THE message was there in red, white and blue across the Sandy Jardine Stand. Rangers are going for 55.

The goal has been set, but whether they can achieve it or not remains up for debate. There is no guarantee the dream will become a reality.

Dave King showed off the Championship trophy and unfurled the league flag before kick-off on Saturday as Rangers marked the end of ‘The Journey’. If he is back this time next year with the Premiership silverware for another ceremony then Rangers will be toasting one of their finest ever achievements.

There have been plenty of characters in the Rangers story in recent years but the one constant has been the supporters who have backed their team from the Third Division to the top flight.

The memories of the early starts to get to Peterhead or Annan, the matches on plastic pitches and the shocks on the Ibrox turf were gone as the sun shone and Premiership football returned.

They weren’t sent home happy, though. It was the day that Rangers and their fans had waited four years to experience but the occasion didn’t quite go to plan.

Of the range of emotions that the Light Blue legions would have gone through, only the joy of victory was missing.

That was in part down to the deficiencies of Mark Warburton’s side but also a determined, resolute performance from Hamilton. They didn’t quite completely ruin the party, but Accies ensured there was no celebration at the end like there was at the start of the afternoon.

These two will finish at opposite ends of the Premiership standings come the end of the campaign but they couldn’t be split on the scoreboard on Saturday. This wasn’t the top flight return that Rangers had in mind.

There was a positive start for Warburton’s side but there was no goal to show for their efforts and Ibrox was stunned when Ali Crawford left Niko Kranjcar sprawling in the area, kept his composure and found the top corner of Wes Foderingham’s net.

There was a roar of encouragement around the stadium but the one of celebration took longer to come from the stands. Rangers still had time to find a winner after Martyn Waghorn had pulled them level just after the hour mark but there was no grandstand finish for Warburton’s side.

Instead, there were missed chances and two points dropped. It was also an opportunity spurned for Rangers.

Many had expected the Light Blues to make a statement of their intent with a commanding win and polished performance but Warburton’s side failed to deliver.

This was their most important fixture of the new campaign and also their most disappointing showing given the occasion and what was at stake.

It was no surprise to see Warburton stick with the team that were beaten by Burnley the previous weekend. They were outclassed by the Clarets but then couldn’t make their superiority over Martin Canning’s side shine through.

It took until the introductions of Harry Forrester and Michael O’Halloran in the second half for Rangers to really look a threat. Beforehand, too much of their play had been slow and not decisive enough as Accies hassled and harried all over the park.

Joey Barton operated too deep and too far away from Andy Halliday in the first half, while Kranjcar was stifled by former Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati as he made a return to Ibrox, this time in red and white.

Warburton’s customary changes on the hour mark did make a difference and Forrester’s impact was immediate as he split the Accies defence with a superb pass and Waghorn converted to get off and running in the top flight. The sight of the striker hobbling back to the dressing room late on was almost as concerning as the result for Warburton and the Ibrox crowd.

Only time will tell how costly the two dropped points are, and how the absence of the 26-year-old will affect Rangers. The situation, one that is far from ideal, could prove beneficial for someone else within Warburton’s squad, though.

If O’Halloran is given a regular run of games in the Gers attack, he will hope to prove that he can be as effective from the start as he has been off the bench so far this term. And opportunity also knocks for Joe Dodoo as he looks to make a name for himself north of the border following his switch from Leicester City.

Changes will be made for the visit of Peterhead in the Betfred Cup tomorrow night and Warburton will hope the rustiness of the weekend has gone as his side look to quickly get up to speed ahead of the trip to Dundee on Saturday.

Nothing was lost at Ibrox, now Rangers must prove they can win it. The message has been made clear.