The passing of Rangers legend and former captain Fernando Ricksen is hurting everyone associated with Rangers Football Club.
None more so than those former Ibrox stars who could call the fiery Dutchman their teammate.
Peter Lovenkrands is someone in particular who owes former Gers captain Ricksen a severe debt of gratitude for everything he did for the Dane on and off the pitch.
As Lovenkrands explains, Ricksen took the young Danish winger – then only a young 20-year-old coming from OB Odense.
It’s a measure of the kind of man Fernando was for his teammates on and off the pitch that Lovenkrands – someone who remains at Rangers in a coaching capacity – could put so much of him settling at Rangers down to the midfielder-turned-full-back.
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The passing of the former Fortuna Sittard, AZ and Zenit player has hit everyone connected to Ibrox hard, not least Rangers fans who have been sending tributes by the barrowload ever since the club announced the tragic news [Rangers].
Ricksen – who spent six trophy-laden years at Ibrox – was a true warrior and how he combated his Motor Neurone Disease off the pitch was with the same No Surrender spirit Ricksen had on it.
The embodiment of a true Ranger, the Dutchman came back from early disappointment at Ibrox to cement himself in the club’s history.
Captain. Leader. Legend.
Fernando’s commitment to the side and his teammates is something that Peter Lovenkrands has clearly never forgotten.