Rangers have waited 10 years to get back to the top of Scottish football and Steven Gerrard his whole career for a league title, but the time has finally come for the blue side of Glasgow divide.
Celtic’s latest stumble at Dundee United on Sunday sealed what has been known for many months, that runaway leaders Rangers were not going to be caught as they stopped the Hoops from setting a new record of 10 consecutive Scottish league titles.
While both sides of the Old Firm divide have had their periods in the wilderness as the other won nine-in-a-row before, neither had previously plunged the depths Rangers have over the past decade.
Relegated to the fourth-tier of Scottish football after going into liquidation in 2012, it took Rangers four years to get back to the top flight.
Even on their return to the Premiership, they were ill-equipped to compete with a Celtic side that won 12 domestic trophies in a row between 2016 and 2020.
Gerrard was the first Rangers manager to be given a third season to prove himself after failing to win a trophy in his first two.
“It’s been a long journey over the three years. There has been some real lows in there,” said Gerrard after Saturday’s 3-0 win over St Mirren opened up a 21-point lead at the top of the table.
“We’ve played with maturity and control throughout the season. What we’ve seen is a team that is now in a place that can play with maturity, control and style.”
