Sometimes, as football fans, it’s easy to get carried away with success on the pitch without truly appreciating how it was achieved or the journey that a club went on to get there.
For Rangers fans though, it’s a different story, we all know how far we have come and can remember the darkest of days when all we wanted was our club back – success seemed like a lifetime away and, almost, of secondary importance.
But now though, since Dave King and company swept to power, it’s been a gradual rise to the top and we know exactly what they have done to get us there, put their hands deep into their pockets and restored pride to the club both on and off the pitch.
Something which hasn’t gone unnoticed and Gers legend, Ian Durrant, speaking to the Rangers Museum Lotto website, has taken the time to make sure that their part in our recovery is appreciated:
“There have been a lot of sad days and a lot of good people lost their jobs due to the way the club was run after Walter (Smith) left.
“But we have good people at the club now with Douglas Park and John Bennett following on the good work from men like Dave King and John Gilligan so we are in a good place.
“They got the club back on an even keel and the appointment of Steven Gerrard was a really positive one.
“It took a couple of years and a few transfer windows but he has assembled a really talented squad who are now winners. Last year they were sensational.
“To go the whole league campaign unbeaten shows you just how good they were.“
Durrant is, of course, right. Without them, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
Ibrox would still need patched up, never mind refurbished or improved, Edmiston House would still be a blot on the landscape and whatever Rangers manage was in charge would have to work with players barely fit to wear the famous jersey.
They have covered losses whilst still providing funds for Steven Gerrard to assemble the most valuable squad in Scotland, one that has restored respectability in Europe and silverware to the trophy room, there will be a time when we are self-sufficient, we aren’t quite there yet but when we are, the likes of King, Gilligan, Park and Bennett can sit back and admire what they have built, knowing that their part in our club’s history will never be forgotten or under appreciated.