Pretty close in win percentages and honours, but has to be said the big ears tips it in Big Jock's favour.
Don't forget the opposition Gambol, I don't think there is much argument that the league was much more competitive in Stein's Era. Rangers, Dundee, Dunfermline were all a force in Europe during that time, who really challenged Smith in the 90s? Not even Celtic.
Dunfermline? Canny mind that. Damn youth + drugs. Fair point, though. It would also explain Stein's ~100 more league games (did that figure include Cup/Europe?) than Smith to achieve similar honours hauls.
Here Gambol this will help with the drugs: http://www.londonhearts.com/europe/index.htm Dunfremline didn't actually do much in Europe during the Stein years if the link is to be believed. They look like they had the sort of campaigns analgous to our present European contestants. Kilmarnock whom Dev never mentioned looked not bad though.
That is all games as manager, Smith's European Record is very poor whilst Stein's is exceptional, Smith maybe won more league games but as I said that was against opposition which had no money to spend and a very weak Celtic side.
Under Stein, Dunfermline beat everton and Valencia in the Fairs cup. That was the same year england won the title in england. I don't know what that says.
It says that they were obviously better when Stein was with them. I was talking about Dunfermline when Stein was in charge of Celtic. Not surprisingly Kilmarnock didn't do as well in Europe after Waddell went to Rangers either.
It also shows that clubs like that were able to be more competitive. If that was 62 and the first trophy under Stein at Celtic was 65 against Dunfermline then the likelihood is that Celtic beat a fairly decent Dunfermline side to win that trophy. The last time Celtic played Dunfermline in a cup final, they were getting relegated.
You can only play what's in front of you, so I don't feel able to argue about the relative competition of the eras. Jock was clearly one of the greats, as is Walter to Rangers.
Apart from the old firm only Thistle in 71 and Hibs in 72 won the league cup during the Stein era. Rangers 9 in a row had Aberdeen winning it twice, Hibs in 91 and of course Raith Rovers. The Scottish cup had Dunfermline winning it in 68 and Aberdeen in 70. Aberdeen, Motherwell and Dundee Utd won it during our 9 in a row. Would these stats not mean it was more competitive in the Rangers era? Stats mean nothing though they don't explain the fact of how bad Celtic were back then. It doesn't mean that everyone else was. Aberdeen, Motherwell and Hearts (I think) all finished second back then. Gambol is correct though Big Jock and Walter were both excellent managers and I obviously take your point(S) on board Dev.
Neither did he Have a good night. [video=youtube;k9QXY80OxS0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9QXY80OxS0[/video]
