THE crushing disappointment felt by Rangers and their fanatical support after they lost the Europa League Final in a penalty shootout against Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville on Wednesday was palpable and will hurt take time to heal. As BBC Scotland sports pundit Tom English said: “They came so far and yet they will feel so far away, with just one penalty kick away from immortality.”

But they should not feel too disappointed or downhearted because as Gordon Smith, ex-Rangers midfielder and former chief executive of the SFA, pointed out: “To get to the final, was an incredible, fantastic achievement”. Given that they played 19 games (half the number of games in a domestic league) in nine countries to reach the final, the club and its supporters should feel immensely proud of that remarkable feat, which helped put Scottish football, previously ignored and at times ridiculed, right back on the world football map. Even better, the travelling fans behaviour was exemplary and a credit to their club and Scotland. Something that could not be said after Barcelona in 1972 and Manchester in 2008.

As a Celtic fan, I know only too well what the agonising pain in Spain feels like, having attended the epic 2003 UEFA Cup Final in Seville, which they lost 3-2 in extra time, to the then unknown “special one” Jose Mourinho’s FC Porto.

If it’s of any comfort to those distraught fans who have returned from Seville or who in their despair have still not left the sofa or opened the curtains, the pain does eventually subside.

The result 19 years ago aside, Seville was one of the most incredible, eventful and unforgettable 24 hours that I have ever experienced and is still fondly reminisced about with my travelling band of brothers to this day.

A few of the highlights: My friend Roberto marching around a jam-packed Glasgow Airport at 6am, in flippers and a snorkel mask, is forever seared in my brain. As was his face, when he was told that Seville is over 100 miles from the sea, and that only a combination of sombreros, ponchos, Celtic tops, shorts, flip flops, flags, sunglasses, possibly castanets, and donkey heads on sticks was allowed, not floppy flippers and steamed up snorkel masks.

On arrival in Seville, the party of over 80,000 fans was already in full flow. With almost everyone singing, dancing, and looking for a ticket to the game.

Surprising my friends Gary and Becky Kempton with a pair of tickets which I had secretly kept for them was special. You should have seen their faces. Absolutely priceless!

We also hired horse-drawn carriages to take us to the Olimpico stadium. Stopping at every off licence and mini market along the way for refreshments, until the police brought our green and white cortege to a juddering halt, apparently the tail backs we had created were causing gridlock in the city.

It was a truly memorable day, one that will live long in the hearts and minds of all who were there, regardless of the result. Outside of Celtic and Rangers, for Aberdeen fans of a certain vintage it will be Gothenburg in 1983, when they incredibly won the European Cup Winners Cup against Real Madrid, for Dundee United supporters it will be 1987 UEFA Cup Final, played over two legs against Sweden’s IFK Goteborg, and for Scotland’s Tartan Army it's almost every game and every country they visit.

Win, lose or draw the trip, the adventure, the occasion, more than makes up for the result on the park. The Celtic team of 2003 “the Bhoys from Seville” in defeat were a credit to their club, country and they are fondly remembered by their fans.

Hurting as they are now, I’m sure the Rangers team of 2022 “The Bears from Seville” will be as well, and the 100,000 fans who took the road to Seville will be talking about it for years to come.

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