THE best player on the park was the Rangers manager. It has been thirty years since that was the case, but this was a day for reminiscing and remembering.

As Ibrox took a walk down memory lane, Steven Gerrard strolled through an afternoon where he was, once again, the main attraction for a crowd of more than 30,000.

Supporters turned out to see heroes of bygone days roll back the years, but it was the man that is leading Rangers to what they hope will be a brighter future that was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the one that stood out.

Glasgow is now home from home for Gerrard but his loyalty to Liverpool has never diminished since he left Anfield. As he said himself, his dream is to return one day and manage the club where, alongside some of those he played with here, he achieved glittering success domestically and, of course, in Europe.

To do that, he must do what his opponents for this charity kickabout did during their own playing careers and lift the Premiership crown and there were several members of the last title-winning Gers side in action. Captained by nine-in-a-row skipper Richard Gough, the likes of Sasa Papac and Lee McCulloch turned out, as did Jorg Albertz and Michael Mols for a side managed by Alex McLeish.

But it was Gerrard that Ibrox, including a couple of hundred fans that had made the trip from Merseyside, were here to see. Gerrard may now be in his 40th year and the legs may not move as quickly as they used to, but his football brain is still as sharp and the vision on and off the ball has certainly not dimmed.

Five goals were scored Gerrard didn’t get himself on the scoresheet. The closest he came was a shot that struck Neil Alexander’s post from close range and the 39-year-old was clearly desperate to find the target in a red shirt once again.

The Gers boss was given a light-hearted and amusing chorus of boos when he got on the ball in the opening stages. He was soon impressing the crowd, though, as two bursts from the middle of the park set up the second and third Liverpool goals, scored by Patrik Berger and then Emile Heskey.

Those strikes, plus a headed opener from Luis Garcia, were enough to give the Reds the lead at the interval and many would have expected Gerrard to walk back out of the tunnel with a blue jersey on. Ibrox had to wait for that moment, though.

There were still reasons for the Gers fans to celebrate. Kris Boyd had missed an early penalty after being fouled by Jamie Carragher, but he made amends with a neat finish that beat Jerzy Dudek, while Peter Lovenkrands had also netted after Boyd headed a Papac cross into his path.

It was a game played in good spirits and enjoyed by players and supporters on either side. It was Liverpool that ultimately edged it, though.

When Lovenkrands was replaced just before the break, Jason McAteer celebrated in front of the Main Stand and clasped his hands, thankful that the Dane would no longer be running away in behind him down the Rangers left.

Every substitute was rightly given a warm reception and some, like Nacho Novo, got a rousing one as fans celebrated those that had given them such joy over the years.

With 15 minutes remaining, Gerrard’s stint in red was over as he was replaced by David Thompson. The goal that he had been so determined to score had evaded him but his side were still on course for victory he had inspired.

When he reappeared on the touchline, this time his name and number adorning a blue shirt, Ibrox rose to greet him. A shot from the edge of the box was blocked as Ibrox willed him to score.

The goal wouldn’t come for Gerrard Snr, but his son Lio netted at the Copland end as players posed for photographs and waved to the crowd.

The Liverpool legend has an opportunity to write his name in Ibrox folklore in the coming weeks and months and that is a chance he will be even more determined not to pass up.