David McPherson (born 28 January 1964, in Paisley) is a Scottish former international footballer who played as a defender, best known for his spells with Rangers and Heart of Midlothian, spending two periods with each club.
McPherson began at amateurs Gartcosh United before starting his professional career with boyhood favourites Rangers in 1980,[4] breaking into the first team while still a teenager.
[4] The revolution brought about by the arrival of Graeme Souness (and numerous new signings) at Rangers led to McPherson being deemed surplus to requirements, and he was sold to Hearts for £325,000 in 1987.
[8] However, despite several close calls, the Jambos were unable to break their trophy famine and when debts began to rise, McPherson, by then the club's most valuable asset, was sold back to Rangers in 1992, for £1.3m.
By now approaching the veteran stage, McPherson played an important role in nurturing Hearts' next generation of defenders such as Paul Ritchie and Gary Locke.
McPherson's international form began to waver the following season, though, and when Scotland were thrashed 5–0 in a World Cup qualifying game in Lisbon in April 1993, the Scottish press and public called for radical surgery.
McPherson's height (6 ft 3) ensured he was a commanding presence defensively, as well as a potent attacking weapon, both as a goalscoring threat and a target man for flick-ons.