Gers Almost Made Al A Costly Mistake

Feb 10 2008 By Billy Paterson

RANGERS almost let £9million slip through their fingers when they FREED Alan Hutton as a kid. The full-back became Scottish football's most expensive outfield signing last month when he joined Spurs.

Yet MailSport can reveal Gers planned to dump Hutton, then an 18-year-old striker, until he impressed boss Dick Advocaat while filling in at right-back.

Now the star seeker who discovered Hutton has been re-hired at Ibrox three years after he was ditched.

Billy Robert sent Alan's parents a letter at the end of the season saying he was being let go. However, there was a game and because of injuries and international duty they put Alan in at right-back.

"He played a blinder and Dick was watching. At full time he said to the youth coach he hoped they were retaining the right-back. The rest is history.

"I also took Kris Boyd and Stevie Naismith to Rangers but the club let them go. It has cost £2.5m to get them back."