Graeme Souness has become the latest Ibrox legend to warn the people of the grim realities of life in 2016.
During the summer (season ticket sales time) there wasn’t a word of caution from the tribute act as the old familiar names were wheeled out to talk up Mark Warburton’s title charge.
Having ‘hammered’ Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final and invested in a dozen new stars, including Premiership aces Joey Barton and Niko Kranjcar, the club from Ibrox were apparently #goingfor55.
Seven matches in they have nine points out of 21, two wins to their name with some fans beginning to question the magic hat after the pre-season hype.
In recent weeks Brian Laudrup, Alex McLeish Willie Henderson and Ally McCoist have all doused down expectations with Souness offering a similar warning yesterday.
Without the limitless overdraft of the Bank of Scotland and paying taxes the same as every other club life at Ibrox is going to be bleak over the autumn and winter months.
“There is only one place to be if you are at Rangers or Celtic and that is number one,” Souness, who the BBC claimed received an EBT from Rangers while at Blackburn, claimed.
“Put it this way, you could be playing the best football but if you draw a game and lose an Old Firm game all the focus and criticism is on you.
“You could be playing the best football but that doesn’t matter because you need to be number one. Wear your hard hat.
“Keep doing what you think is right. Last year they played attractive football and dominated a game at Hampden against Celtic.
“Celtic started the season with the strongest group because they have, on paper, the best players. They are the champions and Rangers are a team that got promoted. It was a hell of an ask for Rangers to come up and to look to win it this year.
“For all the Rangers supporters, and I know the emotion involved in Old Firm games, you have to have a rationale and think long term of the bigger picture.
“It would be a big ask for any team to come from the lower league to the Premiership and win it, a big ask.”
For Souness’s benefit it’s not just on paper that Celtic have the best team, the evidence is in front of him in the SPFL table.
Rather than obsessing about Celtic Warbo would be better off trying to live with Ross County and St Johnstone before trying to overtake the five times champions.