LIKE Rangers' season in the SPFL Champion- ship, the Kris Boyd- Kenny Miller strike partnership that was resurrected amid no little excitement last summer, promised much but failed to deliver.
But could it, just when it matters most, come good again in the second leg of the Premiership play-off final against Motherwell at Fir Park this afternoon and help ensure the Ibrox club clinch promotion?
They are 3-1 down after the first leg and Stuart McCall, the interim manager who has injury concerns over several key personnel entering the re-match with his former club, is contemplating recalling Boyd to his side.
The 31-year-old has only started once since McCall took charge in March - in a 2-2 draw with Alloa Athletic at home - and has fallen so far out of favour that at times he has been omitted from match-day squads entirely.
However, the former Scotland international posed a threat when, with his side trailing Ian Baraclough's team 3-0, he came on as a substitute during the second half on Thursday evening.
During his time on the park, the former Kilmarnock, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Eskisehirspor and Portland Timbers man had a strike ruled out for offside and was denied by an outstanding reaction save from opposition goalkeeper George Long.
Rangers desperately require goals in order to stage an improbable comeback against top-flight rivals who looked hungrier, faster, fitter, sharper, smarter and stronger in the first encounter. Who better to call on than the once-prolific marksman?
Miller, who knows Boyd as well as anybody, believes it would be a shrewd move by McCall at this critical juncture. He would relish the prospect of leading the line with Boyd once again and predicted that, despite his lack of game time of late, his team-mate can make his presence felt.
"I thought big Boydy did well when he came on the other night," he said. "He was very unfortunate not to come away with a goal. Without analysing it too much, I think his effort was just offside.
"But that is what he does. He gets on the shoulder and plays on that last line so they are borderline decisions. I thought he did well and had it not been for a fantastic save from the goalie he would have come away with a goal.
"It is not for me to decide who plays. That is what the manager is paid to do. But Boyd, there is no doubt about it, is a goal threat. He has looked good in training for the last few months. He does what he does."
There was, despite the duo's advancing years, a sense of anticipation among supporters when Boyd and Miller were both re-signed by the League One champions on free transfers last year by the then manager Ally McCoist. The pair had formed a formidable attack together during their previous spell in Govan and been instrumental in Walter Smith's side being crowned Scottish champions for the first time in four years and winning the League Cup and Scottish Cup.
That, though, was an altogether different era. In the 2014/15 campaign they have toiled to scale their former heights as their side in turn struggled and quickly fell out of touch with Hearts in the race for the second-tier title.
The heavy 3-1 defeat to Motherwell in the first leg of the play-off final was just the latest in a long line of bitter disappointments they have had to endure in what has been a thoroughly wretched spell.
Yet Miller, who has enjoyed improved form since McCall succeeded Kenny McDowall as temporary manager, has taken to watching replays of his games immediately after playing in them. He is adamant Rangers' situation is far from hopeless after reviewing the footage.
"I had a look back at it when I got home," he said. "I do it pretty much most games now. It is a routine I have got into the last few years. I like to see what we have done. I normally watch it back through the week as well. It is always good to be prepared going into games.
"Towards the end, we had a lot of pressure, a lot of the ball, and were hoping something dropped for us. We have to make sure we have that kind of pressure from the get-go. If we can create that same standard of chance then I would expect us to take a couple of them.
"We set out to win the league. The next best is obviously promotion. We have given ourselves an uphill task, but the game is far from over. It's important we re-group, don't get too down about it and make sure we right the wrong of the other night. We can definitely come back. It is a two-goal deficit and there is no reason we can't score two or three goals. It is far from over.
"I still firmly believe we can do it. It's in our hands. There are no other results we have to rely on. It doesn't matter what Motherwell do. It's important we turn up and play the way we can and take the chances. It would be great sitting about eight o'clock on Sunday night with a bottle of red wine watching us winning 3-0."
Speculation has been rife that Boyd, whose deal expires after this afternoon's game, will return to Kilmarnock to take up a player/coach position regardless of whether Rangers win promotion.
Meanwhile, Miller is, after a clause in his contract was triggered as a result of playing in a stipulated number of first-team games, set to remain for at least another term. He will stay if he has to remain in the Championship.
"Playing on in the Championship is not an issue for me," he said. "Obviously, I'd much rather be playing in the Premiership, but if that's what it's going to take, another year to get back, then that's what it's going to take. But I am fully focused on this game and fully believe we can turn this around."
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