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McInnes is closing in on becoming the next manager of Rangers, almost nine years after a dramatic collapse derailed the first attempt to bring him to Ibrox.
The Hearts boss appeared on the verge of accepting the Rangers job in 2017, only for a late U-turn to see him remain at Aberdeen instead.
Chief sportswriter Keith Jackson, who broke the story of McInnes entering talks with Rangers director Andrew Cavenagh, has offered a detailed insight into how events unfolded.
Jackson is keen to stress that what happened in 2017 was not a rejection of Rangers as a football club, but rather a rejection of the circumstances surrounding then-chairman Dave King.
A late shift during contract talks, linked directly to King’s leadership of the club, caused McInnes to walk away from what had seemed like an imminent appointment.
That decision sparked an infamous public statement and appeared to permanently close the door on McInnes ever managing the club he had represented as a player.
Caretaker Graeme Murty remarkably stepped in and took charge for the remainder of the 2017/18 season following the collapse of negotiations.
Now, all these years later, McInnes is all-but certainly heading back to Rangers, with Jackson also revealing the significant role the late Walter Smith played in events at the time.
Speaking on Hotline LIVE, Jackson said: “He didn’t turn down Rangers, he turned down Dave King. I think it is a really important distinction. I think what people need to remember, out there, is he did so after seeking the advice of Walter Smith. The guy he always considered to be a managerial mentor.”
Jackson added: “It is worth pointing out as well that Walter Smith always wanted Derek McInnes to become the manager of Rangers Football Club. If Walter Smith thinks it’s a good idea then, I think the Rangers fans, if there are any who haven’t got on board with it, I think if they know Walter Smith always believed Derek McInnes had everything required to be a successful manager of Rangers, then they should take some comfort in that I think.”
The 54-year-old McInnes has built a strong reputation in Scottish football management since his time at Aberdeen, where he won the Scottish Cup and consistently challenged the Old Firm dominance.
His experience with Hearts has further enhanced his standing as one of the more capable managers operating in the Scottish Premiership today.
With Walter Smith’s long-held belief in his ability now part of the public record, the path back to Ibrox carries a weight of endorsement that extends well beyond the present moment.
Rangers supporters who harbored doubts stemming from the 2017 episode now have a clearer picture of why talks collapsed and why this appointment, if confirmed, represents unfinished business rather than a second-choice option.
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