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WHILST the meek nature of Celtic’s ejection from the Champion’s League has provided much mirth and merriment down Govan way, there has also been the realisation that it might be a watershed moment in Rangers' quest to return to the summit of the Scottish game.

As brilliantly as Mark Warburton has constructed an exciting and skillful team, the slender victory over Hibs in a match that could have gone either way, should be a reality check on our progress.

Celtic and perhaps even Hearts and Aberdeen are another matter entirely.

(Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record)

The thought of an already dominant domestically Parkhead club being able to bank more than £20 million in Champion’s League revenue would be enough to trouble the sleeping patterns of even the most optimistic Teddy Bear.

It would have put them in an extremely strong position for next season’s inevitable resumption of Old Firm hostilities and left Rangers playing catch-up on a scale that would be difficult to bridge over anything other than the long term.

Gers fans have to be pretty thankful then, that after Malmo, Celtic are now weaker and more vulnerable than at any time in the last decade.

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They have a manager whose chief positive attribute seems to be the ability to talk like a football hipster. He certainly knows how to sell himself and his ‘new ideas’, but looking at his record you have to wonder if he isn’t just a Norwegian Kenny Shiels.

His record is one of consistent failure in big games and from a Rangers' perspective; you can only hope he trundles on into next season.

There Ronny Delia will come up against a much stronger test, a man with a magic hat.

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The turnaround at Rangers has been sensational, the football a joy and the attendances incredible.

The management of transfers has also been a highlight, with every signing showing quality and every departure making sense. As part of that it was also good to see Rangers sticking to their policy of never allowing a player to leave for a domestic title rival, which is why there was no reason to stop Darren McGregor’s move to Hibs….

After what felt like an eternity of EBT’s, SEVCO, Administration and Charles Green’s big Yorkshire hands, this was the week that the banter returned. Finally the Bears felt confident enough in our own position to come out of retreat and start biting back about matters on the pitch.

Last season we got our club back and now it seems like our place in Scottish football is finally visible on the horizon.