Chief Football Writer Matthew Lindsay interviewed Rangers great Johnny Hubbard for the "Every Picture Tells A Story" feature that appeared in the Evening Times in 2003.

We reprint his feature here following the sad passing of the legendary winger aged 87 earlier this week.

1 - South Africa start

I WAS raised in Pretoria in South Africa and it was a brilliant place for anybody who was keen on sport. The weather was always so good.

School was from eight in the morning until one in the afternoon due to the intense heat. As soon as I got home I went out and played cricket or football in the street.

My mother was of Dutch descent and my father was from Australia, so I attended an English-speaking school. The Afrikaaners went to their schools. The blacks went to theirs.

There was segregation. It was part of life. I was brought up knowing no different. It was only when the Afrikaaners got into power in the 1960s that it was given an official name: Apartheid.

To my mind, every country in the world has similar discrimination; India, Northern Ireland or wherever. Indeed, it was only after I had been in Scotland for two weeks I discovered my best friend back home was a Catholic.

Often, I would go down to Berea Park in Pretoria after school. I would play football with the black boys. There would be about 40 of them in their bare feet and one wee white boy running around in his shoes. I think that is where I developed my skills.

I broke into the Berea Park senior side in the Transvaal League when I was just 16. To begin with, I played inside right. Then, for one match, I was moved to the left wing despite the fact I was naturally right-footed.

I moved on to play for Arcadia when I was 17 and I was spotted playing for them by the former Hibs player, Alex Prior, who was a photographer out there.

He contacted Willie Allison, who was the sports editor of the Sunday Mail, and he, in turn, got in touch with the Rangers manager Bill Struth. After negotiations I was offered an £100 signing-on fee, a three-month trial and a wage of £12 a week back in 1949. I was 18.

I can remember being met at the international airport in London by a Thomas Cook representative and chaperoned to the domestic airport. The reason was that both Clyde and Aberdeen were interested. But I had made a promise to Rangers.

On my flight to Renfrew Airport there were 30-odd passengers and among them was a big American. When the plane landed Bill Struth was there to meet me. He went straight up to the Yank.

When he realised his mistake and saw me he nearly had a heart attack. I stood 5ft 5in tall in my studs and weighed 8st 7lbs at that time. I would have made a good jockey.

It was the close season. But I requested to go in to Ibrox and tried some keepy-uppies, sprints and corner kicks on the pitch. After that, the doorman, Jimmy Smith, told me to go upstairs and see the boss.

I went into his office and he told me: "I've just seen you playing out there, son. You'll suit me just fine." He gave me a £300 signing-on fee and a contract for the season. This picture shows me in the early days.

2 - Ibrox calling

I MADE my debut that season in a game against Partick Thistle. The reason for that was their full-back was called Jimmy McGowan and Bill Struth thought I'd get a good clean game.

The headline in the Evening Times before that game was: "Hubbard's Cupboard Full". It was usually empty. But I was normally on the bench that season.

I did, though, get picked to play in the final of the Glasgow Charity Cup against Celtic in 1950. The Ireland internationalist, Charlie Tully, had a brilliant game that day as they ran out 3-2 winners.

What I remember most about that match was that Danny Kaye, the Hollywood film star, kicked off. He came on and said: "What do I do?" The officials told him: "Just kick the ball." But he got it and started running at goal. Our goalkeeper, George Niven, stood to one side to let him score in an empty net. He hit it past the post.

It was my first taste of the Old Firm game and was an incredible experience. There were 82,000 fans inside Hampden that day and it was a great atmosphere. The build-up, hype and adrenaline rush were all incredible. This picture shows me in action against Bobby Collins.

3 - Life at Gers

RANGERS was full of Scotland internationalists - George Young, Tiger Shaw, Ian McColl, Willie Woodburn, Sammy Cox, Willie Waddell and Willie Thornton. Whenever people ask me who the best was I am stumped.

I was good friends with Billy Simpson, who came to the club from Northern Ireland for a record fee of £11,500 in 1950. He had a good sense of humour. He used to reckon there were two cliques at the club - him and I and the rest.

Sammy Baird was a nice bloke. I can remember sitting in the bath after one match and saying to him: "There were 42,424 people at the game today." He replied: "How the hell do you know?" I told him: "I counted when you were on the ball!"

This picture shows a group of us leaving to play Arsenal in 1958. We are, from left to right, Ian McColl, Ian McMillan, Andy Matthew, myself, Billy Ritchie, Bobby Shearer and Sammy.

4 - Goal tribute

AS A player I suppose I was skilful, I could screen the ball, I wasn't easily pushed off it, I had speed and I could score as well. This picture shows me displaying my talents against Raith Rovers.

Sir Alex Ferguson was once asked what the best goal he ever saw was. He told them: "Johnny Hubbard, for Rangers against Celtic, January 1, 1955. He got the ball outside his own box, he beat Haughney, he beat Evans, he beat Stein, he beat Meechan, he beat the goalkeeper and walked the ball into the net."

5 - Penalty king

I TOOK penalties at school, I took them in senior football in South Africa and when I came to Scotland I took them for Rangers. In my 10 years at Ibrox I took 68 and scored 65.

Somebody once asked me: "What happened to the three you missed?" I told him: "I didn't miss. The keeper saved them." Usually the keeper went the wrong way.

I used to run up nearly straight on to the ball so I could either put it in the keeper's top right hand corner - as I did with about 90% of my penalties - or in the top left hand corner.

If the keeper moved I would change my mind. If it was muddy or wet I would shoot the ball low.

People tell me I'm the most successful penalty taker ever. The reason is maybe that nobody has ever taken 68 penalties. When you play for the Old Firm you enjoy 80% of the game and have more chance of getting awarded spot-kicks.

This picture shows how the Evening Times reported a penalty against Hearts.

6 - Treble joy

THIS picture shows the Rangers squad with the treble we won in 1956/57. We won the League Championship, the Glasgow Cup and the Charity Cup. I played in 59 consecutive games that season without getting injured.

Harold Davis, who can be seen in the back row second from the right, was some player. A few years ago he broke his neck - he did, of course, live to tell the tale - and I went to see him in hospital. The first thing he said was: "I'm glad you came, Hubby." I hadn't seen him in years.

When we played together he used to say to me: "Don't worry if anybody gives you any bother. I'll get them." He did, too. He was a fabulous fellow.

If a young player came in you would help him. Alan Morton, one of the greatest wingers of all time, was a director at Rangers when I was there. But he never once gave me any advice in 10 years. I couldn't understand that.

I was selected to play for the Scottish League team four times. I also played for South Africa against Scotland. Our team was made up of professionals like me who were playing in Britain.

Don Kichenbrand, who played for Rangers too, was more of a South African than I was, big and strong. He was a controversial character. He would score the impossible and miss the impossible, too.

South Africa played at Ibrox against a Scotland side with no Rangers players in it. So, with two Gers in the starting line-up, we got more cheers from the crowd than the home team did. We lost that match 2-1. I scored a penalty.

7 - Life under Struth

THE Rangers manager, Bill Struth, was a nice man. But there was no coaching or tactics or any-thing under him. Before the game he would come in and say: "Right, boys! Enjoy the game!" That was it.

His philosophy was you were playing for Rangers Football Club and you knew what you had to do. We just used to do laps of the track around the pitch, some sprints and a game behind the goals. This picture shows, from left to right, Ian McColl, Ralph Brand, myself and the late Alex Scott having a kick about.

8 - Symon set-to

WHEN Scot Symon came in he was pretty much in the same mould. But we didn't get along very well. I am one of these people who will call a spade a spade. I couldn't think one thing and then say another.

He can be seen standing on the far left of this picture as we returned from a pre-season trip of Spain. As you can see, on that jaunt, we all got sombreros. Don Kichenbrand was wearing one and Sammy Baird said to him: "We'll call you Papa Marino." I said: "No, we'll call him Rhino." That name stuck. He certainly played like one.

After one game Symon asked me: "What do you think you're doing out there?" My reply was: "Get me a decent inside forward and then complain if I'm not doing my stuff."

He signed a few players to try and replace me. But I always got back in after a while. But before one game I was warming up and he told me: "You can get your clothes on." It was such an insult I decided to leave in 1959. I have no regrets.

I went to England and played for Bury for three years. Then I came back to Scotland with Ayr. But I was getting on by that stage and decided to call it a day aged 33 in 1962.

I moved to Prestwick and started scouting and coaching kids for Rangers. I did that for many years. I kept on going to games at Ibrox and always like to see my old team do well.