Former Rangers star Lee McCulloch believes that the fans at Ibrox deserve European football for all the suffering they have been through in the last few years, following their journey from the fourth tier of Scottish football to the top flight.
The Gers were demoted to the fourth tier of Scottish football following the liquidation of their previous corporate identity during the 2011/12 season and secured three promotions in the span of four years to get back to the top flight under Mark Warburton in 2016.
The fans have been longing for the Light Blues to return to the upper echelons of Scottish football and McCulloch claims that they deserve to revel in the spotlight of European football for as long as they can.
“Just think where Rangers have been for the last five, six, seven years”, McCulloch wrote in the Evening Times.
“The fans have suffered, everyone has suffered, and it has been a really difficult time for the club.
“Of course, the ultimate ambition for Rangers has to be to be competing in the Champions League once again. That is where we were before and where we want to be again.
“But you have to take progression and take things a step at a time and getting into the Europa League would be progression for the board, the management and the players”, he added.
After an unbeaten start to the new season under Steven Gerrard, Rangers are just 90 minutes away from securing a return to European football if they manage to preserve their 1-0 first leg lead over FC Ufa, who they will face on Thursday, in the second leg of the Europa League playoff round.
