I've been twenty-five years a season ticket holder and despite people telling me, 'it’s only a game’ - Rangers is far more than that. It's a way of life.
I met my wife at Ibrox. For ten years she sat in front of me in the Sandy Jardine front, listening as I shouted and kicked every ball. Then one European game she turned up in just a t-Shirt and despite her looking fantastic I gave her my jacket to keep her warm. A few months later, in a chance encounter, she would pick me up at the bus stop on the way to a game after spotting me. Three months later Walter Smith sealed his last Rangers title and our love blossomed as things behind the scenes at the club began to go sour.
Our journey together began with Rangers travelling around the lower leagues and on the day we married, two Lewis McLeod goals would seal a 2-0 victory at Brora Rangers. It was the same night Andy Murray would win Wimbledon for the first time. The cheers of delight from the wedding party were obviously celebrating a mighty victory in Brora and not a momentous day in Scottish sport.
Almost immediately, we got ourselves a dog and named her Ali (after the legendary goalscorer although we spelt it slightly differently as our version is a lady). Two boys then arrived and so finally has a league title as 55 was sealed together in the most wonderful of moments - just as we were starting to worry we were a jinx. 10 years older, 10 years together in total (eight years married), 'at least someone managed the 10' we tell each other.
Throughout the desperate years, we would confide our darkest Rangers fears. I remember one punishing 4-0 defeat at Easter Road as Kenny McDowell sat dejected in the dugout and turning to her and saying, ‘We might never make it back!’ I was told in no uncertain terms to stop my ‘nonsense’ or perhaps something a bit stronger.
On our journey would be her Dad who I became very close to. Duncan would go everywhere and indeed Rangers would invite him to the training ground to celebrate his many years following the club. His last game saw Steven Gerrard's side beat Celtic 1-0 as Ryan Jack would score a famous winner.
Sadly, ill-health meant he didn’t manage another game and devastatingly he wasn’t well enough to recognise the return of the title. Duncan passed just weeks ago and is a huge loss to us all. He would tell us his tales of Barcelona in 1972 as Rangers crowned their most famous moment, how he was there and saw it all.
He told us of a famous tie in the sixties as one of his first-ever European jaunts he travelled to none other than Eintracht Frankfurt. Almost as fate would have it, as after we beat Leipzig to qualify against Eintracht we would say our final goodbyes to Duncan the very next day.
His legacy lives on through my oldest boy, Duncan Jnr, who now has his season ticket next to my wife and I. Of course, I don’t sit in that seat anymore and match day has changed slightly, but my season ticket will always remain. The dynamic of club and family mixed together has never left me and they're rarely not intertwined - I can't settle in my new spot in the press gantry until I know Karen is in her seat watching the team she loves.
Just as I said, Rangers is a way of life for so many. My house is no different.
So as my journey to Seville begins early this morning I will travel with my wife by my side, my cousin Carrie who I went to my first game with almost 30 years ago and family friend Chris who is the designated driver. It's family, together.
I’ll be there with the Rangers Review to cover my team in a European final. I made it to Manchester in 2008 as a supporter and I’ll be back again with a hobby and opportunity which has taken me through some memorable moments, culminating in this one. Duncan would have loved every moment this journey has taken me on.
But I won’t be alone in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium. There will be between 16-18 thousand Rangers fans each with someone close to them in their hearts and minds. Some will say it’s fate and some will say it’s destiny but whatever story we have and tell ourselves, there is one thing we shouldn’t lose faith in - Rangers deserve to be here.
Grit, determination, skill and moments of sheer magic have rightfully earned us a place in this Europa League final. Dortmund, Red Star, Braga and Leipzig have all fallen to a team determined to bring it home not only for themselves but for a club who dearly misses our absent friends.
Walter and Jimmy will be with us just like the thousands who cheer the team on and have their own people with them. As I sit down to watch Rangers I will be full of pride and joy but I will also think of those no longer with us.
This team deserve to cement the legacy they created when they delivered last season's momentous title. By the end of this week, a glorious double may be with us and we can all enjoy a quiet moment to reflect on everything we have been through.
I believe in this team and always have. I have written before we are champions for a reason and whilst that crown has gone, a bigger glory awaits us. Europe is the elite stage and this feels like a once in a lifetime moment.
All that is left now is to enjoy the moment, raise a glass to those now with us only in spirit and cheer our club to the historic moment they so richly deserve.
Good luck to the lads, enjoy the moment and bring it home - we are all with you!
Rangers is a way of life and it always will be.
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