Kirk Broadfoot thought it was the end of the world as Rangers crashed out of the Champions League to Malmo in 2011.
But within a matter of months he found out what Armageddon really was as the club went from away days on the continent to ones at East Stirling and Berwick.
Ten years on, Rangers are heading back to southern Sweden.
And Broadfoot reckons it will be another major milestone if they can get past Malmo and win through in the play-off round to make the groups, where a £30million jackpot awaits.
He said: “I don’t think any Rangers fan, never mind us players, thought it would be another 10 years before the club would be back in Champions League qualifiers.
“It’s been a long road and it’s credit to everyone involved who stood by the club, especially the fans who filled stadiums all the way up from the Third Division.
“It would mean everything to the players because these are the games you want to play in.
“You want to test yourself against the best players in the world.”
Ally McCoist had just taken over from Walter Smith when the Light Blues ran out in Sweden 10 years ago tomorrow, having lost the first leg at Ibrox, and it all went wrong on a fraught night that finished 1-1.
Broadfoot said: “These qualifiers are so early in the season and you’ve only had a few warm-up games before that, so you’re thrown right into them.
“We had the added problem that some players were looking to leave, like Madjid Bougherra, so that doesn’t help.
“And then early in the match Steven Whittaker was sent off for throwing the ball at one of their players after he was challenged.
“Then we went down to nine men when Madjid caught one of their players with his elbow and we were really up against it.”
However, Broadfoot – now with Inverness Caley Thistle – reckons Steven Gerrard’s men can make a winning start tomorrow night.
He added: “I fancy them to go through. They’ve shown their calibre in Europe and they’re stronger now.”
