Former Rangers midfielder Ian Durrant has offered a note of optimism ahead of his old club’s UEFA Champions League playoff second-leg clash with Club Brugge tonight.
Durrant, who spent 13 years at Ibrox between 1985 and 1998 and lifted 13 major honours, spoke to SNN Sports about the crucial tie in Belgium.
Despite Rangers trailing 3-1 from last week’s first leg in Glasgow, the 57-year-old insists the tie is not beyond them.
“They've just got to keep believing in it,” Durrant said. “Things aren’t going well right now with the results, and things need to get better.
“But Russell Martin is trying to embed a new playing system, and he's trying to get new players into it.
"Sometimes it does take time. But at Rangers, you're not given a lot of time because, on the back of the Brugge game, you’ve got your first Old Firm match.
“They’ve got to do things better, but if they get the first goal, you never know.”
The comments from the former dynamite midfielder underline his belief that one result could transform Rangers’ season.
The first goal tonight will be crucial, it would drag Martin’s men back into the contest and force their Belgian opponents, onto the back foot.
Club Brugge vs Rangers: How to watch, kick off time, team news and match officials
Rangers ready to unleash Miovski in Old Firm battle
70 Years of Hurt: Can Rangers break their European curse under Russell Martin?
Durrant also has history against Brugge. He scored the opener the last time Rangers defeated them, a 2-1 win at Ibrox in the inaugural UEFA Champions League campaign in 1993.
That victory helped Walter Smith’s side on their way to an unbeaten run in the group stage, a feat still fondly remembered by the Ibrox support.
However, history is against them. Rangers have never overturned a European tie after losing the first leg at Ibrox, a stark reminder of the scale of the task awaiting Martin’s side in Belgium tonight.