Curtain falls on a great Scottish footballing era Swan-song decidedly off-key for departing Ibrox maestros

DARRYL BROADFOOT

18 May 1998

IT was not supposed to end like this.

Ten in a row, the treble, and the biggest farewell party of them all.

That was what the fans wanted, perhaps expected.

Inwardly, it was also what the manager, his assistant, and the players who knew that this season was to be their swan-song, wanted.

Instead, the curtain fell on 10 years of unparalleled success at Ibrox with the silverware they had once called their own now under new ownership.

As they slumped inconsolably on the Parkhead turf, the Rangers old guard were given a taste of something they until now been oblivious to.

Defeat on all fronts.

Gough, Goram, McCoist, Durrant, Ferguson.

They all found this new scenario hard to bear and the supporters sensed it.

They took the opportunity to sing for the last time the songs of praise for the aforementioned players.

For the talisman of the Ibrox success, captain Richard Gough, the last few weeks have tarnished his homecoming somewhat and as he prepared to pack his bags to head off again to the States, he told a full press room of his sadness at how the season has turned out.

''That's two weeks in a row that we have been congratulating other teams and that's not the way it has been here over the past nine years,'' he said.

''Personally I'm disappointed at losing the championship and now the cup final.

For me it's a terrible way to end my Rangers career.

I have been fortunate enough in the last nine years to win a lot of trophies but I'd have loved to have ended it with just one more.'' He conceded that the loss of a goal after only a minute of play made the task all the more difficult but praised Hearts for their performance.

''Hearts have to be congratulated,'' he began, ''but when you're down after a minute it makes it a bit awkward.

It was a funny type of game - a nothing game, really - they managed to get a second and eventually we got back into it, but it wasn't much of a game.'' It was ironic that the luck which had seemed to fall on Rangers in many of their triumphs should turn against them.

Hearts were handed a dream start with the penalty, while referee Willie Young refused to hand Rangers one in the dying moments when it appeared Ally McCoist had been fouled in the box.

Philosophically, Gough said: ''These are the breaks you need to win the cups and we've won enough in the past to know that you need it.

It just went against us.'' He also admitted that it will be ''very difficult'' for the incoming manager, Dick Advocaat, and his new crop of Rangers players to emulate the success that Walter Smith and co have achieved, adding that, despite the anti- climactic end to his and others' Rangers careers, he had ''no regrets'' about returning to the club from Kansas.

''It's given me the chance to play another 30 games for the club I love.

It would have been easy to stay in the States watching what was going on but when the manager asked me there was only going to be one answer.

''I've been fit, I've been playing okay, and I have enjoyed it.'' Gough leaves Ibrox today to relaunch his Stateside adventure in Major League Soccer, this time with troubled San Jose Clash, and will play on Saturday against his former club Kansas City Wizards, who still have Maurice Johnston on their books.

Even at 36, the desire is still there to play as often as possible, but Gough admits that it is really the fear of taking a break and being unable to reach the dizzy heights again that spurs him on.

The fortunes of the club will always be important to him and he wished that the new players will be ''half as successful'' as the team before them.

''As a supporter I hope they will be successful, but time will tell.

Dick Advocaat will be coming in with a lot of money to buy new players.

''A lot of the lads are leaving and it has been fantastic to be involved in this era.'' An emotional Ally McCoist, who finished his Ibrox fairytale with yet another goal, admitted that it had not been the end of the Rangers career he had expected.

''We have taken a few steps back but I hope we can go forward from here.'' Of the penalty incident with only moments remaining, McCoist, said: ''I thought it was a penalty and it was a blow to lose but we have to take it on the chin.

I wish Hearts all the best.'' How they played HEARTS Gilles Rousset Put the disappointment of the 5-1 defeat to the same opposition in the 1996 Scottish Cup final behind him with a superb display including a point-blank stop from Ally McCoist on the hour mark.

8 Dave McPherson Former Rangers defender wore maroon with pride to add composure to a relatively inexperienced back line and impressed with his distribution.

7 Gary Naysmith Belied his years with another cultured display; the promise of this Scottish Under-21 inter-nationalist suggests he will experience many other showpiece occasions in the future.

8 David Weir Barely put a foot wrong in defence and looked confident when he moved out of the back four to supplement the midfield, backing Scotland manager's Craig Brown decision to include him in the World Cup squad.

8 Stefano Salvatori Hard-running performance from the Italian who worked hard to combat the hot conditions and provided fine service from the right-hand side in addition to scrapping well in the middle.

7 Paul Ritchie Several telling interventions from the man who signed a new two-year deal with the Tyne-castle club yesterday and will not have regretted that decision with his part in this victory.

8 Neil McCann Well shackled in the opening half but found more space after the break and looked a danger with his pace as Hearts were able to catch Rangers on the break.

7 Steve Fulton With blond highlights for the occasion, he shone in midfield with an excellent passing display, and it was his driving run which earned the early penalty.

8 Stephane Adam Sealed a stylish performance with what proved the match-winning goal after 52 minutes.

The Frenchman's movements off the ball clearly unsettled the Rangers back line.

8 Colin Cameron Made the ideal start by converting a second-minute penalty and, although perhaps struggling for full fitness, contributed throughout with his darting runs from the middle of the park.

7 Thomas Flogel The Austrian was a surprise selection and initially struggled to make an impact but became more involved as the match wore on and looked settled in a deeper role than the one he usually fills.

7 RANGERS Andy Goram Passed a late fitness test to make the game and did little wrong, but might be dis-appointed to have gained a touch on Adam's goal without stopping the ball entering the net.

7 Sergio Porrini Italian defender did his best to supplement the attack, almost levelling in the final minute, but in defence was effective without being a dominant figure.

6 Stale Stensaas Taken off at the interval after looking badly out of touch on the left-hand side.

5 Ally McCoist Stensaas's replacement typically scored a goal after being introduced to prove to Scotland manager Craig Brown his goalscoring talent remains undiminished.

8 Lorenzo Amoruso Disappointing afternoon for the Italian whose free kicks tended to be wayward and whose marking of Adam for the clinching strike was non-existent.

6 Richard Gough Ibrox captain, in his last Rangers appearance, will be more disappointed than anyone by the outcome, but his commitment, as ever, could not be faulted.

6 Joachim Bjorklund His pace was as impressive as ever, but he struggled to come to grips with Adam and rarely put in the kind of challenges which might have stemmed the Hearts' flow.

6 Rino Gattuso Worked hard but to little effect on the right flank and was unable to provide the kind of service required by the forwards he was there to support.

6 Ian Ferguson Another who could be making his final Rangers appearance.

Stepped in well for the injured Jonas Thern but lacked the Swede's creative touch.

6 Gordon Durie Ran well with the ball in possession but often found himself too deep to make a real impact on proceedings and was restricted to shooting from long range.

7 Stuart McCall Yet to decide whether he will see out the final year of his contract next season but gave everything in a resourceful display though perhaps found himself behind the pace on occasions.

6 Brian Laudrup Unable to produce a final goal before departing for Chelsea this summer but, as ever, looked the most cultured Rangers player on show, and struck a post with close-range effort just before half-time.

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Taken from the Herald