"Follow Follow, We Will Follow Rangers" was the chorus that filled the squares of Florence long into the night as Rangers fans celebrated their very special achievement.
Just 15 months ago, Glasgow Rangers Football Club was on its knees.
Today, we celebrate our first return to a European Final in 36 long years. Some fans thought they'd never see another such day, others like myself, thought we could only dream.
But on the 14th of May, 2008, the players of Glasgow Rangers will have a chance on that pitch in Manchester, to make themselves heroes!
Heroes in Glasgow, live forever!
Last nights game wasn't pretty, in fact I'd have been the first to hold my hands up if the Gers had lost on penalties and say "justice had been done."
Sadly or should I say luckily, there is no justice in football!
Fiorentina failed to score in 210 minutes of football, which in the history books make them no better than the boys in blue.
Rangers kept their composure in the shoot out despite captain Barry Ferguson's early miss. Steven Whittaker, Sasa Papac, Bruno Hemdani all scored as Fabio Liverani had his penalty saved by Neil Alexander. Christian Vieri blasted over and Nacho Novo stepped up to send the Rangers fans into delirium!
Rangers were through to the UEFA Cup Final!
The Scots will meet the impressive Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester after the Russians demolished the once mighty Bayern Munich 4-0 to advance to the final, 5-1 on aggregate.
Strangely enough, Zenit Coach Dick Advocaat is a former Rangers manager and has at his disposal, former Rangers favourite Fernando Ricksen. This will add spice to a final that will see upwards of 100,000 Rangers fans converge on Manchester.
Zenit must be the favourites but what does that mean? No one wearing Blue in Manchester, including the Rangers players will give it a second thought.
Red Star Belgrade, VFB Stuttgart, Olympic Lyonnais, Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and finally Fiorentina have all been dispatched by Rangers in Europe this season.
As I said earlier in the tournament, we are the famous Glasgow Rangers, and we surely fear nothing now!
In the words of 100,000 Rangers fans in Manchester... Mon then Zenit!
Comments (29) Add a comment »
from 14 days ago
Yes ! Come on yoy Gers ! Rangers FC For Life!
from 14 days ago
Great to hear from you. Thanks for the comment mate.
from 14 days ago
Boring football works and last night proved it.
from 14 days ago
awww let me apologize....NOT...we're in the final and we've beaten some of Europes best along the way. Credit where credit is due!
from 14 days ago
True said Mark. Boring football do work sometimes. Wish them luck in the final....
from 14 days ago
Thanks salomon we wil need it.
from 14 days ago
I'm vying for the Gers..
from 14 days ago
Great to hear Salaar :) Going to be the most exciting 90 mins of my life...I wondered if I'd see it in 70 years...so at 23 isn't bad...I'll still be around in 36 years haha
from 14 days ago
You mean no article saying 'Fiorentina Mugged', I am very disappointed in you Andrew. ;-)
from 14 days ago
I didn't see the referee give us much, did you Simon?
from 13 days ago
True, but getting lucky, so to speak, is about more than just favourable refereeing decisions.
Over the two legs:
Possession: Fiorentina 57% Rangers 43%
Shots on Target: Fiorentina 13 Rangers 3
Shots off Target: Fiorentina 13 Rangers 4
Corners: Fiorentina 13 Rangers 4
Fouls Committed: Fiorentina 28 Rangers 43
Over the two legs
Possession: Liverpool 45% Arsenal 55%
Shots on Target: Liverpool 8 Arsenal 9
Shots off Target: Liverpool 5 Arsenal 8
Corners: Liverpool 8 Arsenal 8
Fouls Committed: Liverpool 24 Arsenal 17
Now which of those ties looks more like a 'mugging'?
from 13 days ago
I said in my article I couldn't claim that we deserved to get through so I don't see the point in yoiu trying to belittle Rangers.
I'll enjoy our quadruple bid and you enjoy...erm...fourth in the league.
from 13 days ago
"Red Star Belgrade, VSB Stuttgart, Olympic Lyonnais, Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and finally Fiorentina"...impressive indeed. Zenit's some story too. Holy crap! I usually don't bother with the UEFA Cup but I will definetly check this final out. Hope its a good one!
from 13 days ago
Don't expect too much, Mike. Excluding qualifiers rangers have won 4 out of 15 games in normal time and scored 5 goals in their last 8 European games. That they are in the final is a victory for negative, cynical football. No thought given to attack, only to nullifying opponents and hoping for defensive errors. This seems to be the way forward for Scottish teams as it is a method also employed by the national team to some(relative) success. Rangers rivals Celtic, on the other hand, despite reaching the last 16 of the champions league have found themselves exposed by attempting to play attacking football.
It's a worrying precedent. Given Rangers' success in the Uefa cup, will other teams try to mimic this ultra-defensive style next season?
from 13 days ago
And Fiorentina would have been in the final having won for the 3rd time on penalties in this seasons UEFA Cup.
Thanks for the positive comments Mike. Glad someone can be happy for another team.
As for you Paolo, we are in the final so get over it. Rangers don't have a very talented squad but we have a well drilled, dedicated squad. Something that can be admired. Our centre back is 37 and playing the best football of his career alongside Cuellar.
Scotland is a tiny country on the footballing map and I'm very very proud af all our achievments in the last year. Rangers will play better football next year as Walter starts to build a better team.
When we did Sporting in Lisbon we totally deserved to win and on the night, in Manchester in a one off tie we can do it again.
from 13 days ago
I did quite enjoy Scotland beating France.
from 13 days ago
twice :D haha
from 13 days ago
why would i be jealous andrew come on now we were in the final not to long ago when the uefa cup was the uefa cup not the mickey mouse one that it is now look at the teams that have made it to the latter stages in the last couple seasons middlesboro getafe osasuna to name but a few oh yeah rangers and zenit who?
from 13 days ago
The UEFA Cup is the same as it was then. Bayern Munich, Fiorentina and Zenit (The Russian Champs) all tiny little teams i know......Sporting Lisbon...I can't believe I've never heard of them...
I've never slated Celtic in any article and even wrote in support of them in Europe on this very website on numerous occasions.
You sadden me, you really do.
from 13 days ago
How is it the same group stages didnt exist at all 3 points can qualify you for the next round as for your support for celtic id call it crocodile!!
from 13 days ago
As for your shock about zenits racists fans wind back the clock 3 years ago bobo balde???simply the best???billy boys??? come andrew your club has racial issues to oh what was that song after you dispatched of fiorentina????
from 13 days ago
I've already said my club has had sectarian issues over the years and I won't defend them as they were wrong....I'm no bigot. Are you a Celtic fan?
from 12 days ago
Congrats on Rangers.
Did not see the games I confess..but I will make a special effort to watch the final and cheer for Rangers. A Scotsman did teach Brazil football after all.
Don`t know much about your side but I assume it has little foreign participation and no big bucks. .....and that`s something I respect a lot.
Got to the final on guts and determination.
Correct me if I`m wrong but both these sides can boast of home elevens which is great to see in football. One or two outsiders OK but the other fancy teams with the big bucks are ridiculous.
More power to rangers!!!!
from 12 days ago
Not sure about Zenit, They definately have a few foreigners as do we, but the Rangers team definately has a strong Scottish core. 6 or 7 in the final should be scots.
from 12 days ago
at the end of the day rangers fans in 50 years will remember the trophys not the style of play, trophys make history books not how it was done!
fair play to walter smith at that, personally im up for the quad and even if I live in Ireland, Celtic seem to think they have a devine right to win the SPL! Go on the Gers
from 12 days ago
Thanks Marc. Bit of a stumble today at Easter Road but it's still in our hands.
from 11 days ago
I thought I'd leave this here. It's one of my favourite football quotes. Uttered by a man who helped carry the dead from the Ibrox disaster and who has been thanked in recent times by one of the most insidious campaigns ever heard, even by the standards of a club bathed in hatred. Seems very apt considering the topic -
"There is not a prouder man on gods earth than me at this moment.Winning was important aye but it was the way we won that has filled me with satisfaction. We did it by playing football - pure beautiful inventive football. There was not a negative thought in our heads, Inter played right into our hands. Its sad to see such gifted players shackled by a system that restricts their freedom to think.Our fans would never except that sort of sterile approach,our objective is always to try and win with style"
from 9 days ago
throstles nest pub, seymour grove, old trafford, manchester. M16.
2 big screens, 4 tv sets, 15 min taxi ride to m.c.f.c stadium, all welcome
from 9 days ago
come on the m'well get into the gers 2night show the title pretenders how football is meant to be played!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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