One of Tony Vidmar’s 12 goals from the light Blue of Rangers came at a Cup Final but achievement pales somewhat from the eyes of Rangers fans in regards to his most famous strike of all.
Standing in their own way was UEFA Cup champions Parma, a really World-class outfit who’d knocked Dick Advocaat’s Gers out en-route for their famous win the year before.
Rangers themselves had a really top-class group, but there’s not much doubt they had been up against it, and really, the 50,000 who awakened Edmiston Drive could have been forgiven for coming to the famous old floor with a little trepidation.
What was to transpire, nevertheless, keeps to this day a top area in Rangers folklore.
From begin to finish, the area has been a cauldron of amazing sound and color, and while we will not ever know for sure, it possibly played a part in one of soccer’s biggest ever defenders going up the tube after only 27 minutes.
Already reserved, Fabio Cannavaro, who had gone to captain Italy into World Cup glory in 2006, clumsily bundled over Rod Wallace because he left one of his own lightning runs for purpose.
Parma, together with their course, would have been doing what they could to halt the roof caving in at the point – but in half an hour, Vidmar not just withdrew the Italians’ pay, but raised off the lid Ibrox too.
“It is definitely one I am not likely to overlook as folks keep reminding me !” “European nights were incredible – you believe the Rangers v Celtic games the air was electric – these matches were far over.”
“It appeared to bring a fantastic match from me that day.
“You’d not have believed that you could go there and score a goal against them it was a polished performance out of us and also to lead 2-0 was actually an excellent lead to carry with us along with also the self-belief was there.
“They [Rangers fans today ] wish to talk about not just the purpose, but also the outcome and the entire night and the entire experience.
“I receive a good deal of Rangers fans on Twitter continues mentioning it, therefore I’m always reminded of this that is fine.
“However, you really do look back and think,’gee, that is quite a while back!
“Folks are talking about it and it is part of history that I’m proud of and it’s wonderful to be reminded of.”
1-0 against this Parma aspect was great, but might still leave a somewhat embarrassing return in Northern Italy the subsequent week.
That disheartened Parma marginally, and it might and possibly should happen to be three, four or five, together with Michael Mols, Jorg Albertz and Barry Ferguson coming from long-lived, and Rod Wallace and Gio Van Bronckhorst miss much more gilt-edged chances in injury-time.
This was a part full of highs and lows for Gers. Drawn with ultimate finalists for the subsequent two seasons Valencia; and finalists in the year winners and before the following year Bayern Munich, in addition to a great PSV Eindhoven facet, Gers were up against it.
A 1-0 win off into the Dutch before trouncing them 4-1 on a second uproarious Ibrox day proved definitely the highlights, while Valencia was too powerful with a 2-0 triumph in Spain plus also a 2-1 win at Ibrox, where they had been motivated by the extraordinary performances of Gaizka Mendieta.
The 2 matches against Bayern, nevertheless, remain a source of huge pain for Gers lovers.
Into the UEFA Cup, it had been, but that also was a sore encounter. Drawn using Borussia Dortmund, Gers battered them 2-0 at home but lost 2-0 off, and left the tournament on penalties thanks to a Jens Lehmann heroics from the shootout.
That attracted national things to the end, and rarely if ever, has a team been far ahead of their contest as this particular one.
They won the title from 21 points and played with a few actual, champagne football along the way, together with five, four, six and even a seven-goal success coming that season.
Vidmar himself created a fantastic contribution that year, scoring six goals in 39 appearances.
“The year before was great, but I feel that the year afterwards, I took it to a different level,” he remembered. “Individuals the season before perhaps still had their doubts, but I believe the year was incredible, both together with the number of games I played with along with the goals I’ve scored too.
“There was a time approximately February at which I scored four or three goals, a couple against Dundee and Dundee United, that was through a period where we possibly begun to hit the wall just a bit.
“But we had the caliber of a player where occasionally you needed to grind out results, which was through this period at which we picked up some things but not in a persuasive fashion.
“It was great that I could assist towards the group’s victory that year”
The name was wrapped-up using six matches to spare, leaving Gers using a Hampden date with underside of this table Aberdeen to fasten the Dual.
The Dons had stunned that a Gers facet in the middle of a thick fixture interval earlier in the season by knocking them from the League Cup following extra-time, but at the league, the Light Blues had blasted 14 goals beyond them in three wins and a draw.
Aberdeen have been dealt a huge early blow at the game, together with Jim Leighton, enjoying his final pro game, being knocked unconscious within the opening two minutes at a goalmouth scramble.
In these days, Scottish Cup rules allowed just a maximum of three replacements, without the need for one of the trio for a goalkeeper.
Dons boss Ebbe Skovdahl chose to not add copy’keeper Ryan Esson on his seat, meaning Leighton needed to be substituted between the sticks by striker Robbie Winters.
It was a somewhat strange sight, but to be honest to Winters, he could not really be faulted for what was to follow along.
Leading just 1-0 and producing just a small number of opportunities, Rangers appeared for the second half using all the words of an apparently furious Advocaat obviously still ringing in their ears.
In just two minutes of the restart, Vidmar had blasted in the next target, taking a beautiful touch on his torso from an Andrei Kanchelskis chunk before rifling past the helpless Winters out of 10-yards out.
Billy Dodds after which Jorg Albertz created it three and four within six minutes of the second half starting to bring some actual gloss to a very one-sided experience, for Vidmar, his aim is one that he cherishes dearly.
“Growing up, you’d those fantasies as several children around the world would do, believing you wish to play at a Cup Final.
“Only to get there’s fantastic, but also to score only off it. That season was notable for me happened, but to finish it off at a Cup Final, and also to score was something unique and it was probably my very best season in the club”
