It’s nearly 40 years since Graeme Souness and his revolution swept into Glasgow and brought the sort of success that Rangers had been yearning for.
A key factor was the quality of player that followed him into Ibrox with the former Liverpool skipper taking charge of a Rangers squad that had few equals.
Every successful team starts with a solid defence; goals win games, but clean sheets win titles.
Club legends like of Chris Woods and Terry Butcher would be joined by Richard Gough in forming the sort of defence that provided the foundations for Rangers to win nine league titles in a row.
The first, was in 1988/89, with the first goal on the journey scored by a player who Rangers simply wouldn’t be able to afford or persuade to sign for them now, such was his quality.
When Gary Stevens opened the 9-in-a-row scoring for Rangers
Ironically, due to their Scottish Cup shock connotations, Hamilton are remembered for all the right reasons and were the opponents on match-day one.
A routine 2-0 win with the opening goal being scored by a new recruit.
In 1988, the world record transfer fee was the £2.8m Liverpool paid to Juventus to take Ian Rush back to Anfield, meanwhile, Rangers were spending £1m on a defender in the same summer that Tottenham Hotspur forked out £2m on a certain Paul Gascoigne.
In what was widely regarded as one of the best teams on the continent during the mid-eighties, Gary Stevens was a key figure in the dominant Everton side that won the European Cup Winners’ Cup before English clubs were banned from Europe.
Souness wanted the best, and an England international who would go on and win 42 caps was as good as they came.
How much would Stevens be worth now?
A very modern full-back, Stevens, who has just turned 62, was known for his energy and athleticism, as well as his defensive capabilities and would enjoy a successful partnership with Trevor Steven when he too took the journey from Goodison to Ibrox Park a year later.
On this occasion against Hamilton, Stevens scored one of his nine Rangers goals to put his team on the path to domestic dominance, leaving with six league titles to his name.
For those of a certain age, Stevens is a regular in all-time Rangers XIs, competing with Sandy Jardine for many as the best right-back, although there are some who hold James Tavernier’s individual statistics in greater regard.
For perspective, if Rangers were to sign a player like Gary Stevens now, a fee of £50m would probably just about cover the first installment; think Kyle Walker at his peak.
A different era, and a very different Rangers.
