The Desperate Record goes OTT as they relive the glories of 1 out of 9 Steven Gerrard

Four matches into the SPFL season the Daily Record has virtually given up on winning the title by treating their army of readers to tales from the 20/21 season.

That freaky campaign is one that brings most football fans out in a cold sweat but it brings out very different emotions at the Sport Desk of the filing Glasgow publisher.

While fans were kept at arms length Steven Gerrard picked up the only title win of his career which the Record would like to think on as the norm for Scottish football.

Gerrard delivered a title win as Peter Lawwell and Neil Lennon watched Celtic implode, in the cup competitions Mister Gerrard lost out to St Mirren and Dundee before failing in the biggest and easiest test of all.

At half time in the second leg of a Champions League qualifier the aggregate score was 1-1, Malmo were down to 10 men with Gerrard handed the keys to a Play Off place against 10 men with a packed Ibrox roaring out their chants of bigotry and hatred.

Antonio Colak had other ideas, scored twice with Gerrard quitting soon after for Aston Villa where he lasted 40 matches, winning 13 before being banished to the Saudi Pro League.

Greg Stewart was part of the freaky 20/21 squad, reflecting on that bizarre season and the events since he told the Record:

When I left the club, I really thought they were set up to dominate for the next couple of years. But obviously that summer the board didn’t give Steven those couple of quality players he wanted. That was the reason he decided to leave. But even after moving to Villa, he’d still left the club in a really good place.

It was all set up for the next manager to come in and take it on. But three years on, it now feels like the squad is in a worse state than before Steven took over. It definitely is. They managers who followed him have obviously spent a few quid since then. But they’ve not spent it wisely. I remember the interview Gerrard gave the day we lifted the trophy at Ibrox. He made the point that when the sun is shining, that’s when you have to fix the roof.

That was Steven’s character. He didn’t just want to sit still. He wanted to keep evolving the team. His mentality is that nothing’s ever perfect, so keep striving for better. That’s why he’s one of the best managers I’ve ever worked for.

When you have spent most pf your career at Kilmarnock, Dundee and various clubs in India being the best ever isn’t much of an accolade.

But we can’t keep looking back to that season or talking about Steven Gerrard. Firstly, you’re not going to get him back. He’s on about 300million-a-year in Saudi! Secondly, OK mistakes were made in not really strengthening the squad back then – but there’s no point going on about them. All you can do is try to fix them. Rangers need to come up with a solution.

The trouble is that it was only wee things they had to fix back then. Now it’s major things. They’ve allowed those wee holes to build up, build up, build up. Phil has come in trying to repair it and he’s been told he’s probably getting X amount to spend because the previous managers before him have overspent.

So I feel for him because he’s trying to fill holes in the squad without the same funds other managers have had. The only way he can fix it is with time and money – but as we all know, you don’t get long at Rangers.

Moussa Dembele has been bailing Gerrard out at El Ettifag, he didn’t succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool with his stay at the Saudi Pro League merely delaying his return to media duties where his contribution is as dull and predictable as Kenny Macintyre spending an afternoon with his Ibrox heroes discussing nights oot and what the dressing room was like.

Stewart is currently drawing a wage out of Indian side Mohan Began.