FORMER Rangers captain Davie Mackinnon has welcomed the refurbishment of Davie Cooper’s statue in the grounds of Hamilton Palace and paid a glowing tribute to the 189,000 people who backed an appeal to restore the memorial to its former condition.

The bronze statue was erected in honour of the Scottish football great in his home town of Hamilton by South Lanarkshire Council back in 1999, four years after his death from a brain haemorrhage at the age of just 39.

Mackinnon, who played alongside the former Clydebank, Rangers, Motherwell and Scotland winger at Ibrox in 1980s, was upset at the state of disrepair it had fallen into and posted a picture and a video on a social media website last month.

That prompted calls to clean up the statue and plaque up from across the globe. They were spotted by council representatives and immediate action was taken. The renovation work was completed just days before the 29th anniversary of Cooper’s passing on March 23, 1995.

Mackinnon, ex-Rangers and Scotland midfielder Derek Ferguson and council leader Joe Fagan inspected the work which has been carried out at Hamilton Palace yesterday. 

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“A lot of the guys who played with Coop are in a WhatsApp group and we talk about him,” said Mackinnon. “We also individually come and see him and talk to him every so often. I probably come about three or four times a year to see him and talk. When I see that statue I think of the spirit of Coop.

“About a month ago, I was going to a charity event in Bellshill and I thought it was a great opportunity to come and see Coop. I saw that the statue, the plaque in particular, was in a state of disrepair. I thought: ‘No, this is not on’. I thought it was up to the guys who loved and respected him as a guy and as a player to get it sorted.

“So I put a video and a photo on social media and 189,000 people responded to it. From across football - Rangers supporters, Celtic supporters, Motherwell supporters, people from outwith the country - they all said it should be sorted.

“To be fair, that is what prompted the council to sort it. It is incredible that the power of all those people got it sorted. It is also great credit to the good people at the council. Thank you on behalf of everyone who showed their interest. Davie's family will be delighted.”

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Ferguson said: “He was my hero and I loved him to bits. Even before I signed for Rangers I went and watched Rangers, sitting in the Centenary Stand. I went because of Coop.

“I wanted to be like him, just like the other guys. I was never going to be like him, but I tried. Then the next thing I’m training with him and playing first team with him. That was surreal. 

“In terms of his touch and control, what a player. But he always had time for the younger ones. He was portrayed in the media as ‘The Moody Blue’, but with us he wasn’t like that at all. He was different gravy. I won’t say which other ones, but some of them didn’t have time for you, either at Ibrox or at training.

“For him to go at 39 was just tragic. He’d just started coaching and he’d have been a brilliant coach. If you were having a one-to-one with him, it would’ve been like gold dust. The likes of Ian Durrant, Robert Fleck and I - we all had them with him. I love where the statue is because I know he loved it down here.”

Councillor Fagan said: “I’m delighted we have been able to restore this statue recognising the life of one of our area’s most famous sons. It was unveiled 25 years ago and inevitably time has had an impact on the statue and its signage.

“So, it is great to see the overhaul of the statue and its surrounding area. A big thank you must go to the council’s grounds services team for all their hard work returning the bronze statue to its former glory.”