Leeds United: I couldn't turn down Rangers, says Whites legend McAllister

The former Whites and Scotland captain, who won the Championship with Leeds back in 1992, was brought in by new manager Steven Gerrard to act as his assistant manager, despite spending three years out of the game.

McAllister has not been involved in the game since leaving a similar role with Liverpool in 2015, and he admits he could not turn down the chance to join the club after previously being linked with a move to Ibrox, including on a few occasions when he was playing at Elland Road.

“The lure of the club, the profile of the club means it is one of the few jobs in all honesty that I would have come back into,” he said.

“The thing with this job offer was getting another 10 years down the line and saying ‘Why didn’t I take that opportunity at Rangers?’”

“I am really enthusiastic about it, it has been really refreshing coming back into the frontline of football again so I can’t wait for it to all start really.

“There were a few occasions, way back when I started as a boy at Motherwell Jock Wallace was there and then when he went back to Rangers I think there was interest in taking me.

“Then there was a period when I was captain of Leeds United and Scotland where I think Walter Smith might have been interested.

“I have never actually pinned him down to ask him but there was interest, it was nearly close a couple of times.

“When you get to where I am in life I thought maybe coming here had gone but it is strange how it works.”

McAllister, who also played for Liverpool and managed Leeds in 2008, will form part of the management team along with Michael Beale, Tom Culshaw, Jordan Milsom and Colin Stewart and says he is “honoured” Gerrard picked him as his assistant.

“I am honoured that he asked me but it is about embracing the challenge of this club, coming along here to make a difference.”