THE story of a career can be told in terms of games and goals. A legacy - especially at a club like Rangers - is only established by medals and memories.
The end of the season will mark the end of a chapter for many members of the Ibrox squad. In time, those that leave will surely look back with regret at the ones that were missed out on as well as a pride at what has been achieved.
History was made as title 55 was secured and the Scottish Cup was lifted. The run to the Europa League final will last long in the memory but ultimately has to be placed alongside the succession of near misses and failures that have permeated recent seasons.
More than one Premiership crown should have been clinched and a single cup medal is not an acceptable return for the side that are captained by James Tavernier. There is now just one last opportunity for that to be addressed and the semi-final with Celtic on Sunday will help define an era at Ibrox.
The one that David Robertson was part of was trophy-laden. Six Premier Division flags were raised on the way to nine-in-a-row as three Scottish Cups and three League Cups were also won under the guidance of Walter Smith.
Rangers were ruthless and relentless as their mentality matched their ability. Having failed to kick on from their previous achievements in that same manner of their Ibrox predecessors, Michael Beale's side must now lay down a marker for the future with an Old Firm win and another Hampden medal.
"Tavernier, as good as he is and for all the goals that he has scored for a defender, at the end of the day you want trophies and medals to look back on at the end of your career," Robertson said. "At a club like Rangers, you have to be winning leagues and cups regularly.
"Obviously Rangers had a really tough spell and difficult few years working their way back through the leagues, but it has got to the point now where they have to be winning. People talk about their spending power or whatever and that Celtic have more money.
"But there is not too much in it and sometimes you need that drive, passion and desire to win trophies. Nobody gives them to you.
"No matter how good you are, you have to do it and prove it. That is why there is pressure on Celtic now to keep doing it and Rangers to start it."
Robertson arrived at Ibrox having already tasted cup glory with Aberdeen. In his first campaign, the fourth title of the nine was won alongside the Scottish Cup following the famous Old Firm semi-final win that saw the left-back sent off and Ally McCoist net the winner.
The seasons that followed summed up the spirit and skill of Smith's side. Three decades on, the Old Firm tables have turned and Rangers find themselves trying to stop history being made across the city rather than leaving their own sustained mark on our game.
"I always found at Rangers that the hardest part was after you had won a trophy, as soon as that was done you had to go and win the next one," Robertson said. "It is just having that mentality and being able to go and do it. Celtic have to do it but Rangers need to take it away and then go and do it themselves.
"In the last four or five seasons, they don’t have a great deal to show for their efforts and that has to change soon. If they can win the semi-final, you would like to think they win the final and that has got to be the aim.
"If you are at Rangers, especially for that long, then you have to win trophies. Second best is never good enough. No matter what level you are at, it is never good enough for Rangers."
Beale has tried, tried and tried again since his return to Glasgow. The Ibrox Old Firm draw was a missed opportunity, the Parkhead defeat ended any title hopes and the Hampden no-show saw Beale's side miss out on a chance to shift the dynamic back to the blue side of the city.
There was a feeling that Rangers would go on and go again when Giovanni van Bronckhorst lifted the Scottish Cup last May. That, of course, didn't prove to be the case and Beale now has his own opportunity to use a Hampden win as the foundation for the future.
Ending Celtic's Treble ambitions would be a by-product of victory on Sunday. More importantly, a semi-final win, which should all but guarantee the trophy this term, would give the Englishman something to build on going forward.
"I remember a spell at Rangers where we played Leeds United to try and qualify for the Champions League and a few days later we played Aberdeen in the League Cup final," Robertson said. "After that it was the second leg at Elland Road.
Ally McCoist with one of Rangers best ever European goals away at Leeds in 1992 pic.twitter.com/oHQLmWrXdf
— The Rangers Archives (@OldRangersVideo) August 2, 2016
"You are winning these games and still celebrating the one before. You are focused, you have that hunger to go again. That is what a Rangers team has to do.
"It is not a case of winning an isolated trophy, it has to be about beating Celtic and winning the Scottish Cup then winning the League Cup then building for the title. You can’t think just because you have won a trophy that is you for a wee bit of time.
"You have to go and do it every time there is a trophy up for grabs, you have to go and win it regardless of how good Celtic are. You can dress the situation up as much as you want, but second best is never good enough for Rangers."
Robertson won two Old Firm semis on his way to Scottish Cup medals in 1992 and 1996. In that first term, his Hampden appearance lasted just six minutes after he took the instruction to 'sort out' Joe Miller too strongly and was forced to watch on anxiously as Smith's side dug deep and Super Ally was the hero once again.
That victory set up a final meeting with Airdrieonians. Like this term, Rangers will be huge favourites to lift the trophy if Celtic can be overcome given that Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Falkirk will await on June 3.
"It is the last chance of getting something, and it would be a good way to finish the season," Robertson said. "You would like to think that if you manage to beat Celtic you will win in the cup.
"Obviously the last Old Firm game was a bit disappointing, even though, without the individual mistakes, the performance was good. But, like any Old Firm game, particularly a cup game, anything can happen.
"The pressure is always on Celtic with the way they are and going to win all the trophies. If Rangers have got the belief and the hunger then they can win the game.
"I did not want to be the Rangers manager that allowed Celtic to come to Ibrox to win the league." 🗣️ 🔵 Ally McCoist speaks on stopping Celtic from winning the 2011-12 league at Ibrox with Andrew of @SaturdayAt3Pod Full video 📲 https://t.co/a775HyyZSi#TheRaceTo8 pic.twitter.com/CsNUDoPlh5
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) April 26, 2023
"You don’t want to whimper out of the season without at least getting to the cup final and then going on to win it."
That achievement would be the first major one of Beale's managerial career. In a season of so many dark clouds, it would give Rangers a silver lining and a reason to be positive heading into the summer.
It will be a close season of significant change at Ibrox as Beale builds a squad and a team in his image. The bid for league and cup glories next term arguably starts this weekend.
"Michael has come back in and he has done well, but not quite well enough," Robertson said. "So I think a win at Hampden would help to prove a point.
"At Rangers, you have to win every game and you have to win trophies. I think getting that psychological edge and being able to beat Celtic would be great for next season.
"You have to look to next season but you want to finish on a high, get to the cup final and win it. Rangers need something to build on.
"They had that last season with the Scottish Cup and getting to the Europa League final but they need something this year, one hundred per cent, just to look into next season."
