FROM BACK PAGE

table courtesy of a 2-1 triumph over Hearts at Tynecastle at the start of the month, were beaten 1-0 by Aberdeen at home last Wednesday night and were then held to a 1-1 draw by bottom-placed Dundee at Dens Park on Sunday.

Yet, the Glasgow club, who must win in Austria in order to progress to the last 32, have excelled on the continent in the past, even when struggling on the home front.

In the 2005/06 season they finished third in the league, were knocked out of the League Cup in the quarterfinals and only made it as far as the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

But Rangers still became the first Scottish club to progress to the knockout rounds of the Champions League after they drew 1-1 with their Italian rivals Inter Milan in their final group match in Govan.

Alex McLeish’s men went into that encounter on the back of a dire run that had seen them draw with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Livingston, Aberdeen and Falkirk and lose to Celtic and Hibernian.

Bob Malcolm played in midfield for his boyhood heroes that night and helped them progress to the last 16 where they were defeated by Spanish opponents Villarreal on away goals.

Malcolm, now assistant manager to former Rangers team-mate Barry Ferguson at ambitious Lowland League club Kelty Hearts, recalled how the unhappiness in the stands that term got so bad the players needed protection as they left the stadium.

“I can remember us battering Falkirk in the match before the Inter game only for them to score two late goals,” he said. “Afterwards as we left the stadium the security guards had to use the metal barricades to create a path for us to get through the fans who were waiting outside to give us pelters.

“We didn’t have a great season. But that perhaps made us more determined to do well in Europe. It was a chance to give the supporters something to shout about.

“The Old Firm matches were always massive, but that match [Inter] was special. The fans really got behind us and helped us get the result we were needing.

“That was a strong Inter team. The gaffer came up with a game plan to sit in, frustrate them and try to hit them on the break through Peter Lovenkrands, who had a lot of pace upfront.

“Adriano scored in the first half, but Peter equalised soon after. We competed with them well. In the second half we took the game to them a bit more and had a few chances. We got the result we were looking for and it turned out to be a great night

“I was playing in midfield. Big Marvin Andrews was a different class for us that night.”

Rangers also proved unable to compete with Celtic for domestic honours the following season after Paul Le Guen had taken over from McLeish as manager and they once more finished the campaign trophyless.

But they again acquitted themselves well further field.