At the height of Charle’s Green’s bluff and bluster during his time in charge at Rangers, he vowed not to leave Ibrox until the Champions League theme tune was once again blaring out of the tannoy.
That was a decade ago when the prospect seemed like a pipe dream with Ally McCoist’s men struggling away from home in the fourth tier of Scottish football. Green’s comment could later be filed alongside his claim that Rangers were in talks with the Dallas Cowboys over a commercial partnership as he departed the building a year later.
Speaking back in October 2012, the Yorkshireman said: "My intention was to come in to the club, get the funding in place, make sure Rangers’ future was secured and then leave. That was my job but now I’m staying until I hear that Champions League anthem blaring out once again across Ibrox. That’s what the fans and the people here should be given and if that can be delivered maybe I’ll feel my job is complete.”
But with Green now a distant memory, that famous anthem IS set to be heard at Ibrox. It’s been a long time since the stirring strains of George Frideric Handel’s Zadok the Priest have been heard at Ibrox Stadium. A total of 4,277 days to be precise. But that wait will soon be over after Rangers booked their place in the Champions League playoff round.
That means Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s players will line up and the spine-tingling tune will blare out over the Govan ground’s PA system. It will be yet another milestone in the journey back from Scottish football’s bottom tier to the top.
The tune for UEFA’s premier competition was written by English composer Tony Britten, based on Handel’s anthem composed for the coronation of King George II in 1727, and it’s one every footballer dreams of hearing as they stand, chest puffed out ahead of kick-off.
It is introduced at the play-off stage of the Champions League and that’s why the Rangers DJ will have to dust it down ahead of next week’s clash with PSV Eindhoven following the victory over Union Saint-Gilloise.
Ibrox is sure to be rocking regardless but it will be a significant moment for the fans who suffered years in the lower leagues dreaming of once again reaching this stage. The last time it was heard at the stadium was for a group stage clash with Manchester United on November 24, 2010.
Walter Smith’s were beaten by a late Wayne Rooney penalty that night before finishing of their group stage campaign away to Bursaspor as they finished third and dropped into the UEFA Cup where they played next week’s rivals, PSV Eindhoven.
As well as the music, the players will also wear the Champions League logo on their shirt sleeves and the banner will be held aloft in the centre circle. That is also hugely significant as the eight stars represents each of the eight teams who took part in the very first group stage with Rangers being one of them when they were a whisker away from reaching the Final.
Rangers have conjured up some special European nights in recent seasons after reaching the Europa League Final last season but hearing that Champions League theme tune will add something special to the occasion.
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