John Lundstram got his big break after being cast in the lead role as David in a couple of giant-killing productions with former club Oxford.
But the Rangers midfielder is well aware how heavy the fall will be if Gers end up acting out the part of Goliath when Stirling Albion visit tonight.
Lundstram won his summer move to Ibrox after a two-year stint in the Premier League with Sheffield United.
But the Scouser had to work his way back from the bottom of the English game after being cut free by boyhood club Everton aged just 21.
A move to the League Two U’s in 2015 proved to be the slingshot that propelled him back to the big-time, with his part in two FA Cup shocks alerting then Blades boss Chris Wilder to his powerhouse talents.
In January 2016, Oxford stunned then top-division Swansea in the third round thanks to two goals from Lundstram’s current Ibrox colleague Kemar Roofe.
A year later the Grenoble Road outfit dispensed with eventual Championship winners Newcastle, this time with ex-Gers kid Kane Hemmings on the scoresheet.
Neither result was exactly an upset of biblical proportions but it certainly gave Lundstram enough of an understanding of the underdog psyche to make him wary about this evening’s clash with Darren Young’s League Two Binos.
Lundstram said: “We will prepare for the game exactly like we would prepare for any game. We’ll prepare for this one like we’ll prepare for the Dortmund game.
“I’ve been in the position that Stirling are in. When I was at Oxford we had Premier League teams in the FA Cup and knocked them out.
“I had really good times there. We knocked out Swansea the first year and then Newcastle the year after.
“So I know exactly how the lads at Stirling Albion will be feeling. They can’t wait to get here, I’d imagine.
“It’s going to be a tough game. We’re at home and we’ve got to be the ones who go implement what we want to do.
“I’m sure if we have the right attitude and the right mentality we’ll win the game.
“But you’ve got to implant that and it will be a difficult game for us if we don’t.
“We know how important it will be for Stirling coming to Ibrox, it will be a massive occasion for them. I know if I was in their shoes I’d be raring to go. We’ve got to match that, definitely.”
Lundstram may only have been at Ibrox for six months but he needs no reminding of Rangers’ wretched run in domestic knock-out competitions.
November’s defeat by Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup means the Light Blues’ wait
for a cup triumph is now into its 11th year – a situation the midfielder is determined to right.
He said: “I know it still hurts me that we got knocked out of that semi-final against Hibs. Really frustrated me for a while, that one.
“So going forward the cups has got to be a priority along with the league. When you’re at a club like Rangers you’re expected to go all the way in them all. We all know that and that’s what we want to do.”
Boss Gio van Bronckhorst plans to ring the changes to the side frustratingly held by Aberdeen on Tuesday night.
Kid midfielder Alex Lowry looks like he’ll get a nod for a debut at some stage but Lundstram is looking forward to getting some competitive minutes into his own legs.
It’s been a start-stop career in Glasgow for the 27-year-old. After some early settling-in issues he looked to be finding his feet, only for the man who tempted him north of the border, Steven Gerrard, to be whisked away back down south by Aston Villa.
That put him back to square one with van Bronckhorst now in charge. He came on as a late sub at Pittodrie but has started just twice under the Dutchman.
But Lundstram – who was recently linked with a move to Middlesbrough – insists he is prepared to fight for his place.
He said: “It is difficult to just come in and be expected to set the world alight when you haven’t had a run.
“For any player to build up some form, you need to have a run of games. I’m no different but obviously when the opportunity does come for yourself you have got to take it and impress.
“I definitely do want to impress and get a run in the team. Everyone is different, everyone deals with (being out the team) in their own way. My way is to keep working hard and stay positive, I’ve got to.
“That’s the only way you go about it in my opinion, you have to stay focused and
positive. You keep trying to impress the manager and when you get a chance you have to take it.
“There are a few of us who will want to do that in the coming weeks.
“The lads have been winning so it’s been difficult for the manager to change things up. But definitely there’s now a chance for the lads who have been around it to come in and impress.
“It was disappointing of course not to get the win up at Aberdeen. You go into every game wanting to win. That’s what the Rangers mentality is.
“In the end, with the way the game panned out, it turned into a good point for us – as long as we go into the next games and get results.
“Going forward, we’ve got to get another winning run going now after dropping a couple the other night.”
