me. She had a work ethic to look after a family and do the very best for us, like all mothers have”, he went on.

“Her door was always open. Our house was the one that everybody came to. We were fortunate: we had a bit of grass at the side of the house, so all of my mates would come and play there. She always made tea and toast for them!

“She had an incredible influence on me, and it’s like anything else in life: sometimes, sadly, you really don’t appreciate it until it’s gone. You don’t tell them enough, until it’s too late.”

2. Walter Smith

McCoist also looked up to legendary football manager Walter Smith. “You could describe Walter with so many words: a hero, a friend, my manager, my coach. Golf opponent!” He said.

“At Rangers and in life, he had such an influence on me – by watching him, working with him, looking at the way he treated people, the way he conducted himself, his attitude to work and his desire to achieve and be successful, for other people more than anything.

“That’s the thing about Walter: he did everything for other people. I honestly believe that, with the success he had as a manager, he took more joy from the pleasure it gave to others than it being a personal thing. He was a family man as well. He was an absolutely brilliant human being.”

3. Nelson Mandela

Touching on the former South African president and how his leadership qualities inspired him, McCoist said, “I went to Robben Island when I was in South Africa, had a tour around the whole place and did a lot more research on the man himself. He seemed to be a wonderful leader, a wonderful man, with so much compassion, knowledge, intelligence and forgiveness. Remarkable qualities in life.”

4. Sir Chris Hoy

McCoist also hugely admires former GB cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. He reflected, “I’ve always had a huge respect and love for Chris because of what he’s achieved in sport and how he’s been when I’ve met him – he was on A Question Of Sport a number of times when I was captain, and he clearly has never let success go to his head.

“Since he has been diagnosed with cancer, the way he and his wife have handled a quite horrific situation, very publicly, has been unbelievable. I shake my head sometimes at the strength that the two of them have shown”, he continued.

“He’s an absolute hero to millions and millions, and an example to millions and millions. I would never claim to be really close to Chris, but I’d count him as somebody I know and could phone and talk to. The way he’s handled his situation, he’s someone I just have the utmost respect for.”

Ally McCoist was speaking to FourFourTwo’s Chris Flanagan.