Send-off provides a perfect outcome

ON an emotionally-charged evening at Ibrox, Rangers fans and players joined forces to deliver the perfect tribute to a fallen hero. A mixture of silence and sound saw Fernando Ricksen honoured in fine style by the fans after his tragic death from motor neurone disease this week at the age of just 43. On the field of play, meanwhile, the team’s fearless display against Feyenoord was also a fitting send-off for the all-action former Holland international who manager Steven Gerrard had pledged to celebrate via his side’s display. This victory was written in the stars. A team with a cause can make for powerful opponents. And on a night when Fernando by ABBA — the song Ricksen was named after — blasted out across Ibrox it quickly became clear there was indeed something in the air tonight. Before kick-off, fans had gathered to lay impressive floral tributes to their hero at each end of the ground. After his media duties 24 hours earlier, Feyenoord manager and Dutch legend Jaap Stam — an inter-national teammate of Ricksen’s — laid flowers as a mark of respect from the Eredivisie club. Then, before the game, Gerrard and his players laid their own wreath and held a minute’s silence to remember the Dutchman. Inside, Ibrox was a riot of colour with Holland shirts and Rangers strips from Ricksen’s era dotted all around. Even the skies above Ibrox looked blue and orange at one point before the Rangers fans unfurled a banner that read: ‘A warrior until the end. Rest Easy Fernando’. Then came an impeccably observed minute’s silence — albeit after some shouting from the Feyenoord end before brief, angry whistles from the Rangers fans. Once the match began the atmosphere was thunderous, and the decibel levels rose even further in the second minute as fans applauded and chanted for their former No 2: ‘There’s only one Fernando Ricksen.’ His demise was heartbreaking and premature but Ricksen lived his life in glorious technicolour. At Rangers he won the Treble in 2003, with League Cups in 2002 and 2005 and a Scottish Cup in 2002 competing his haul of silverware. Last night, fans shared their own memories of his trophyladen six-year spell at Ibrox. Like how Ricksen (below) captained Rangers to one of their most cherished titles of all; Helicopter Sunday in 2005 as the aircraft carrying the SPL trophy was re-rooted from Fir Park to Easter Road where Rangers had beaten Hibs to dramatically claim the title from Celtic. Gerrard’s pre-match pledge to put on a show worthy of Ricksen’s name saw arguably the finest 45 minutes of his Rangers tenure. His team hounded Feyenoord. The only downside was that they was not out of sight by half-time. They should have been, normally reliable penalty taker James Tavernier sending an early spot-kick wide via the base of the right post. Sheyi Ojo made Ibrox erupt when he fired a superb drive beyond Feyenoord goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer. Scott Arfield hit the bar with a shot and Ojo would pass up other chances. Still, the fans rose as one to give a standing ovation. Feyenoord supporters did not like what they saw and scuffles broke out in the away section. In the end, all that was missing was a more emphatic scoreline for the home side. But Rangers fans did not care as they noisily celebrated their team’s fitting tribute to Ricksen and the capture of three crucial Europa League points.