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Aye, 2nd was a peach.

Eighteen months after my last contribution to this thread, I have decided to conclude the story with discussion on the Barca'72 final. Our Europa Cup run to the final in Seville took over. Such excitement in our derring do, the prospect of securing another European trophy was all encompassing. The penalty shoot out defeat by Eintracht was hard to accept and my ardour for Euro' football adventure was suppressed even further by last season's Champions League group stage calamity. I had already drafted out my pieces on the Barca' final and over the ensuing winter break; hopefully, their postings will raise the Gersnet spirits? I split the story of the final into three parts : 1. The political waters surrounding the game. 2. The game itself. I was fortunate to attend. 3. The aftermath of securing the trophy. I feel as Rangers supporters we are in danger of losing the narrative in defeating the national cup winners of France, Portugal, Italy, Germany and, Russia.

It's a strange and unfamiliar feeling right enough.

About to go on my works Xmas day out then am on a family holiday for a week so wanted to take some time now to thank everyone for their participation on the forum again this year. Supporting Rangers still feels like a fool's errand at times but the last month has shown football remains a funny old game and, as we approach Christmas Day, it's fantastic to see us winning the League Cup, being Scotland's sole representative in Europe post-group stage and, whisper it, challenging again for the title. Yes, we're struggling with injuries and genuine quality during some games but there's no doubt Philippe Clement has restored some belief to our players and fans since his arrival. To that end, I hope everyone has a safe, happy festive period and is able to enjoy a few more Rangers victories as well as, more importantly, valuable time with your friends and family. I certainly hope Santa brings us three more wins before 2023 is out and let's hope 2024 is a prosperous one for all Rangers fans and our club.

Rangers only successful European season ranks as one of it's most intriguing and fascinating. There is a puzzle wrapped enigma in the triumph because it was neither expected nor predicted. Typically over the decades, Euro success arrives after a period of domestic dominance. Ajax, Bayern, Liverpool, .............. etc are all examples. It's the crest of the wave epitomised by Nottingham Forest, win the Second Division, win the First Division, win the European Cup, successfully defend it; all in four short years. Rangers were at the end of five years of domestic doldrums. The League Cup had been secured by DJ's famous header at the end of October'70 but the season was completely overshadowed by the Disaster at Ibrox on the 2nd of January'71 in which 66 died and 145 were injured. Rangers finished the League season in fourth, behind champions, Celtic; Aberdeen and St Johnstone finished second and third. We had been knocked out the Fairs Cup at the first attempt by Bayern Munich and, progress in the Scottish Cup came after a semi-final replay single goal victory over Hibs. The old firm final ran to a second game too. Jim Denny made his debut, played well and, we lost 2-1. After the match, I was walking down the Polmadie Road with a couple of schoolmates, one offered a thought we had qualified for the European Cup Winners Cup? Yep, given our separated brethren had won the league, meant as defeated cup finalists we were destined to participate in a trophy for cup winners. The Rangers team that evening was, McCloy, Denny, Mathieson, Greig, McKinnon, Jackson, Henderson, Penman, Stein, MacDonald and, Johnston. Colin Stein finished the season as the club's top scorer on 12 goals. Polmadie Road bottomed out along with the optimism. A new season(71-72) dawned and aspiration levels were sky high, we sang, "bring on the Celtic". The League Cup section draw had awarded our wish, with both Morton and Ayr United providing ballast. We experienced a five Saturdays sequence whereby we played the champions on three occasions, all three at Ibrox. It was home and away League Cup sectional games(due to construction of a new main stand at Parkhead, the game was transferred to Ibrox) and the season's first old firm league match. We lost 0-2, 0-3 and, 2-3. We were out the League Cup on the first day of September and had lost our first two league games, the aforementioned 2-3 defeat to Celtic was replicated at Firhill. We had drawn the French cup winners, Rennes in the first round of the ECWC. The Bretons were due to play their second ever European tie against Rangers, a club that already lost two ECWC finals against Fiorentina and Bayern Munich. We have seen the Rangers debit column, the credit one was paltry, two pre-season victories against Everton(2-1) and Spurs(1-0) and, securing the Glasgow Cup against Clyde(2-0). The French club were lying second in their championship and the most popular local newspaper, 'Ouest France' saw no fear claiming, "Waddell, raised in the Protestant traditions of the club was hurting because his club were declining at the same time as the rise of Catholic Celtic". It was the first but not the last such comparison during our Barca' quest. Tomorrow on the 50th anniversary of our visit to Rennes, we will follow follow Rangers on their first steps to European silverware.

Our Gaffer, Philippe Clement has remarked the league championship is a marathon whereas a cup is a sprint. When I was growing up, Sellik were better known as a cup team. They could raise their game over half a dozen games but could never match Rangers consistency over a season. The ECWC was a Euro' cup for countries' cup winners, a unique speciality.

I think and I’m an old fool that they should bring back the cup winners cup

Roll on Wednesday starting to look forward to games these days

Really? So you OK with other fans signing about Walter, Jimmy Bell and The Goalie? We have / had so many great players and managers we can sing about, yet chose to sing about Bobby Sands and Tommy Burns. And we claim they are "obsessed "

The ref allowing our players to be kicked about again