THEY say a week is a long time in politics but for Rangers seven days in May 1967 proved to be cataclysmic.

Impressively, Scot Symon’s side had defeated holders Borussia Dortmund, Spanish side Zaragoza and Slavia Sofia en route to the Cup-Winners’ Cup Final having taken care of Glentoran in the first round.

They were to face West Germany’s rising power Bayern Munich – with Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Sepp Maier in the ranks – in the not so neutral venue of Nuremberg on May 31.

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However, the leaden weight on their shoulders was the fact that Celtic lifted the European Cup in Lisbon against Inter Milan seven days earlier.

They performed valiantly with a makeshift side but lost in extra-time to Franz Roth’s hook shot and it took  years to recover.

The Rangers directors crudely dispensed with Symon’s services five months later, stung by Celtic’s success, but it was short-sighted and ill -advised.

The defeat in Nuremberg remains painful for stylish centre-half Ronnie McKinnon, who was denied the opportunity of redemption when Rangers 
finally triumphed in Europe in Barcelona five years later as he broke his leg in the quarter-final against Sporting Lisbon.

McKinnon said: “The fact that Celtic had won the European Cup the week before put an extra burden on our shoulders.

“It was a fantastic achievement by them because a lot of people thought they had no chance against a strong Inter team.

“From our point of view, it was hard luck to go that far and not complete the job. It was horrible to go all that way and lose a final in extra-time and it was such a sad trip coming home.

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“Everyone on that plane knew how much that it meant. It was why Scot Symon got the bullet. There was a big fall-out and I think it took us years to recover.”

Significantly, Rangers had made scapegoats of Jim Forrest and George McLean for their humiliating and infamous 
Scottish Cup defeat by Berwick Rangers in January that year and sold both players.

With old warhorse Jimmy Millar struggling for fitness, they had no recognised striker for the Cup-Winners’ Cup Final.

McKinnon said: “We had a disjointed team in the final. We had to move players around and it wasn’t easy. We had a pattern of play that season and then suddenly it was gone.

“We played Roger Hynd at centre-forward that day and although Roger was a good player he wasn’t a centre- forward.

“He was a half-back or a centre-half and it upset the rhythm for us. Of course, ironically, the best chance of the game fell to Roger when he got the ball in the middle of their box.

“He didn’t get enough on the shot and Sepp Maier made the save. That could have been the difference for us between winning and losing.

“Roger was played to upset Beckenbauer and try to win balls in the air but it didn’t work. Beckenbauer just strolled about as if he was out on a 
picnic. He was unbelievable.

“There was nothing really between the teams and that was all the more impressive from our point of view because it was like a home game for them.

“Nuremberg was only about 100 miles north of Munich so they had the vast majority of the fans. It surprised me that they didn’t change the venue.

“They took their chance and we didn’t, but the ramifications from that final were significant.”

eltic went on to enjoy the greatest period in their history under Jock Stein but while Rangers lived in their shadow they ran them close in the league race each season, unlike current conditions.

Read more: I would love to be Rangers manager one day, says Peter Lovenkrands

McKinnon, who won 28 caps for Scotland and was part of the Wembley Wizards who won 3-2 against England a month before Nuremberg, feels for current Ibrox boss Pedro Caixinha because he needs support if he is to mount a challenge.

The 76-year-old, like many Rangers supporters, is wondering when the promised investment from Dave King is coming.

McKinnon said: “There are so many people out there having a swipe at Pedro but he deserves to be given a chance.However, without money he will have a very difficult climb to get back challenging.

“They need players who can bring that spark and excitement up front but you don’t get that unless you spend money.

“So far the chairman hasn’t done that. It’s unfair for Pedro unless he gets the backing.

“Put it this way he can’t do anything with the team he has at the moment, He’s got the enthu-siasm and he wants his players to play like Rangers players.

“The table always turns and you hope that Pedro is allowed to buy the quality he needs.”