J.R.R Tolkein once said that “faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens”. If that’s the case, Lee Wallace must’ve had faith in abundance.
I’m not quite sure if he will anymore.
When Rangers tumbled down the divisions Lee was perhaps the best and strongest talent that remained. A £1.5m signing from Hearts but a season previous, he felt he had unfinished business at the club.
Now, six years on, any faith that he had must’ve almost completely vanished. Forced into the background with not a hope of a reprieve, Wallace’s Rangers career is all but over.
Perhaps as soon as January it really will be. Wigan are said to be monitoring his position.
But does the entire debacle surrounding Wallace post-Murtygate do his service to the club justice?
Lee Wallace sacrificed a lot for Rangers
This was a talented, well-balanced left back sacrificing most of his career to the club. He was only 24 when we went down, he’s 31 now. He gave up money, a move down south and an international career for the club.
And for what? To be unceremoniously papped out of the door and publicly vilified for not being good enough? To be stripped of the captaincy after the fall out of an Old Firm humping?
Something doesn’t sit right with all of this or with me. Wallace was there when no-one else was and played a leading role getting us back to the top division.
With McGregor and Lafferty already at the club, and the very real prospect of Davis returning in January, it seems we’re getting the gang back together a bit. Only Wallace won’t be invited.
Even if they left before he did.
Wallace it seems, has been a victim of his own association. To quote another literary great, “you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.” No actually, that was Harvey Dent, but you get the idea.
The club and fans owe Wallace for his service. And it’s more than just support. From the outside looking in, we might even owe him an apology.
