That is the end of that. Now, let's never speak of it again. Rangers finished their Premiership campaign with victory over Falkirk. The focus now is all on the rebuild for Danny Rohl and the Ibrox board.
Youssef Chermiti scored twice in the opening stages before a blunder from Jack Butland allowed Falkirk back into it. Djeidi Gassama restored the two-goal lead but it didn't last until the break. A lengthy VAR check gave Calvin Miller the chance to score from the spot and he converted to make it 3-2 at the interval.
Chermiti completed his hat-trick shortly after the restart. Thelo Aasgaard made it 5-2 from the penalty spot after Chermiti was fouled.
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The season is over... At last
The Falkirk Stadium has been the scene of two of the most dramatic moments of this season from a Rangers perspective. In October, Russell Martin required a police escort on his way back to the team bus after what proved to be the final match of his short tenure as boss. Just weeks ago, Rohl’s side scored six times as they set themselves up for a shot at the title in the post-split schedule.
History, of course, tells a very different story. The belief, momentum and feelgood factor from that day was burst when Motherwell won at Ibrox. Hearts and Celtic then inflicted the final blows before the loss to Hibernian that piled more pressure on Rohl.
Even for experienced watchers of Rangers, the speed at which Rangers have collapsed has been quite something to witness. Come the summer, significant surgery is needed to this squad once again. It needs quality, but it needs character and Rohl will be trusted to lead that process.
Rohl has had private backing from chairman Andrew Cavenagh in recent days. It was easy to say that this match was meaningless, but it still carried some significance for the German. Four successive defeats was bad enough and he didn’t need the negativity that would be attached to another one on the final day.
He avoided that particular fate. In terms of positives to take, it was hardly one to shout about on a day when all eyes were on Parkhead. Rohl was right to say that the title race would go to the final day. Unfortunately, his side were not involved in it. That cannot be the case next term.
Rangers deserve their win
The pressure was off. So, naturally, Rangers played quite well. The lead was only a single goal at the break but that was down to their defensive deficiencies rather than what they had offered at the other end of the park.
Chermiti scored twice in the opening minutes. His first saw him combine with Mikey Moore and then beat Jay Hogarth with a clinical low finish. The second one was sublime. He controlled a dropping ball on his chest and then found the top corner from distance with a strike that showed just what he is capable of on his day.
The third from Rohl’s side came at the end of another neat move. Nasser Djiga – the stand-in at right-back until he was forced off through injury – advanced down the right and found Chermiti. The ball was worked to Gassama and he finished well. The winger paid tribute to captain James Tavernier by copying his baseball swing celebration.
Chermiti completed his hat-trick just after the restart. Rommens provided the cross from the left and a header saw the striker take his tally for the campaign to 15.
Aasgaard made it 5-2 with a clinical penalty. The Norwegian ignored the chants of ‘Mikey, Mikey Moore’ from the away end as the support called for the winger to take the spot-kick. Seconds later, he waved farewell in his last appearance before the end of his loan spell.
Another baffling Butland blunder
In the final minutes of the half, Butland almost got a hand to Miller’s penalty and then saved well from Ben Parkinson at the near post. It was all about his mistake earlier in afternoon, though, as he allowed Falkirk a route back into the match.
Rangers were 2-0 up and cruising. Tuur Rommens was under to pressure as he knocked the ball back towards his keeper. Inexplicably, Butland allowed the ball to roll under his foot. He scrambled back but couldn’t keep it out as his team-mates looked on in disbelief.
At 4-2, he did well to deny Miller. John Souttar was caught out in the middle of the park and Falkirk broke. Miller couldn’t beat the keeper from 12 yards.
Academy kids get their chance
There was success for the Rangers Under-19s on Friday afternoon as victory over St Mirren saw them crowd as league champions. A last-minute free-kick from Zebedee Lawson won it to end the campaign in style. That was not the season done for Lawson, or for Aiden McCallion and Ashton Scally.
There was a feeling from some supporters that Rohl should have included a couple of academy kids in the squad for the visit of Hibernian. The German opted to do so on this occasion, giving them a valuable insight into the first team environment.
Lawson and McCallion have had encouraging campaigns for the 19s and deserved their place in the squad. Scally, meanwhile, is perhaps the most highly-rated kid within the academy structure and recently signed his first contract to commit himself to the club despite strong interest from some of the biggest clubs south of the border.
The first switch saw Tochi Chukwuani replace Connor Barron. When Rohl went to his bench again, all three youngsters were introduced. Lawson made his bow against Annan in the Scottish Cup earlier this term but this was the first action for Scally and McCallion, the captain who lifted the 19s title just 24 hours previously.
Cavenagh meets the away support
There was a bit of a fall-out from the last fixture here after Rangers fans were able to gain access to the home stands for the last match before the split. Falkirk put measures in place to assure that the scenario was not repeated. In truth, they did not have to worry about that.
There was no scramble for briefs on this occasion. The away support was still several hundred strong but those that took their seats did so with no excitement or enthusiasm. It was one last chance to travel with friends or family and to see the side before a well-earned summer break.
Chants of ‘F*** the SFA’ were heard from those in red, white and blue inside the opening minutes. Later in the half, news of events at Parkhead filtered into both ends. A Hearts triumph was the preferred outcome here.
At the break, there was another show of leadership from Cavenagh as he once again showed that he is willing to front up and lead from that position. The chairman made his way to the fans behind the goal and spoke to the punters. Jim Gillespie, the chief executive officer, and Paraag Marathe joined Cavenagh as they posed for pictures and spent time chatting with those who have followed near and far over the campaign.
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