TALKING RANGERS

STEPHEN Wright realised a lifelong ambition when he signed for Rangers. Now he hopes to make dreams come true at Ibrox.

It was the summer of 1995 and Walter Smith had an eighth successive title in his sights.

His moves in the transfer market would have a profound effect on his side, and the careers of those that signed on the dotted line.

It will be remembered as the month that saw Paul Gascoigne paraded in the sunshine, while Oleg Salenko and Gordan Petric followed. Almost 22 years ago to the day, Wright was the first man through the door, though.

His move from Aberdeen could have been the start of something special but hero status would never be earned. Wright’s Rangers career was a story of what might have been.

He had played just a handful of matches before he sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury against Juventus at Ibrox. That was the beginning of the end.

The road to recovery was long and fraught for Wright and it was a journey he would never fully complete at Ibrox as his dream move turned into a nightmare.

“I have no regrets at all,” Wright told SportTimes. “I would do it again tomorrow if I had the chance, even although I was injured for a lot of the time I was here.

“To play with some of the players I played with was incredible. It was great to be here. I was so lucky and I wouldn’t change it for the world. This is a special place and I am delighted to be back again.”

It would be easy for Wright to think ‘what if?’ as he reflects on his short-lived career in Light Blue but the countless positives – the players, the success, the occasions and the memories – outweigh the obvious negative.

That night against Juventus will be remembered for all the wrong reasons by the Light Blue legions as Smith’s side were beaten 4-0 at Ibrox and a wretched Champions League campaign went from bad to worse.

Wright lasted just 24 minutes before he was struck down and stretchered off. He didn’t know it then, but the writing was on the wall.

“It was difficult to deal with, but I didn’t come here thinking I was going to be playing for years and years and years,” he said. “You can’t think too far ahead, especially at a club like Rangers.

“I followed the path of Davie Robertson, who came just before me from Aberdeen. I saw his career here and he did really well so I was hoping to try and emulate that.

“But circumstances dictated ot otherwise. You get injured and fig fight back, you get injured ag again and come back again and it just never worked out for me.

“But I wouldn’t have changed it. I learned from the manager an and the great players that were he here and I will always remember th that period of my career.”

The memories may be mixed bu but some stand out more than ot others for Wright. He may not ha have been in the team, but he wa was a member of a unique squad.

Many of those he shared a dr dressing room with would go on to become legends at Ibrox as Smith’s side wrote their names in the history books.

Ironically, his departure would coincide with Gazza’s as he joined Wolves on loan within days of the Englishman clinching a switch to Middlesbrough.

“It was a special time to be at Rangers and it was great for me, even though I didn’t play many games,” Wright said.

“To be at the club for eight-ina-row and then nine-in-a-row, I shared so many great experiences with some wonderful players and there are so many stories. Rangers were winning trophies,